Feijoa Crumble Cake

When feijoa season meets nourishing baking

If you’re a Kiwi like me, you’ll know the feijoa drill… as the autumn leaves turn orange, bowls of these gorgeous green rugby balls start to overflow, neighbours drop bags on your doorstep, and they turn brown faster than you can use them. You end up stuffing them into muffins, stewing them into relish, spooning them over vanilla ice cream, and scooping them straight into your mouth. It’s one of those beautifully abundant but fleeting seasons – here for a moment, then suddenly gone.

Not only do feijoas taste incredible (they’re part of the tropical guava family), they’re also a nutritional powerhouse – two feijoas (100g) provide 20mg of vitamin C, around half your daily needs, as well as folate for cell repair, regeneration, DNA synthesis, and energy production.

This feijoa crumble cake is one of those recipes that perfectly captures the magic of New Zealand’s feijoa season – sweet, tangy fruit baked into a soft, tender cake, topped with a golden, buttery crumble. I’ve made it naturally gluten-free, much lower in sugar than a regular cake, and conveniently dairy and egg free. Two cups of feijoas plus a few dates bring a tonne of natural flavour and sweetness, so there’s no added sugar in the base at all (the Nutritionist and Naturopath in me can’t help myself). The result is a cake that feels indulgent and cosy, yet is virtually all whole foods – the kind you can enjoy for afternoon tea, dessert, or even breakfast. What better way to work your way through the feijoa glut.

Got more feijoas than you can shake a wooden spoon at? Double down and make these Feijoa Coconut Muffins at the same time. Or switch into savoury mode with this Feijoa Walnut & Caramelised Onion Salad.

How to make this Feijoa Crumble Cake

What you’ll need

• Ripe feijoas. Choose ripe fruit that give slightly when pressed, as this is what will make your cake naturally sweet in the absence of added sugar.
• Regular dates. Not the fancy Medjools. I try where possible to avoid Medjools unless absolutely necessary, as they often cost four times the price. Soaking regular dates in hot water is the cheap man’s way of turning them into juicy Medjools (well, almost). I’ve used dates to replace refined sugar here, bringing natural caramel sweetness, fibre for the gut, minerals for the body, and avoiding unnecessary sugar spikes.
• Gluten-free flour blend. I’ve used a simple mix of ½ cup buckwheat flour, ½ cup brown rice flour, and ¼ tsp guar gum. It gives a light, tender crumb with a slightly nutty flavour, without the dense, heavy texture some gluten-free cakes can have. If you’re not gluten-free, you can swap in 1 cup wholemeal spelt or wheat flour.
• Rolled oats. Rolled oats work best in the crumble for texture and structure. Avoid quick or instant oats as they become too soft. If you’re coeliac or gluten-free, quinoa flakes are a great direct swap.
• Coconut sugar. My go-to alternative to white sugar. It has a similar sweetness and calorie profile but is less refined and contains more minerals. I only use a small amount here though (the feijoas and dates do the heavy lifting for us), just in the crumble.

Step-by-step: Feijoa Crumble Cake

Kitchen notes

• Sift baby and don’t overmix. I find sifting dry ingredients adds air and helps create a lighter rise, especially in gluten-free baking. Mix wet and dry ingredients only until just combined – a few flour streaks are fine. Use a gentle lift-and-fold motion to keep the batter light.
• Expect a thick batter. The combination of fruit, dates, and gluten-free flours makes this much thicker than a standard cake batter. It should be spoonable like cookie dough rather than pourable. Don’t worry, it will soften as it bakes and the feijoas release their natural juices.
• Milk in the crumble (optional). My photos and video show the crumble made without milk, which gives a more crumbly texture. Add a small dash if you prefer a slightly stickier, more held-together crumble.
• Gluten-free baking temps. Gluten-free flours brown faster, so I bake this at a slightly lower temperature for longer to keep it moist and evenly cooked. I always rely on the skewer test rather than timing alone – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Fan vs conventional. I’m a big fan of fan baking – it’s faster and more even in most ovens, and I’m all about that speed when it comes to time in the kitchen. If your oven doesn’t have fan bake, just increase the temperature by about 20°C and extend baking time by 5–10%

Serving & storage

I love this cake fresh out of the oven, and thanks to the smart blend of gluten-free flours, it slices up really well, unlike many gluten-free cakes which need to cool completely or they fall apart. Just be gentle when removing slices so you don’t disturb that precious crumble top.

A dollop of plain Greek or vanilla yoghurt on the side of this fruity seasonal cake, and a cup of tea, makes the perfect afternoon sweet treat. Or for dessert, you might like to take it up a notch with add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I’ve even been known to grab a slice of leftovers for breakfast.

Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Or you can freeze it for a few weeks – if so, I like to slice it first for easy grab-and-go portions.

If you’ve finished your feijoa stash for the year, this cake works brilliantly with pears, apples, berries, or plums too. Or try your hand at this fragrantly warming Pear and Ginger cake instead (healthy desserts are definitely my thing).

V GF NF SF

Feijoa Crumble Cake

This healthy feijoa cake is naturally gluten-free and sweetened with feijoas, dates, and just a dash of coconut sugar. Perfect for autumn baking and making the most of a feijoa glut.

5 from 7 votes

AuthorBuffy Ellen Gill

Servings 12

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

Dry

• ½ c buckwheat flour
• ½ c brown rice flour
• ¼ tsp guar gum
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Wet

• ⅓ c soy milk
• ½ c dates + 2 tbsp boiling water to soak
• ¼ c coconut oil , melted
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c feijoas , flesh

Crumble

• ½ c buckwheat flour
• ½ c brown rice flour
• ¼ tsp guar gum
• ¼ c rolled oats
• ¼ c coconut sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ c coconut oil , melted
• 2 tbsp soy milk (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 150°C (305°F) on fan bake and grease a 24cm (9 inch) cake tin with coconut oil.
• Put dates in a blender and pour over boiling water to soak.
• Mix all crumble ingredients in a bowl, then pour in coconut oil, stirring with a knife to create a crumbly mixture.
• Sift dry ingredients into another bowl.
• Add remaining wet ingredients except feijoas to the blender and process until smooth, then pour into the dry mix.
• Lift and fold the mixture until almost combined, then add the feijoas and stir through – you want a few flour flecks to remain.
• Dollops large spoonfuls of the mixture into your tin and spread gently to the edges, then sprinkle over the crumble mixture.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out relatively dry in the middle.
• Remove and let cool, then remove from the tin and slice.

Nutrition Disclaimer

As a Registered Naturopath and Nutritionist, I create nutritionally-balanced recipes using whole food ingredients designed to support optimal health and wellbeing. While I encourage an intuitive approach to eating, I also recognise the value of understanding calories and macronutrients as tools to build awareness around your intake. This awareness can be helpful in aligning your nutrition with your personal health goals.

Please note: all nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Variations will occur depending on the specific brands used, recipe adjustments, and portion sizes consumed. If you have individual dietary needs or health conditions, I recommend booking a personalised consultation for tailored advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 160mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin C: 13.4mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 0.4mg

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