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Guava Cake is a tasty, traditional Hawaiian dessert. It is a guava flavored cake with a whipped cream cheese layer and guava gel glaze. Easy and delicious!
Featured With This Recipe
Whether you’re craving a taste of the islands or simply want a unique dessert to enjoy, this Guava Cake will won’t disappoint. It’s a sweet, Hawaiian cake that’s perfect for any occasion, and it’s easy to make at home! You just can’t beat the flavors and textures of the spongy cake layered with creamy frosting and sweet guava glaze.
What is Hawaiian Guava Cake
Guava cake is a classic Hawaiian dessert that was originally created at the famous Dee Lite Bakery in Honolulu. Its popularity grew, and now there are many different versions of this guava cake recipe out there. But this one is by far my favorite! When I worked at the bakery in Hawaii, we would often make this for catered events and it was always a huge hit. Plus, this recipe is so easy to make, you can have a taste of the islands at home!
Guava Nectar vs. Juice
Guava juice and guava nectar are pretty similar. You can use either one in this recipe. Nectar is a little thicker than guava juice, but guava juice still works fine. I was able to find guava concentrate at my local grocery store in the refrigerated juice section. If all you can find is a guava nectar blend (passion-guava, guava strawberry, etc.) that is totally okay, too.
Substitutions and Additions
- If you don’t have or can’t find strawberry cake mix, you can always use white or yellow cake mix instead. I like the strawberry because it complements the guava flavor, but either of those flavors work too.
- To get that gorgeous pink color, add a few drops of red food coloring to the cake batter and whisk together to get that nice pink color.
- You can also swap out the coconut oil for canola or vegetable oil if you would like as well. I like the faint hint of coconut that the coconut oil gives because it isn’t too overpowering and just gives a little added flavor dimension.
- You can also add sliced strawberries to the top for a beautiful garnish. You can’t go wrong with guava and strawberry!
- Make it a poke cake by poking holes in the top of the cake with the back of a wooden spoon before frosting and pouring prepared strawberry Jell-O over the top of the cake. Follow our Poke Cake recipe instructions for more details on how to do this.
Tips for Making this Guava Hawaiian Cake
- Balance Sweetness: Guavas can vary in sweetness, so taste your guava puree or juice and adjust the sugar accordingly in your cake and frosting. You want the cake to be sweet but not overly so.
- Check for Doneness: Test the cakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs when the cakes are done.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the cream cheese frosting layer, be sure to use room temp ingredients to make the frosting nice and smooth.
- Cool Before Frosting: Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. If you frost while warm, the frosting layers may melt and not set right.
- Garnish Creatively: Consider decorating your guava cake with additional tropical elements like fresh guava slices, shredded coconut, or even a drizzle of passion fruit sauce.
How to Store Guava Cake
In my opinion, this cake tastes especially delicious after it has been refrigerated overnight, I suggest chilling the whole thing overnight in the baking pan before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
Looking for More Tasty Hawaiian Cakes?
Love this Hawaiian guava cake? Try some of these other cakes inspired by the tropical flavors of the islands!
Frequently Asked Questions
Guava cake is made from a strawberry cake mix and has a layer of creamy frosting and a delicious guava glaze.
Guava nectar is a sweet and refreshing fruit juice used for beverages and mixed drinks. Guava concentrate, on the other hand, is a thicker, more potent form of guava flavor used in cooking, baking, and as a concentrated ingredient for adding guava essence to various dishes and recipes.
Guava has a distinct flavor profile that’s sweet and slightly tangy, often described as a tropical-citrus blend with notes of pear, strawberry, and a subtle hint of lemon. The taste can vary depending on its ripeness, with fully ripe guavas being even sweeter and more aromatic.
How to Make Guava Cake
Hawaiian Guava Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 strawberry cake mix
- 1 1/3 cups guava nectar or guava juice
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup coconut oil room temp (liquid)
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
For the Guava Gel Topping:
- 2 cups guava nectar or guava juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, guava juice, eggs, and coconut oil until well combined. Bake in a 9×13 glass baking dish according to cake mix package directions.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with hand mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Slowly fold in the Cool Whip and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups guava juice and sugar to a boil. Make a slurry out of the cornstarch and a small amount of water. Remove guava juice from heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and bring back to a boil and boil for one minute. Cool in refrigerator.
- When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tried this recipe out for a birthday and it was a hit! Everyone loved it, islanders and non-islanders included. The cake is moist and the guava flavor really shines through. This is becoming one of my staple recipes 🙂
Hello,
I’m allergic to cream cheese, what can I substitute it with, or can I make it without the cream cheese?
I haven’t made this recipe without cream cheese before, but I found this article that might be helpful: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/cream-cheese-substitute/
Where can I get guava juice or nectar? Can I substitute another type of juice?
I have found guava nectar at most Wal-Marts and Kroger grocery stores!
