When I was young, the end of November not only marked the beginning of the Christmas season, it also marked the glorious time of year when the Sears catalog would arrive in the mail. The catalog was as thick as an old phone book and the toy section made up half of it. I would sit and study it for hours. With marker in hand and no regard for cost, I would circle every item I wanted. I have a feeling some of you can relate.
I never got the 75 items I circled, but I usually got one or two (still waiting on my Easy Bake Oven) and that was good enough for me. Thinking back now, I realize that my favorite gifts (giant stuffed Koala bear) were never the ones I had selected, but the ones that were unexpected and bought with thought behind them. They are also the only ones I still remember so many years later.
It’s a beautiful time of year and I look forward to it so much not because of the gifts, but because of the warm feelings of nostalgia, the time spent with family and friends, the joy of Jesus’ birth and the baking of festive goodies. This Cranberry Guava Upside-Down Cake is my first holiday treat of the season. And after tasting it, I’ve decided to add it to my annual Christmas baking list. If you’re wondering what dessert to make for Christmas, I’d like to nominate this one. It will deck your halls and jingle your bells.
This is a take on my all-time favorite cake, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. I love upside-down cake. To me, it is the epitome of a dessert that is simple, yet special. If I had a catch phrase for the way I like to cook and bake, that would be it. I thought it would be fun to try a holiday version with a Latin twist and guava is always a good idea.
It turns out that cranberries and guava make an amazing pair. The sweetness in the guava cuts the tartness in the cranberries and they marry to create an amazing guavaberry flavor. I added meringue to half of it to dress it up a bit and we all liked that half even more. The fluffy sweetness is heavenly with a bite of the cranberry guava combination. When my youngest daughter first saw the cake, she stared down at it and then walked over to me and whispered in my ear (apparently to save me from embarrassment), “mama, you forgot to frost the other half”.
The cake consists of three steps. They are all simple, quick, and easy. I promise. First, the topping is made with cranberries, guava paste (you can use jam or jelly too), butter, sugar, and vanilla. It takes about 10 minutes and then cools in the fridge for 30 minutes, which is just the amount of time you need to make the cake.
For the cake, I used My Favorite Vanilla Pound Cake recipe (cut in half) and added in a bit of almond extract. The meringue is optional, but I think it adds to the flavor and looks so pretty. I toasted it with a mini torch (like this one), but you can leave the meringue untoasted. If you are weary of using uncooked egg whites, you can use pasteurized egg whites or use whipped cream instead. Another option is to skip the meringue topping altogether and serve as is or with vanilla ice cream. It is delicious either way.
Everyone in my family loved this Cranberry Guava Upside-Down Cake. It tastes just as beautiful as it looks, comes together easily, and is sure to be the hit of your holiday table.
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Cranberry Guava Upside-Down Cake
This cake is festive, beautiful, and delicious. Made with a vanilla almond cake, cranberry guava topping, and fluffy meringue.
Cranberry Guava Topping
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ounces guava paste, cut in small cubes (or 3 Tablespoons guava jam or jelly) (I used a kitchen scale, but you can estimate based on package size)
- 12 ounces (3 cups) fresh cranberries, rinsed
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs whites & yolks separated
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Meringue
- 2 large egg whites
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (see note)
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
Cranberry Guava Topping
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Grease bottom and sides of 9 inch cake pan well with non-stick cooking spray. Line pan bottom with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray again.
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In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add guava paste cubes (or jam if using) and allow to melt. Once guava is melted into butter, increase heat to medium and add cranberries and sugar. Cook for 4-5 minutes until cranberries are slightly softened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
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Place cranberry topping with cooking liquid in prepared pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cake
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Place oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees
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Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl and set aside
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Separate egg whites and yolks, placing yolks in a small bowl and whites in a medium bowl
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Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until butter is light in color, 2-3 minutes
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Add egg yolks and vanilla & almond extracts. Mix until blended
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Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour alternating with milk until both are just incorporated, being careful not to overmix
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Separately, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Fold gently into prepared batter until incorporated
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Remove prepared pan from refrigerator and carefully smooth batter over cranberry guava topping
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Bake for about 35 minutes until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in cake comes out mostly clean
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Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto serving platter to finish cooling
Meringue
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Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a mixer set to medium speed until frothy
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Add cream of tartar and continue mixing
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When whites are a bit fluffy, add sugar slowly (to not deflate the whites) and increase speed to medium high
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Beat until meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks, being careful not to overmix
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Place meringue on cake and use back of spoon to form decorative peaks. Use mini torch to toast meringue, if desired
This cake is best the same day it’s made. If you wish to make it a day ahead, wait to whip and add the meringue on the day you are serving it.
The Cream of Tartar is optional, but helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be found in the spice section of grocery stores.
You can use substitute raspberry or strawberry jam for the guava if you wish.
I made this cake for Christmas, using the guava paste just like you did. Not only was it delicious, but also beautiful with the three layers.
It’s such a nice holiday dessert. So glad you tried it and liked it 🙂