Easy Guava Cake

Guava Cake is a delicious Hawaiian dessert that is quickly becoming popular nationwide.  It’s traditionally made with chiffon cake, but my quick and easy recipe uses boxed cake mix.

I like using strawberry cake mix for my recipe–it amps up the guava flavor in my opinion.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you like it. 🙂

Easy Guava Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-oz can frozen concentrated guava nectar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 12 ounces Cool Whip
  • 1 box strawberry cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • Optional:  1 cup guava jelly

Directions:

1.  Prepare the Guava Juice.

Empty the contents of the frozen concentrated guava nectar into a small bowl or measuring cup.

Remove 2 teaspoons of the concentrated nectar and place into a small mixing bowl.  Set this aside for now (you will use this when you make the frosting).

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the remaining frozen concentrated nectar.  Stir until the frozen nectar completely dissolves/melts and combines with the water.  You should have about 3 cups of juice.  Set aside.

2.  Make the frosting.

Add the cream cheese to the mixing bowl with the reserved 2 teaspoons frozen concentrated guava nectar.

Note:  I had a jar of guava jam in the fridge; I also added a teaspoon of jam to the bowl, but this is totally optional.  If you don’t have any guava jam, don’t worry about it.  I just like to add it to the frosting to give it a guava flavor.

Using a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and guava nectar until creamy.

Add the Cool Whip to the mixing bowl.

Mix until creamy.  Place the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3.  Bake the cake.

Empty the contents of the cake mix into a mixing bowl.

Into the bowl add the eggs, vegetable oil, and 1 cup of the guava juice (set the remaining juice aside–it will be used later to make the guava sauce).

Using a whisk or mixing spoon, mix the ingredients together.  Don’t over-mix the batter; mix only until the large lumps disappear.

 Split the batter between two small pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool completely (I inverted it onto a plate to finish cooling).

OPTIONAL:

To give your guava cake a boost of guava flavor, split the cakes in half while still warm.  Heat the jelly in a microwave-safe cup for one minute.  Spread the guava jelly over the top surface of each of the cake halves.  Allow to cool then place the halves back together.  Proceed with the remaining instructions.

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4.  Make the guava sauce.

Place the remaining 2 cups of guava juice into a small saucepan.  Turn the heat to medium high.

Mix the cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of water.  Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan, mixing with a whisk.

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Continue whisking the mixture over medium high heat, cooking until the sauce begins to thicken.

The sauce will thicken only after it comes to a boil.  Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium low; continue cooking for a couple of minutes then remove from the heat.

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Pour the sauce into a small bowl or measuring cup.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: Let the sauce cool completely before pouring onto the cake.

5.  Assemble the cake.

Place one of the cake layers onto a serving plate.

Spread a thin layer of frosting onto the cake.

Spread some of the guava sauce on top of the frosting, staying about one inch from the edge.

Place the second layer of cake on top of the first layer.

Frost the cake (top and sides) with the remaining frosting.

Pour the remaining sauce on top of the cake.  If you have room in your fridge, refrigerate the cake until the sauce and frosting sets completely.  If you have a cake decorating bag and tips, you can be fancy and pipe a border around the edge to keep the sauce nice and pretty in the middle of the cake.

I,  on the other hand, couldn’t stop there.  I’m a sauce kind of girl, so I just HAD to pour MORE sauce over the cake, letting it drip down the sides (yum!). 😉

Slice, serve, and ENJOY!

I couldn’t wait for the sauce to set, so I cut into this cake IMMEDIATELY.  Ahh…it’s all good.  DELICIOUS in fact. 😀

If you have any sauce left, pour some over the cake–man oh man–I want some more cake (I ate 3–yes 3–pieces).

ENJOY!

I also made some guava cupcakes. You can place some guava sauce in the middle (cut a piece of cake out of the top), top it with frosting, then drizzle more sauce on top.

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