UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE SERVED WITH A GUAVA GRANITA

Ingredients: 

• 10 guavas, peeled and deseeded
• ½ cup treacle sugar
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey

Cake:

• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cup cake flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup oil (half EVO, half sunflower oil)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Granita:

• 500g guavas, peeled and deseeded
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of one lemon

Poached Guava: 

• 2 whole guavas, peeled and deseeded
• 2 cup of water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 3cm fresh ginger, sliced thickly
• 1 star anise
• 3-4 pods of cardamom
• 1 chilli, cut in half and deseeded
• Lemon peel

Method:

Poached guavas: 

1. Bring the water to a boil and add the sugar. Allow to dissolve.
2. Bring the syrup to a gentle simmer and add all the ingredients, including the guavas.
3. Poach until soft but the shape is still intact.
4. Don’t allow to boil or aggressively simmer.
5. Remove from the pot, place the guavas in a container covered in the poaching liquid, and place in the fridge to cool. 

Granita: 

1. Blend all the ingredients together until a smooth puree.
2. Then pass the puree through a sieve and into a large metal/ ceramic baking dish.
3. Put the dish in the freezer for 30 mins until it just begins to freeze.
4. Using a fork, stir the frozen edge pieces into the centre and let it freeze for another 30 min.
5. Repeat this process 3-4 times until the granita looks light and fluffy.

Cake:

1. Prepare a cake tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Cut the guavas into 2mm slices and arrange them in the cake tin, overlapping to create a solid layer.
3. Combine the treacle sugar, balsamic vinegar, honey and olive in a pan and whisk to bring together.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir frequently until it thickens enough to drip off the whisk slowly.
5. Remove from the heat and pour carefully over the guavas.
6. For the cake, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, balsamic vinegar and eggs.
7. In a separate bowl sieve all the dry ingredients together 3x.
8. Add the dry ingredients in 3 stages to the wet ingredients alternating with the olive oil in between, fully incorporating after each addition.
9. Carefully pour into the cake tin and bake for 50 – 60 mins
10. Once ready, remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the cake tin and serving with the granita and poached guava.
11. Serves 6

 Recipe developed by:  Inge Esterhuizen, Hurst Campus 1st Year Student