Easy Guava Cake

White Sandy Beach by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
 

I saw you in my dreams
We were walking hand in hand
On a white, sandy beach of Hawaii
We were playing in the sun
We were having so much fun
on a white, sandy beach of Hawaii

The sound of the ocean
soothes my restless soul
The sound of the ocean
rocks me all night long

Angel'sBay.Org

It has been four years since I've been back home to Hawaii.  Every now and then I get the most random cravings - Haupia (coconut jello-like dessert), POG (passion-orange-guava juice) and the latest one -- guava cake. 

Guava cake is usually a light chiffon cake, frosted with sweetened whipped cream and topped with guava gel.  Every time I make this cake it reminds me of when my husband and I were dating.  We would go to Ala Moana Shopping Center and after walking around we'd get a slice of Zippy's cake.  There are so many flavors to choose from! Neapolitan cake, coconut haupia cake, chocolate Dobash cake... Yum!  Unfortunately Zippy's does not make their guava chiffon cake anymore so even if I traveled back home it still wouldn't be available.

Thankfully there are some easy guava cake recipes around.  Here is a very simple recipe for guava cake that uses a boxed cake mix.  This recipe is a quick fix for any guava cake cravings that I have.

 

Easy Guava Cake

Betty Crocker Yellow Cake

1 ¼ cup Guava Juice

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

3 Eggs

1/8 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.    
2. Mix items for 30 secs on low then for 2 mins on high.  
3.  Grease two 9 inch round cake pans.  Pour batter into each pan then bake for about 30 minutes. 

Guava Gel Topping

2 C Guava juice

1/2 C Sugar
1/4 C Cornstarch

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring the 2 cups guava juice and sugar to a boil.
2. Make a paste out of the cornstarch and a small amount of water. 
3. Remove guava juice from heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. 
4. Return to heat and bring back to a boil and boil for one minute. Cool in refrigerator.

Assembling the Cake:

1. After the cake has finished cooling (it's usually better to let it cool overnight wrapped in plastic wrap) put a layer of guava gel on the first layer of cake.  
2. Place second layer of cake on top of the first.
3. Frost cake with whipped cream.
4. Top the cake with guava gel.

  *I prefer real whipped cream to frost the cake -- not Coolwhip (but to each their own!)*