Look in the Mexican section (tacos, tortillas etc) I found it at Festival foods in a round paper carton.
This recipe is so delicious and was really easy to follow. Thank you.
Hello,
Can the Guava nectar be changed to Mango, using the same ingredients?
Thank you
Yes, you can use mango but then it wouldn’t be a “guava” cake anymore. I am sure the mango would taste great though!
I have been looking for a guava cake recipe. I do have a question on the guava concentrate usage or juice. If you use the concentrate, do you add any sugar. Also, can you use guava paste? If so, do you heat it and add water to become a liquid?
Thank you,
Anita
Using concentrate will make the guava flavor come through more. It will just be stronger. You don’t need to add sugar. We have never used the paste before so I don’t know how well it will work. For sake of ease, I usually just stick with guava juice. Hope this helps!
So delicious!! Everyone in my family loved it! As my daughter said, “the guava layer just takes it over the top!”
Delicious! A perfect dessert to take to a gathering. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Yes, it is perfect for serving a group. Thank you so much for your review!
I absolutely LOVE this cake! The first time I had it was when I went to a coffee shop in Pohnpei. I was hooked. Ever since then I have craved for another Guava cake, and so I am SO excited to have found your recipe!! Thank you so much!
We love this cake! It is easy and delicious. I have made it multiple times and now it is being requested by my family. Always a sign of a good recipe. Thank you!
I made it and my family loved it. But we have two kinds of guava nectar available in my area. One yellow and the other pink. I bought the yellow. Haha! Just add a dot of red food coloring to make it pink. I bought pink guava nectar this time I’m going to make it again this weekend thanks for the recipe
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?
I haven’t tried making cupcakes with this recipe, so I am not sure! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Ive made them as cupcakes. super easy! Just followed the box instructions
Perfectly sweet & moist & the prettiest color! Thank you for sharing this!!
Yum!! Love this cake! Have had it a few times & I am so excited to make it at home!
Ok, the flavor of this cake is amazing! It looks so beautiful too!
This guava cake tasted so delicious and really easy to make! Will surely have this again, thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Highly recommended!
YUMMY! I have long loved guava smoothies but never thought to make it into a cake. This was genius! Tasted so fresh and fruity and perfect for a special occasion.
I made this cake for my Sunday dessert with my Hawaiian inspired dinner and it was AMAZING!! My husband loved it and said this was a keeper. I will definitely be making this again.
So glad you liked it!
Hello,
I’m sorry I failed to mention changing the strawberry mix to yellow cake as well and the rest of the ingredients remaining the same.
Thank you
Can I just double everything for a sheet pan size?
I haven’t tried it that way before, and I worry that the sheet pan wouldn’t allow the cake to rise without spilling over the edge.
This is definitely NOT Big Island guava cake. Strawberry boxed cake base? My entire family is from Hawaii, all of us bring the genuine Big Island Guava cake back to other family members on Maui when we visit The B.I. It is NEVER Strawberry flavored, strawberries are about as authentic and native as Reggae music and Mai Tais , and drinks with paper umbrellas.
But have you tried it?
That’s sad to hear. Maybe recipes are tweaked differently on the BI versus Oahu (where I grew up) I’m curious to know the BI Guava cake recipe and the difference between yours and what we make on Oahu
I don’t see Big Island anywhere in the recipe title. She mentions there are different variations, and this is the version she wants to share. I was born and raised in Hawaii, my entire family from Hawaii as well, and this STRAWBERRY based Guava cake is DELICIOUS and never disappoints when I bring it to our family gatherings; no complaints or comparisons.
Your comment is as authentic as an egotistical asinine can provide. Make the cake, it won’t disappoint. and remember to make it with LOVE!
I researched for weeks and found a handful of recipes that looked worthy enough to confuse me. I wish I would have stopped when I found your recipe (it was the first).
I followed the recipe EXACTLY, I did make sure to find the Guava Nectar with the HIGHEST percentage of JUICE – which was Libby’s – it has 41%. The others had a measly 10-19%.
The cake was so ono! This was for my son’s birthday cake and now that he’s all grown up at 16 😂 the character cakes from the store no longer impress him. This certainly did!
Much gratitude and aloha! It’s been 16 months since we’ve been back to visit all of our family. Because of Covid, my 80 year old dad has been fearful of us going back home for visits…(but, still no worries about climbing up a 30 foot ladder to clean off the roof and gutters!)
Hi Lynette- I am so glad to hear you and your son enjoyed this cake! Your son has good taste, especially for a 16 yea old! 😉 I hope you can make it back to Hawaii soon. It will be so nice when all this crazy stuff has passed. Getting back to the islands will be much easier!
Can you use fresh guava juice for this recipe? Should the juice be sweetened or unsweetened?
Thank you
Sure! I think either would work since there is sugar in the cake mix!
This is a really good cake. I would have liked a stronger guava flavor though.
I used canola oil instead of coconut oil, but it came out good . My family enjoyed it