Guava Cupcakes with Guava Frosting
These perfect little Guava Cupcakes are topped with a creamy guava frosting and stuffed with a bit of jammy guava paste.
I rarely bake cupcakes with one dominant flavor, but these triple guava cupcakes are a delicious exception. They’re made with a few different guava products (nectar and paste) and are full of tropical vibes!
For more guava recipes, make sure to check out my Guava Swirl Cheesecake!
Key ingredients
Most of the ingredients for these cupcakes are pretty standard, but you will need a few guava products:
- Guava paste: Guava paste, or pasta de guayaba, has a sweet and slightly tart flavor to it. The type of guava paste I buy is jelly-like in consistency, comes in slab form and is a mixture of just guava pulp, sugar and pectin.
- Guava nectar: Guava nectar is similar to juice, but it’s a bit thicker and contains more pulp. Using guava nectar instead of milk or water gives these cupcakes a slightly more dense texture almost akin to pound cake. That being said, it doesn’t feel heavy or dry at all and has a wonderfully velvety feel to it!
Sourcing guava paste and nectar
While I generally pick up guava paste at our local Mexican grocery store, it’s also readily available online. I use Conchita Guava Paste. Guava nectar can be found at most larger grocery stores for about a dollar.
Using guava paste in cupcakes
This recipe uses guava paste in two ways:
- First, I cut the guava paste into small cubes and add them to the center of each unbaked cupcake. After baking, the guava paste has a more creamy, jammy consistency that is such a treat!
- Second, I use guava paste to flavor the buttercream. To get the paste into more of a jam-like consistency, you’ll first need to cook it on the stove-top with a bit of water. It only takes about 10 minutes to get a smooth consistency and then you’ll just need to let it cool before whipping up your frosting!
Storage
Unfrosted guava cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
FAQs
Guava has a beautiful sweet, slightly floral taste that I absolutely love. If you’re not familiar with the pink fruit, some say it comes across as somewhere between a pear and strawberry, but there are quite a few different types of guava with varying degrees of sweetness.
Yes, unfrosted guava cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can store any extra guava paste at room temperature in an airtight container. And if you’re looking for more ways to use it, I definitely recommend baking it with a bit of brie cheese!
Guava Cupcakes Recipe
- Total Time: 48 minutes
- Yield: 12
Description
These Guava Cupcakes feature an easy guava frosting and guava paste filling!
Ingredients
Guava Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) guava nectar
- 1.5 cups (180 grams) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 cubes guava paste
Guava Frosting
- 3.5 ounces (100 grams) guava paste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
Guava Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and guava nectar and stir until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (about ¾ full).
- Optional: add a small cube of guava paste to the center of each cupcake. Just lightly tap it into the batter as it will sink a bit during baking.
- Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Guava Frosting
- Combine the guava paste with ¼ cup (60 ml) of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and mash for approximately 10 minutes or until the mixture is smooth in consistency.
- Once the guava mixture has cooled to room temperature, beat it together with the softened butter until fully combined. Add the powdered sugar one cup (120 g) at a time and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar as necessary to get your desired consistency.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. Transfer the guava frosting to a piping bag or use a knife to frost the cupcakes.
Notes
Measuring flour: Scooping a measuring cup into a flour container can result in much more flour than intended, which can affect the success of your cupcakes. To get a more accurate measurement, use a spoon to lightly scoop flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
Storage: Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Global
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