Give your next layer cake a seasonal flavor with this fresh mango cake. Made with moist layers of mango sponge cake filled with sweet mango puree, and frosted with mango Swiss meringue buttercream. And, of course, topped with slices of fresh mangoes for that ultimate finish.
I love the sight of mangoes in the market. And while we love eating mangoes on their own, they also make amazing ingredients in desserts, such as the recent no-bake mango cheesecake or this mango cake. See all my 30 plus mango recipes here.
Table of Content
Why make this cake?
- This is a very versatile cake and can be used with almost any fruit puree. Today, I am using fresh sweet mango puree because mangoes are in season.
- The moist cake batter is a butter-based cake recipe with eggs, all-purpose flour, and buttermilk.
- I am using fresh mangoes to make the mango puree, but you can also use frozen mangoes.
- For the frosting, today, I am using a mango Swiss meringue buttercream. My next favorite would be my no-butter cream cheese frosting or whipped cream. In addition, there are other buttercreams that would work just as well. See my 50 plus buttercream frosting recipes on this blog.
- The process and timeline for this cake is very simple.
- Prepare mango puree - 5 minutes
- Prepare cake batter - 10 minutes
- Bake cake - 25 minutes
- Chill cake - 4 hours at least (preferably overnight)
- Prepare buttercream - 15 minutes
- Crumb coat cake - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Second coat - 15 minutes
- Chill cake - 15 minutes
- Final smoothing - 15 minutes
- Garnish - 10 minutes
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour - I prefer to use all-purpose flour as compared to cake flour because it adds stability to the heavy mango puree.
- Unsalted butter - I always use unsalted, so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if salted butter is all you have, use it and omit salt in the recipe.
- Sugar - I'm using white sugar, so I can have a white cake. It's always best to use fine-grain white sugar, so it dissolves easily in the butter.
- Buttermilk - If you don't buttermilk on hand, don't worry. It takes just 5 minutes to make homemade buttermilk for baking.
- Vanilla extract - A good quality vanilla extract is very important and adds a nice flavor to your baked goods.
- Mango - I am using fresh mangoes, but you can also use frozen mangoes for this recipe. However, do not use frozen mango slices on top of the cake, as the condensation may cause issues. For the top garnish, you can also use a mango puree instead of fresh slices.
Step by step instructions
Mango puree
- Peel and slice the mango around the seed. Place in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
- Pour in a saucepan and reduce on low heat until almost half of its original volume.
Pro tip - We reduce the mango puree for a more concentrated flavor. You can also use fewer mangoes and skip the reduction as well. - Divide as required in the recipe below for cake, filling, and buttercream.
Pro tip - Depending on the size of the mango you may need more or fewer mangoes.
Cake batter
- Preheat the oven at 320 °F / 165 °C / Gas Mark 3
- Grease and line 3 x 7-inch baking pans or two 9-inch baking pans.
- Dry ingredients - Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip eggs with half the sugar until light and foamy (ribbon stage) - remove whipped eggs to a separate bowl and set aside.
Pro tip - start by whipping on med-low speed adding the sugar a little at a time then gradually turning the high-speed. - In the same bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy.
Pro tip - there is no need to clean the bowl after you whip the eggs. But you do need to work quickly so we don't lose volume on the whipped eggs. - Add the vanilla extract. Followed by the flour and buttermilk in three batches. Then, add the mango puree. Scrape the sides and bottom to ensure you have a smooth batter.
Pro tip - do not overmix at this point as we do not want to activate the gluten in our cake. - Finally, fold in the whipped eggs in three batches.
Pro tip - I like to add the first ⅓ of the whipped eggs with a whisk, and then fold the rest gently with a spatula. - Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans. Spread evenly with a spatula
- Pro tip - I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. Tap the pan to remove any air pockets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before decorating.
Swiss meringue buttercream
- Watch my video on how to make Swiss meringue buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
Pro tip - make sure the bowl is grease-free otherwise the egg whites will not whip. - Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
Pro tip - you don't need a thermometer, as long as all the sugar has completely melted your eggs are ready to use. - Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
Pro tip - it is best to start whipping eggs at medium speed then increase speed as you go for the best meringue - Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch. Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer at medium speed.
