Receta Guava Cake, A Sweet Diwali Treat.
After a weeks recovery at home, I'm back on my feet again and once more able to lift heavy objects in a single bound. If there's one thing I found out in this last week, it's that guavas wait for no man...or woman. No matter what happens in the outside world, the guavas continue to ripen, and fall from the tree. No matter what went on with me and my stitches, the guavas continued to pile up and something had to be done. That something turned out to be cake, just in time for Diwali too.
Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights is a time to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. Also like every celebration the world over, it's a time for delicious food! Each year I try to feature a Diwali recipe here on The Colors Of Indian Cooking, usually involving a traditional recipe such as these sweet gluten free Laddu, but this year I had surgery...and you know...guavas. There are a lot of guava recipes in Indian cuisine so there was a lot to choose from. I happen to have a large tree full of pineapple guavas, which are technically not true guavas but they still share with true guavas, a healthy dose of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidents. What's not to like? After all, a guava by another other name still tastes as sweet and makes a great dessert.
This guava cake is a simple sort of lighter pound cake. The recipe comes from Love and Confections and it involves guava paste as a filling, so even if you don't have a guava tree of your very own, guava paste can be purchased at most markets. Before I had my tree, I used to purchase it regularly at my local Whole Foods, so there's that.
Guava Cake
Here's What You Need:
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 or 5 strips of guava paste, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
- pinch of Salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 or 4 Tbs heavy cream
Here's What To Do:
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
Coat a bundt pan with butter or baking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened stick of unsalted butter.
Add in the sugar.
Cream them together until they're light and fluffy.
Add in eggs, one at a time. Beat them slowly and scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is blended smoothly.
While the beaters on low, add the Flour, a half cup at a time.
Next, add in the Baking Powder.
Keep scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add in the vanilla extract.
With the beater still on low, slowly drizzle in the Heavy Cream.
Pour half the batter into the bundt pan.
Lay the strips of guava paste on top of the batter.
Top the guava strips with the remaining batter.
Smooth everything over.
Pop the bundt pan into the oven.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a
toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.
Then turn
it out and continue to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Now for the frosting!!!!
Either using a stand mixer or a hand mixer cream together the cream cheese, butter and salt. After every step, scrape the sides of the bowl to make
sure everything is mixed together.
Add in the vanilla extract and blend everything together.
Keep the mixer on low speed and add in the powdered sugar one 1/2 cup at a time.
Keep scraping down the sides of the bowl, then add in the whipping cream 1 Tbs at a time until it looks right for frosting.
Frost your bundt cake.
Voila!
And who better to eat guava cake with than one's favorite nurse?
Not quite the same spelling.
Jane helped me navigate UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. and introduced me to my wonderful doctor Dr. Laura Esserman. Cake was the least I could do.
Serve the cake up, slice it and see the delightful guava filling!
The perfect blend of tart and sweet, the guava filling adds the perfect something that makes this cake perfect for a Diwali, or any other holiday celebration! Coming up next more Indian treats follow along on Twitter @kathygori