Papaya Pecan Streusel cake, sounds a little bit different doesn’t it? As we Aussies march feet first into colder weather we also are lucky to have a bumper crop of tropical papayas in Australia. Papaya and pawpaw are available all year, but come autumn and spring they are in abundance.
Being a tropical fruit I thought it would be fun to come up with a recipe with an autumnal feel. Every slice of my papaya pecan streusel cake takes you to the tropics, but also richly comforts you with delicious pecan streusel. This rich and buttery cake is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon treat, of served with ice cream or cream for a blissful dessert.
I do love eating papaya just as it is. Even though Mum would always have papaya around, a big favourite for breakfast, I only developed a taste for it as an adult. I was never very fond of it as a child. These days I can’t get enough, and as papayas are a healthy addition to your diet, that’s a good thing.
Papaya contains a unique bundle of antioxidants, Vitamin C and carotenoids, which will give your body’s immune system a boost. So rich in vitamin C, that around one cup of diced papaya (150g) provides more than twice your recommended daily intake (RDI). This amount will also provide you with nearly one third of your RDI of Vitamin A. Papaya is also a great source of fibre, folate, has a high water content and has the added bonus of being low in calories.
Now I do have to warn you that my papaya pecan streusel cake contains butter, sugar and then more butter. It’s not a health cake by any means, but it sure is delicious. The good thing is you will still have some papaya left over from a whole one for some healthy breakfasts.
What makes me happy about this cake (besides being darn delicious) is that the papaya retains its vibrant colour when incorporated into the batter and cooked. Your cake will end up with a lovely orange hue.
The papaya pecan streusel cake has a generous amount of streusel in the middle and on top of the cake. The buttery streusel in the middle adds a band of colour and flavour difference. Where the streusel on top has the role of going crunchy when baked for some beautiful texture.
I used a 23cm (9 inch) loose base round cake tin for this recipe, but you could use a 21cm (8 inch) loose base if you wish. You will end up with a higher cake, and cooking time may be a few minutes longer.
It’s important to use a loose base cake tin with this recipe due to the thick layer of streusel that graces the top of the cake. It’s much easier to push the cake up and out of the tin than try to pull it or tip it out and lose half your streusel in the process.
I do hope you enjoy this slightly out of the box streusel cake. This papaya pecan streusel cake will definitely make a delicious alternative to coffee streusel cake or any of the other normal contenders. What’s the most unusual streusel cake flavour you have tried?
Sara xxx
Belly Rumbles would like to acknowledge its partnership Papaya Australia for this post. This recipe was created, developed and photographed by Sara McCleary.
Printable Recipe
Papaya Pecan Streusel Cake
Ingredients
Pecan Streusel
- 190 grams (1¼ cups) plain flour
- 155 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar firmly packed
- 125 grams (½ cup) butter chilled and cut into small cubes
- 185 grams (1½ cups) pecans roughly chopped
Papaya Cake
- 125 grams (½ cup) butter room temperature
- 155 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar/superfine sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 eggs
- 285 grams (1½ cups) papaya mashed
- 260 grams (1½ cups) self-raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven 180°C (360°F). Grease and line a 23cm (9 inch) loose base round cake tin.
Pecan Streusel
- In a medium size bowl mix flour and sugar. Add butter and rub through the mixture with your fingers, it should resemble fine breadcrumbs when you are done.
- Mix through pecans, and place mixture in the fridge until needed.
Papaya Cake
- Using stand mixer or beaters, in a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and pale. Then add vanilla bean paste, mixing well.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition.
- Once eggs are incorporated add mashed papaya, mixing through thoroughly.
- Add flour and bicarbonate of soda, half at a time, mixing well.
- Pour half the cake mixture into your prepared cake tin and then sprinkle half the streusel mixture over the top.
- Carefully spread the remaining cake mixture over the top of the streusel. It may feel like the cake batter won’t cover it, but it does. Take your time spreading slowly. Then top the second layer of cake batter with the remaining streusel mixture.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Test with skewer in the middle of the cake, there shouldn’t be any raw batter on the skewer when removed.
- Remove from oven and leave on a cake rack in the tin to cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes carefully remove the loose base with the cake from the tin, remove the base, and leave on the cake rack to cool.
- The cake can be served warm from the oven with ice cream, cold with unsweetened whipped cream or just as it is.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
Adebukola Jenkins
I made this cake today. I used spelt flour since I don’t eat wheat & half of the recommended Sugar as well as cinnamon in the streusel.
Cake is amazing.
Thanks for this recipe.
Zahrah
Hi this looks like a promising cake but Pecan is not easily available where I live do you think I could substitute with almonds or walnuts?
Sara McCleary
Hi Zahrah
That is a brilliant question. I would substitute walnuts as they would be a similar texture and look in the cake to pecans. Similar flavour profile to a pecan, but a little stronger. Enjoy the cake when you make it.
Cheers, Sara
Charr
I have baked a few different papaya recipes and I like the combination of the cake and the Pecan Streusel in this one. A bit too much streusel for me, so I will reduce the amount next time.
Sara McCleary
Hi Charr
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it is very streusel loaded 😉 If you do make the whole quantity next time, any you don't use will freeze very well to use at a later date on crumbles, etc.
Cheers, Sara
Shahina
Delicious! We adapted the recipe with two variations. In first, for the crumble, we used 150g flour and 40g oats. We reduced the butter to 50g and 75g virgin coconut oil. In the cake used cake margarine entirely. In second, similar to first, but for the pecans in the crumble we used 50/50 almonds and pistachios. And reduced the sugar in crumble and cake for our taste buds. Thank you Sara for the original recipe idea.
Deb
My dad loved this cake! I’ve made it twice. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Clark
Just made this today. I'm in Florida and had papaya that I needed to use, so searched for a cake recipe online and found this. It's an amazing cake. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I used all-purpose flour and added the baking powder and salt myself. It came out beautifully. Will definitely be making this again.
Sara McCleary
Hey Clark
Really happy you found my recipe, even happier you loved the results. Thank you for your lovely comment, and glad to know you will be making it again.
id
My first successful streusel cake thanks for the recipe.
Sara McCleary
So thrilled to hear that it was a success!
Eugenie
Would make it again if I ever buy another papaya (bought one to make another recipe that only required 1/2 cup).
Did need to bake it 10+ minutes longer than recipe recommended, and did have liquid leak out into my oven.
Sara McCleary
Hi Eugenie,
Thanks for trying my papaya cake recipe and I am glad that you liked it enough to bake it again sometime in the future. Not sure what happened with the liquid escaping from the cake.
It is a moist cake, but shouldn't have any excess liquid to make a mess of your oven.
Depending on how liquid the papaya is when mashed, you could try reducing the amount by 1/4 cup, this may do the trick.
Alternatively, when you line your tin, do so with one piece of baking paper that won't let any liquid escape through the bottom of the lose based cake tin.
Suzy
Now this is a treat!
michele
Can you believe Ive never once had a papaya? Pairing it with the streusel pretty much guarantees it will be making an appearance at my house!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
This papaya streusel cake looks so delicious! I have to try it real soon! I too wasn't a fan of papaya growing up, but have developed a taste for it!
Julie
I've never tried baking with papaya before - this looks so good! I love streusel on cakes and quick breads (I just made one with rhubarb) but papaya is a totally unique flavor for cakes. Love this idea!
Luci's Morsels
This looks amazing! Is this acceptable to eat for breakfast? Yummy! I want to try this ASAP.