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food

Dragon Fruit Layer Cake

This dragon fruit layer cake is straight up fire!

Dragon Fruit Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • For the crust:
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, divided
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • For the filling:
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, strained with juice reserved
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed and refrigerated
  • 2 red dragonfruit
  • 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, strained with juice reserved
  • For the glaze:
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can), divided
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Steps

  1. Make the crust:  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs and set aside. Mix the remaining graham cracker crumbs with the brown sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Press into the loaf pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Refrigerate to cool before filling.
  3. Make the filling:  Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan. Let sit for 1 minute. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until gelatin is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together with electric beaters until well blended. Gradually beat in gelatin and crushed pineapple. Fold in whipped cream and mix until just blended.
  5. Assemble:  Quarter and peel the dragonfruit and chop into a fine dice. Scatter over the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Pour half of the filling over the top. Scatter pineapple chunks over the filling, then add almost all of the remaining filling. Scatter reserved graham cracker crumbs, then spoon over the rest of the filling. Let chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  6. Shortly before serving, make the glaze. Bring the sugar and half of the juice to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining juice and add to the boiling juice. Cook on medium until thick. Stir in the corn syrup and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  7. Quarter the remaining white dragonfruit and thinly slice. Layer the slices of the dragonfruit over the cake and brush with glaze.