Panetela (Guava Cake)

Cream cheese coffee cake meets tropical guava pastry in this Puerto Rican guava cake known as Panetela de Guayaba! Buttery crumb cake surrounds the guava and cream cheese filling. This tasty panetela makes an excellent snack cake, dessert or even breakfast! 

Panetela de Guayaba

Hello everyone. Today I have a wonderful and easy cake recipe for you.

In Puerto Rico it’s called panetela de guayaba y queso (Guava cake with cream cheese). In Cuba they call it masa real. It’s also called bizcocho de guayaba.

This simple snack cake may have different names, but everyone calls it delicious!

It’s also not necessary to have the cheese at all, but guava and cream cheese are one of my favorite combinations!

For me they go together like peanut butter and jelly. Try my mini guava cheesecakes and you’ll know what I mean!

The sweet, concentrated guava is balanced perfectly with tangy cream cheese.

If you’ve never worked with guava paste before, you can find it in the Hispanic section of grocery stores or on Amazon.

The best way I can describe it is like a solid piece of guava jelly that’s easy for slicing or melting.

It adds so much flavor without any fuss, like my 2-ingredient guava pastelitos (puff pastries).

How to make panetela

Now, this panetela de guayaba is what I call an “everything cake.”

It’s great for dessert of course, but also perfect with coffee in the morning for breakfast, or a tasty afternoon snack.

The texture of this cake is quite dense. It’s somewhere between cake and cookie bars.

You’ll see when you make the batter that it’s pretty stiff. This is normal and you’ll have to spread the batter out in the pan.

Divide the dough and spread half in a greased 8×8 pan. It may not seem like enough dough, but trust me it will be plenty!

Next, top with a layer of guava paste and slices of cream cheese (if using).

The remaining half of the cake better is spread over top and then it’s baked.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving for a pretty appearance and enjoy!

PIN FOR LATER!

Ingredients you will need: 

• 10 oz guava paste
• 4 oz (half a package) cream cheese
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Want more guava recipes?

These guava pastelitos are suuuper easy to whip up!

Or try these crispy fried guava empanadas!