Guava Pound Cake Food

GUAVA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 10-inch springform pan or ring mold.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together.
• Add eggs, one by one, beating thoroughly.
• Add applesauce and vanilla, and mix well.
• Sift flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
• Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until fully blended.
• Spread half the cake batter in greased pan.
• Top with guava paste, taking care not to place paste against pan sides (it will melt and spread once baked).
• Top with remaining cake batter, covering guava paste.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (except for the guava paste).
• Mix ingredients for glaze until smooth, and pour over warm cake.
• Allow to cool before serving, as filling will be extremely hot (not good to incinerate your tester's taste buds - you will lose tasting volunteers that way!).

HAWAIIAN GUAVA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a parchment sling, leaving some over hang on the long sides.
• Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder and kosher salt until combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add the egg whites, in three additions, beating about 1 minute after each. Reduce speed to low, add the oil and mix until combined, about 1 more minute.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, guava concentrate, vanilla and food coloring (if using). On low speed, alternate between adding the wet and dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer, mixing well after each addition.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip until it's light and fluffy with stiff peaks, another 2 to 3 minutes. (Don't overwhip!) Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl.
• Replace the bowl on the stand mixer and fit the machine with the paddle attachment (there's no need to clean the bowl). Place the cream cheese in the bowl and mix on medium until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and kosher salt and increase the speed to high. Beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Lower the speed to medium and add the food coloring (if using). Add the guava concentrate in four additions, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after the second and the final additions. Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from stand and, using the spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream in three additions, incorporating completely after each addition.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cake, using an offset spatula to smooth it over the edges. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Cut into 24 pieces and serve immediately.

GUAVA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix guava paste and water in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 min. or until softened to spreading consistency; set aside.
• Beat cream cheese, butter and brown sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each until well blended. Add milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour half the batter into 9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray; cover with guava paste and remaining batter.
• Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

GUAVA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 13x9 inch pan.
• Sift together flour, nutmeg, soda, cinnamon, and cloves.
• In another bowl, mix together guava pulp and juice.
• In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture and guava mixture alternately to creamed mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-35 minutes.

EASY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with parchment paper (mine was 19cm x 9cm x 6cm). Put all of the ingredients except those for the icing into a large bowl and beat together, either using an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Pour the mix into the loaf tin and spread evenly with the back of spoon. Bake for 40 - 45 mins.
• Once out of the oven, leave to cool and make the icing. Combine the icing sugar and vanilla paste with three tbsp of water - you may need more but add it gradually to get a thick icing. Spread it over the top of the cake; it's fine if it drips down the edges. Allow to set and then slice.

FRESH GUAVA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake layers, position one rack in the top third and another rack in the bottom third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray three 9-inch nonstick cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in another bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until well blended. Add the egg mixture in three additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Then beat in the flour mixture in three additions alternately with the buttermilk, scraping down the inside of the bowl occasionally.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the layers are puffed and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and let the cake layers cool completely in the pans. Invert the cakes onto the racks. (The cake layers can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)
• To make the guava filling, combine the guavas, 3/4 cup water, and the granulated sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the guavas begin to break and are tender. Drain the guavas, reserving the syrup. Cool both separately.
• Seed and coarsely chop half of the guavas (they may fall apart slightly). Set the chopped guavas aside. Put the seeds in a blender and add the remaining guavas, the cream cheese, and 1 cup of the reserved syrup. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Strain the mixture into a large bowl, whisking the mixture in the strainer to extract as much of the liquid as possible. (Discard the solids.) Gently mix in the chopped guavas.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a platter. Brush 3 tablespoons of the remaining reserved syrup over the cake. Spread half of the guava filling over the top. Top with a second cake layer, brush with 3 tablespoons syrup, and spread with the remaining guava filling. Top with the third cake layer. Refrigerate until ready to frost. (Reserve the remaining syrup for another use; see page 218.)
• To make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 25 minutes, or until firm enough to spread.
• Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Coat the sides of the cake with the pistachios. (The cake can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Cut into slices, and serve.