Mango Cake

Mangoes, mangoes and more mangoes make this the best mango cake in town. It’s made up of three layers of bouncy sponge cake topped with a homemade mango filling that’s made from, yes, fresh mangoes—no canned stuff here! Fluffy cream cheese frosting is spread all over the cake, and then more fresh mangoes are sliced and decorated on top. This cake is tropical, tangy and light, with bursts of concentrated mango that taste like being at the beach on the sunniest summer day.

Ingredients for Mango Cake

• Eggs: Separate the egg whites from the yolks before starting this mango cake recipe. Be extra careful when cracking and separating; even a speck of egg yolk in the egg whites will make them very difficult to whip up.
• Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar for the sponge cake and mango filling. Don’t use brown sugar in its place, as the flavors won’t match.
• All-purpose flour: Sponge cakes don’t need a lot of flour—that’s what makes them so light and airy. In fact, our recipe only uses 1 cup!
• Baking powder: The separated and whipped eggs provide most of this cake’s rise, but we help them out with a touch of baking powder.
• Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites for a smoother and stiffer meringue.
• Cornstarch: The mango filling is thickened with cornstarch, taking it from a juice to more of a jellied puree.
• Lemons: Zest the lemon first, then juice it for the mango filling. It’s much easier to zest a lemon that’s still intact than one that’s juiced and flimsy.
• Mangoes: Grab about four mangoes for this cake. Two will be used as a garnish, and you’ll need about one or two for the filling. Peel and cut the mangoes properly so you’re not wasting any of the precious flesh.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the eggs and cake pans

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Let the separated eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, grease three 8-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2: Make the batter

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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the egg yolks until they’re slightly thickened. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until the mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored, one to two minutes.

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Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt directly into the egg yolk mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until well blended.

Step 3: Add the whipped egg whites

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Add the cream of tartar to the bowl of room-temperature egg whites. With clean beaters, beat the mixture on high until it’s stiff but not dry, two to three minutes. Fold one fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in all the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain.

Editor’s Tip: Avoid over-folding the egg whites into the batter, or you run the risk of deflating it. That will leave you with dense cake layers instead of spongy ones.

Step 4: Bake the cakes

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Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared baking pans, then use a mini offset spatula to smooth the top.

Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Immediately invert the pans onto parchment paper, and let the cakes cool completely to room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: If you can’t tell if the cake is done baking, try the toothpick method. When inserted into the cake and removed, there should only be a few crumbs—no raw batter—sticking to it.

Step 5: Cook the mango filling

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In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped mango. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook and stir the mango filling until thickened, about two minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let the mango filling cool to room temperature.

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Pour the mango filling into a high-powered blender, and puree it until it’s nice and smooth. Refrigerate the filling until you’re ready to use it.

Step 6: Whip up the frosting

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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the room-temperature cream cheese and butter on medium speed until they’re smooth and lump-free, three to four minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, and beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until the frosting is beautifully fluffy, two to three minutes.

Step 7: Assemble the mango cake

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Place one cake layer on a platter. Divide the mango filling in half, and spread the first half on top of the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, and repeat with the other half of the mango filling. Place the third cake layer on top and line it up so it’s even with the bottom two cake layers. We don’t want the cake to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

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Finally, spread the cream cheese frosting on the top and sides of the cake, and garnish the top of the cake with fresh mango slices. Slice the cake and serve.

Editor’s Tip: First time frosting or decorating a cake? Check out our tips and tricks on the technique with our guide on how to decorate a cake.

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Mango Cake Variations

• Change the frosting: Not a cream cheese fan? Vanilla buttercream or stabilized whipped cream frosting are excellent alternatives.
• Use different cake layers: If a sponge cake feels too daunting to pull off, use our vanilla cake recipe instead for an easier bake.
• Add even more mango flavor: Splash a small amount of mango extract into the cake and/or frosting to intensify the mango flavor.
• Introduce coconut: Mango and coconut are a wonderfully tropical flavor pairing. Before decorating the top of the cake with the mangoes, cover the frosted outside of the cake with coconut flakes, as we do in our favorite coconut cake recipe.

How to Store Mango Cake

Store this mango cake, covered, in the fridge for up to four days. I like to store my cakes under a cake dome, but you could also invert your largest mixing bowl over the cake to keep it covered. Press storage wrap on any exposed cuts so the cake doesn’t dry out.

Can you make mango cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can fully assemble this mango cake the day before serving it. You could also make components of this cake ahead of time to make assembling it super easy. For example, you could bake the cake layers, let them cool to room temperature, then wrap them in storage wrap and freeze for up to six months (use them within two months for freshness). You could also make the mango filling up to two days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mango Cake Tips

How can you tell if mangoes are ripe?

Mangoes are ripe if they “give” a little when lightly squeezed. You’ll also be able to smell a potent mango aroma near the stem.

Why did my sponge cake layers deflate?

Your sponge cake most likely deflated because it was underbaked. Don’t take the cakes out of the oven until they’ve risen and turned golden brown. Once they’re out of the oven, lightly press the cake with two fingers. The indent should immediately spring back. If it doesn’t, the cake needs to bake for a little longer.

Never open the oven while the cake is baking, or the rush of cold air entering the oven will inhibit the cake from rising.

How can you cut clean, sharp slices of mango cake?

To cut clean, sharp slices when serving this mango cake, take a chef’s knife and run it under hot water. Carefully wipe away the water, then make the first cut. Repeat these steps with every cut. The warm knife will slice through the cake much more easily than a cold one, and won’t drag down the frosting. It’s a bit of a tedious process, but it’s worth it!