Guava and Cream Cheese Loaf Cake
This simple guava and cream cheese cake, or bizcocho de guayaba y queso, is a trip to the Caribbean in each bite. Guava and cream cheese is a classic sweet combination from Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. I put them together in this simple vanilla loaf cake that has a soft and tender crumb. Leave the crusty sweet top naked or drizzle a simple vanilla glaze for an extra sweet touch.
If there is a sweet combination I loved growing up in Puerto Rico that is guava and cream cheese. For me it’s just a match made in heaven. The tanginess of the cream cheese is such a nice contrast to the pure sweetness of the guava paste. Mixing these two on a cake, you will have lots of creaminess and sweetness in each and every bite.
I remember how my love affair for the guava and cream cheese combo started. It was when my grandmother pulled out a tray with guava paste cubes on top of queso blanco cubes out of the kitchen for some impromptu visitors. Why this dreamy combinations was regarded to those kind of situations I have no idea. I just know that from that point one, anything with guava and cream cheese will be my first pick!
Queso blanco is a hard milky cow’s cheese that has a pretty mild flavor. This cheese goes wonderful with other tropical fruit compotes or confections like papaya and mango. But trust me my friends, nothing beats guava paste over queso blanco!
Since queso blanco doesn’t melt or spread, the only way possible to translate this flavor combination on other recipes was to use cream cheese. And that’s how the cream cheese and guava paste combination was born. Out of necessity. Totally a practical choice. A practical choice that is one of the most popular and delicious combinations around! And now you have the chance to taste it in cake form! You will want to have a piece for a late night snack and then a piece for breakfast the next morning. It’s so freakin’ good!
How to make this guava and cream cheese cake
I used my sour almond loaf cake as the base for this cake, just added the guava and cheese inside. This basic loaf cake is pretty simple! I just prepared my guava paste and cream cheese before hand to make my life easier. Take a look of my rundown preparing this cake!
Start by taking out your butter, eggs and milk so they get to room temperature. For this recipe you need butter that is soft to the touch but still a bit firm and chilled, so about 20 minutes out of the fridge will be enough to get it to that point. To get the eggs to room temperature faster, place them in a bowl of very hot tap water for 5 to 10 minutes. You can warm up milk by heating it in the microwave in 15-second intervals on a low power level, between 2 and 3. For this recipe you just need it at room temperature.
Cut in small cubes the guava paste and melt according to recipe over medium heat. Add butter and cornstarch and set aside to cool down.
Heat the cream cheese in the microwave, 15 seconds in high heat and then mix with the sugar and set aside.
Prepare cake pan and preheat to 350°.
Prepare cake batter.
Serve about ⅓ of the batter on the bottom of the pan and make sure the batter reaches the borders and corners of the pan. Arrange half of the cream cheese and guava paste mixture side by side, swirling a bit each component in a folding motion. Pour about half of the remaining batter and after gently spreading it, repeat arranging the cream cheese and guava paste, but this time switch their placement. They will end up inverted to the first layer. Swirl a little bit again, folding just enough to reach the batter in the middle, as if you are trying to sink the guava paste and cream cheese, but being careful not to reach the bottom of the pan. Pour remaining batter on top and spread the surface evenly, again making sure the batter reaches all borders and corners of the pan.
Bake and drizzle simple glaze when cooled down! Recipe for glaze is below but you can always check my guide on How to make a simple glaze for more tips and ideas on making glazes for cakes, cupcakes and cookies.
Enjoy this cake peeps! I’m sure it’s going to be one of the most popular recipes in this blog! Don't wait a minute more!
Guava and Cream Cheese Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Guava Paste Filling
◯ Guava paste – 3 to 4 ounces
◯ Water – 2 TBSP
◯ Organic “free range butter” – 2 TBSP
◯ Cornstarch – 1 TBSP
Cream Cheese Filling
◯ Cream Cheese – 8 oz
◯ Raw natural sugar – 3 TBSP
Vanilla Loaf Cake
◯ Full fat organic milk – about ⅔ cup
◯ White vinegar – 1TBSP
◯ Unbleached all-purpose flour – 1 ¾ cup
◯ Cornstarch – ¼ cup
◯ Baking powder – 1 Tsp
◯ Fine sea salt – ½ Tsp
◯ Butter, softened – 8 TBSP (1/2 cup)
◯ Raw granulated sugar – 1 ¼ cup
◯ Almond extract – 1 Tsp
◯ Large organic free range eggs - 3
◯ Sour cream, at room temperature – ¼ cup
Simple Glaze
◯ Confectioner’s sugar, sifted – 1 ½ cup
◯ Water or milk – 2 to 4 TBSP
◯ A few lemon drops if desire
Details
Yield:
9” x 5” loaf cake pan
Total time:
1.5 hours
Active time:
30 minutes
Equipment:
small saucepan, stand mixer or electric hand mixer, 9” x 5” loaf cake pan
Steps
To make the guava paste filling:
Cut the guava paste in small cubes. Place in a small saucepan with the water and heat over medium heat until the guava paste has melted completely. Try pressing the guava paste with a fork during the cooking process to melt it faster. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent the guava paste from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The paste should be thick but soft. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir until melted. Add cornstarch and stir until it has mixed and dissolved into the guava paste. Set aside.
To make the cream cheese filling:
Heat in the microwave the cream cheese just enough to make it spreadable, 10 to 15 seconds. Mix with sugar and set aside.
To make the vanilla loaf cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray with baking spray your loaf cake pan.
Mix milk with vinegar.
In a medium to large bowl mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt with a hand whisk or fork. Then sift it through a large sieve into a large bowl.
Beat the butter on your mixer on slow speed (#2 in the Kitchen Aid) for about one minute, just until loose and fluffed. Add sugar and almond extract and beat until a pale paste forms, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and waiting until one is incorporated before adding the next one. Add sour cream and pour milk and vinegar mixture. Decrease speed to the lowest and add flour mixture in a couple of additions, waiting until most of the flour is incorporated before adding more. Stop as soon as you add the last flour. Mix with a spatula any remaining large streaks of flour, making sure to scrape the bottom and walls of the bowl.
Serve about ⅓ of the batter on the bottom of the pan and make sure the batter reaches the borders and corners of the pan. Arrange half of the cream cheese and guava paste mixture side by side, swirling a bit each component in a folding motion. Pour about half of the remaining batter and after gently spreading it, repeat arranging the cream cheese and guava paste, but this time switch their placement. They will end up inverted to the first layer. Swirl a little bit again, folding just enough to reach the batter in the middle, as if you are trying to sink the guava paste and cream cheese, but being careful not to reach the bottom of the pan. Pour remaining batter on top and spread the surface evenly, again making sure the batter reaches all borders and corners of the pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a large toothpick comes out clean after inserted through the middle of the cake. Wait about 10 minutes before removing cake form pan. Wait until it cools down completely before drizzling glaze (recipe follows).
To make the simple glaze:
Start by pouring 1 tablespoon of water or milk and the drops of lemon juice (if using) into the sugar. Mix with a hand whisk. You should have a thick paste of glaze. Adjust consistency to your preference by adding more liquid to make it runnier or more sugar to make it thicker. You can also heat your thick glaze in the microwave to make it spreadable.
