Guava Cake Bars Cuban Style (Printable)

Buttery pastry layers filled with sweet guava paste, creating tender Cuban-style 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 oz guava paste, sliced into thin strips

# Directions:

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 butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
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 pan.
07 - Arrange guava paste strips in a single, even layer over the dough.
08 - Gently spread remaining dough over guava layer, using a spatula or damp fingers to cover completely.
09 - Bake for 38-42 minutes, or 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 and cut into bars.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast between tender, vanilla-scented cake and that sweet-tart guava filling is genuinely addictive, and you'll find yourself reaching for another bar before the first one is gone.
  • These come together in just over an hour, making them perfect for when you want something that tastes like it took all day but didn't.
  • They're sturdy enough to pack in lunchboxes or bring to gatherings, yet elegant enough to set out on a nice plate.
02 -
  • If you spread that top layer of dough too thin, it disappears into the guava during baking and you lose the cake element; aim for about ¼ inch thickness when you spread it.
  • Guava paste brands vary wildly in texture and sweetness, so if yours is very hard, you can soften it slightly in a warm oven for a minute or two before slicing, and if it's very dense, slicing it while it's cold makes clean cuts easier.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and softened butter are non-negotiable here—they create a smoother, more emulsified batter that bakes into tender bars rather than dense ones, and it takes just five extra minutes to let them sit out before you start mixing.
  • The moment you see the top turn golden, start checking with that toothpick every minute or two, because the difference between perfectly baked and slightly overdone is honestly just a couple of minutes, and these bars are most wonderful when they're still just a touch tender in the middle.
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