Prep 2hrBake 40-45minMakes 12-15 serves

This impressive cake was created by Débora Bueno Leite, one of our Make Me a Baker students, for her graduation. It marries two gems from the state of Minas Gerais in her native Brazil, guava paste and cheese – when served together they are known as ‘Romeo & Juliet'.

Ingredients

• 250ml (1 cup) milk combined with 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 11 guava macarons, to decorate

Cake layers

• Melted butter, to grease
• 375g (2½ cups) plain flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 250ml (1 cup) full-cream milk

Guava Filling

• 200g good-quality guava paste (available from good delicatessens and specialty food stores)
• 125ml (½ cup) water

Cream Cheese Filling

• 300g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 200ml cold thickened cream
• 160ml (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk

Cream Cheese Frosting 

• 680g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 240g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract or essence
• Queen red food colour gel, to tint

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease two deep 20cm round cake tins with melted butter and line the bases with non-stick baking paper.  
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Use an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla for about 8 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl when necessary, or until pale and creamy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl when necessary, until well combined.
5. Add the flour mixture in four equal portions, alternating with the milk in three portions, mixing on lowest possible speed until just incorporated before adding the next; do not overmix.
6. Divide the batter into the prepared tins and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven, swapping the tins around halfway through baking, for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
7. Transfer the cake tins to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool completely in the tins. Once cool, cover each tin tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
8. To make the Guava Filling, combine with guava paste and water in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the paste is creamy. Set aside to cool completely.
9. To make the Cream Cheese Filling, use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes or until soft and creamy; set aside. Whisk the cream with a balloon whisk or electric mixer with a whisk attachment in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Add the cream cheese with the condensed milk and whisk until just combined and smooth. Set aside.
10. To make the Cream Cheese Frosting, use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy; transfer to another bowl and set aside. Beat the butter about 3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined and frosting is creamy.
11. Remove the cakes form the tins. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally and then brush with the milk and sweetened condensed milk mixture to moisten. Place one layer on a serving plate or cake stand and spread with some of the Cream Cheese Filling and then one third of the Guava Filling. Continue layering with the remaining cake layers, Cream Cheese Filling and Guava Filling, finishing with a cake layer, top side down.
12. Spread the side and top with Cream Cheese Frosting to cover, using a spatula or cake scraper to smooth evenly.
13. Add a little red gel colour to the remaining Cream Cheese Frosting and swirl so that it is marbled. Place in a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle (Débora used a Wilton #18 star) and pipe small rosettes around the side and top of the cake (as shown in the image). Place the macarons between the rosette on the top to decorate.

This recipe was created by Débora for her Make Me a Baker graduation using inspiration from a number of different recipes including those from www.howtocakeit.com, Gretchen’s Bakery YouTube channel, Karen Munhoz  YouTube channel and a class she took with MakMak Macarons.

Photography by Amy Piddington.