We all know feijoa season is both abundant and fleeting and as soon as you think you are sick of the sight of them — your feijoa bowl is looking empty and you’re craving the next year’s glut! I encourage you to give these recipes a go while these delicious fruit are still in season and even make a couple extra to freeze for the cooler months ahead.
With their bright, almost tropical fragrance and softly grainy, juicy flesh, feijoas sit beautifully between sweet and tart. They pair just as well with warming spices and buttery pastries as they do with citrus, coconut, caramel and cream. From a nutritional perspective, they offer a lovely boost of vitamin C, fibre and polyphenols, just what we need as we are coming into the slower, cooler, hungrier months of winter.
Cake is always a celebration, and you can always make something a celebration with cake. The flavour combination of feijoa, lime and toasted coconut is so beautiful, and this sturdy (but moist) cake is a perfect canvas for turning the last of the autumn edible flowers into a show-stopping centrepiece for any mid-autumn gathering.
This recipe makes two large cakes for layering. You can absolutely halve the ingredients and make a single cake for everyday eating. It also keeps beautifully for days, and is just as good without icing, making it a very good lunchbox cake (celebrating or otherwise), or wrap well with glad wrap (syrup soaked but without icing) and freeze for up to four months. Make the cake gluten free by replacing the flour with gluten free flour.
Feijoa, coconut & lime autumn celebration cake
This recipe makes two large cakes for layering. You can absolutely halve the ingredients and make a single cake for everyday eating. It also keeps beautifully for days, and is just as good without icing, making it a very good lunchbox cake (celebrating or otherwise), or wrap well with glad wrap (syrup soaked but without icing) and freeze for up to four months. Make the cake gluten free by replacing the flour with gluten free flour.
For the cake
300g butter
300g sugar
Zest of 3 limes
8 eggs
200g flour
120g ground almonds
120g toasted desiccated coconut
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups peeled and chopped feijoas
For the syrup soak
Juice of 3 limes, made up to ½ cup with water
½ cup sugar
For the mascarpone topping
500g mascarpone
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp icing sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Butter and line 2 spring-form cake tins. It’s quite lovely to use one slightly larger and one slightly smaller tin to create a tiered effect, though 2 standard 23cm tins work perfectly well.
With an electric beater, cream the butter, sugar and lime zest until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Remove from the mixer. Using a spatula, fold in the flour, ground almonds, toasted coconut, baking powder and salt. The batter will be quite thick. Gently fold through the chopped feijoa.
Divide evenly between the tins and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the lime juice and water with the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat.
As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, prick all over with a fork and evenly pour over the syrup. Allow to cool completely in the tins.
To prepare the topping, whisk together the mascarpone, lime zest and juice, and sifted icing sugar until smooth.
To assemble, place the larger cake on a serving plate and spread with half the mascarpone. Top with the second cake and finish with the remaining mascarpone.
Decorate with seasonal edible flowers.
Tip for toasting coconut
Spread the desiccated coconut in a thin layer on a baking tray and toast at 160°C for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and fragrant. Keep a close eye on it — it catches quickly. If you don’t have time to toast the coconut, this cake works just as well with plain, untoasted coconut.
Very quick feijoa & apple shortcake
I love this shortcake and it’s so easy. There’s no need to cook the fruit first. Just chop it small and it softens beautifully in the oven while still holding a little bite.
Ingredients
10 feijoas, peeled and chopped into 1cm dice
1 cooking apple, peeled and chopped into 1cm dice
180g butter, softened
180g sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and line a baking tin.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beating well until fully combined.
Sift together the flour and baking powder, then fold into the butter mixture using a wooden spoon. It’s fine if the dough is slightly overworked.
Press about two-thirds of the mixture into the base of the tin to form an even layer.
Scatter over the chopped feijoa and apple. Take small pieces of the remaining dough and drop them over the fruit to create a rustic top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Lovely as is, or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Other ways with feijoa
Feijoas are so precious and I always crave them throughout the year — here are some quick ways to both preserve the flavour and make use of the skins.
Feijoa skin schnapps
Don’t throw the skins away! Pack a jar with feijoa skins, lightly bruising them as you go, then cover with vodka or gin. Add a strip of lime peel or a slice of ginger if you like. Leave to infuse for 2-4 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and sweeten lightly with simple syrup to taste.
Feijoa & apple chutney
Combine chopped feijoa and apple with diced onion, raisins, grated ginger, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Add spices such as mustard seeds, cinnamon, and a pinch of clove. Simmer gently until thick and glossy, stirring occasionally. Spoon into sterilised jars.
Feijoa skin fizz
Fill a jar with feijoa skins, add a few Tbsp sugar, and cover with water. Stir to dissolve, then loosely cover and leave at room temperature for a few days, stirring daily. Once lightly fizzy, strain and refrigerate. Drink within a few days.
Feijoa cordial
In a saucepan, combine roughly chopped feijoas (skins and all) with sugar and water in equal parts (about 2 cups fruit, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water is a good starting point). Add a strip of lemon or lime zest if you like. Bring gently to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the fruit has softened and the liquid is fragrant. Lightly mash, then strain through a fine sieve or cloth without pressing too hard (to keep it clear). Bottle and refrigerate. Dilute with still or sparkling water, or use to flavour desserts and cocktails. Will keep for about 4 weeks in the fridge.
Feijoa skin salt / seasoning
Spread the skins out on a tray and dehydrate at a low temperature (around 50-60°C, or in a very low oven with the door slightly ajar) until completely dry and crisp. Once cooled, blitz to a coarse powder and mix with a good sea salt. Start with roughly 1 part feijoa skin to 2-3 parts salt, adjusting to taste. You can leave it simple or add extras such as lime zest, a pinch of chilli, or toasted fennel seed. Beautiful sprinkled over roasted vegetables, fresh tomatoes, grilled fish, or the rim of a cocktail glass.
