Guava Cake Recipe

Prep oven and pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan or a 9x5-inch loaf pan thoroughly and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, tapping out excess.

Dissolve coffee

In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 1 tablespoon warm water (taken from the measured hot water for the guava if needed). Set aside to cool briefly.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons malted milk powder until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs lightly, then add 3/4 cup melted butter (cooled slightly), 1 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the dissolved coffee. Whisk until homogeneous.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined; do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable. If it seems very thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk.

Prepare guava puree: chop or break 8 oz guava paste into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Add 1/4 cup hot water and microwave or warm over a double boiler until the paste softens (about 30–60 seconds in microwave), then mash or puree with a fork or immersion blender until smooth.

Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar (taste and adjust; guava paste can be quite sweet so sugar may be omitted). If the mixture is too thick to swirl, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more warm water to loosen to a thick jam consistency.

Reserve about 3–4 tablespoons of the guava mixture for topping/glaze if desired; the rest will be used for the swirl.

Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread to an even layer. Dollop half of the guava mixture in spoonfuls over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top and finish with remaining guava mixture dropped in spoonfuls on the surface.

Using a knife or skewer, draw gentle figure-8s or circular motions through the batter to create a swirl pattern. Avoid over-swiping or the guava will fully blend in; aim for visible swirl ribbons.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30–40 minutes for a 9-inch round (or 45–55 minutes for a 9x5 loaf) until the top is golden, the center springs back lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the cake (not in a guava ribbon) comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, and cool completely before glazing (about 1–1.5 hours).

Make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon malted milk powder. Dissolve 1 teaspoon instant espresso in 1 tablespoon hot water and add to the sugar mixture. Whisk to combine; add up to 1 teaspoon milk to reach a drizzleable consistency.

If you reserved 3–4 tablespoons guava mixture, warm it slightly and spoon over the cake first, then drizzle the malted coffee glaze on top. Scatter 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or crushed malted milk balls if using.

Let glaze set for 10–15 minutes, then slice and serve. Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.