Guava Cake Bars (Printer-friendly)

Rich, buttery pastry with luscious guava filling creates classic Cuban bars perfect for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, at room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ⅓ cup whole milk

→ Filling

09 - 12 ounces guava paste, sliced into thin strips

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Spread half the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
07 - Arrange guava paste strips in a single, even layer over the dough base.
08 - Gently spread remaining dough over guava layer, using a spatula or damp fingers to cover completely.
09 - Bake for 38-42 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the pastry comes out clean.
10 - Allow to cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment paper and cut into 16 bars.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between buttery cake and bright guava paste feels fancy without requiring any special technique.
  • They stay soft for days and actually taste better on day two when the flavors have settled in together.
  • You can mix the dough in one bowl and have them baking within 20 minutes, no fussy equipment needed.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and softened butter make the difference between a tender crumb and a dense one, so don't skip letting them sit out.
  • The guava layer will darken during baking, which is normal, but if it looks burnt at the edges you're baking too hot or too long, so adjust next time.
  • These bars firm up as they cool and actually slice cleaner and taste better the next day when all the flavors have married.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper with an overhang so you can lift the entire baked rectangle out of the pan—it makes cutting and serving infinitely easier and prevents crumbles.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 15 minutes before spreading the second layer so it doesn't slide around on top of the guava.
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