Pro tip - it is VERY important that the meringue is cooled completely before you add the butter otherwise you will have a soupy mess. - Once all the butter is added, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla. Combine well until everything is well combined.
- Put 2 cups buttercream in a piping bag for the buttercream dam.
Pro tip - don't skip the buttercream dam otherwise all the filling will ooze out of the cake from the sides which looks very messy. - Mango buttercream - Add mango puree to the remaining buttercream. Add a few drops of yellow food color.
Pro tip - mango is yellow but it does not make the buttercream very yellow. Unless you want a pale off-white frosting do not skip the yellow food color.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.
Pro tip - simple syrup is just sugar and water boiled for 3 minutes. It keeps the cake layers moist. - Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers using a serrated knife. Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup.
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
Pro tip -if you plan to move the cake again, it is best to use a cake circle under the cake, so you can pick the cake with its base and without any accidents. - Fill the cake - Pip a buttercream dam (edge) on the cake layer. Top with a big dollop of mango puree – spread evenly but within the piped buttercream dam/edge. (see video)
- Next, top the second cake layer on top followed by buttercream dam and filling. Then, place the last cake layer on top.
Pro tip - it is best to lift individual cake layers on pieces of clean cardboard or cake lifter so you do not break them from table to cake. - Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Pro tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need.
- Crumb coat - Spread more buttercream around and on top of the cake. (see video). Chill the cake for another 15 to 30 minutes.
Pro tip - chilling the crumb-coated cake will ensure no cake crumbs get into the rest of the buttercream and you will have a nice clean cake. - Spread the remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake.
Pro tip - A straight-edge spatula for the top, an off-set spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better. - Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.
- Add the remaining frosting in a large piping bag with the star tip. Pipe a border around the cake at the top. (see video)
- Decorate with slices of fresh mango (see video).
- Enjoy!
Storage
- This cake will stay in the fridge for up to a week.
- You can keep the unfrosted cake at room temperature for 2 days.
- You can even freeze this cake for up to a month.
Frequently asked questions
How long will this mango cake keep?
This cake will keep at room temperature unfrosted for 3 days. And, once frosted, in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
Can I use oil instead of butter for this cake?
This cake works better with butter. Since, mango puree is a heavy fruit, so it may cause the cake to sink.
Can I use mango fruit powder for this mango cake?
Absolutely. You can soak ⅓ cup mango powder + ¼ cup water, then add it to the cake batter. Also, use ½ cup mango powder for the Swiss meringue buttercream. Beat it in at the last minute.
Can I frost this cake with whipped cream?
You certainly can frost this cake with whipped cream. And, for a lighter mango cake with whipped cream, use my genoise cake with stabilized whipped cream.
What other frostings can I use for this cake?
Yes, Swiss or Italian meringue, also work wonderfully with this cake. In addition, I have 50 plus buttercream frosting recipes on this blog so the is so much you can try.
What else can I do with fresh mangoes?
Mangoes are so versatile and can be used in many desserts. I have shared many desserts with you on this blog. See here for my 30 plus popular mangoes recipes.
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Recipe
Mango Cake Recipe
Print Pin Rate Coooking Temperature: 320 °F / 165 °C / Gas Mark 3
Difficulty: Medium
Diet : NF
Calories: 490kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 9 servings
Description
Give your next layer cake a seasonal flavor with this fresh mango cake. Made with moist layers of mango sponge filled with sweet mango puree, and frosted with mango Swiss meringue buttercream. And, of course, topped with slices of fresh mangoes for that ultimate finish.
Video
Ingredients
Mango puree
- 4 Mangoes large and ripe
Cake
- 3 ½ cups (440 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) White sugar
- 12 oz (340 g) Butter (3 sticks) unsalted
- 4 Eggs large
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Buttermilk
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Mango puree (see above)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Swiss meringue buttercream
Enough to fill and frost x 4 layers
- 6 (180 g) Egg whites (¾ cup)
- 1 cup (200 g) White sugar
- ¼ tsp Cream of tartar (optional)
- 16 oz (454 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup (60 g) Mango puree (see above)
- 2 drops Egg yellow food color
Extra
- 1 cup (250 g) Mango puree for filling (see above)
- ½ cup (120 ml) Simple syrup to moisten layers
- 1 Mango fresh sliced
Instructions
Mango puree
- Peel and slice the mango around the seed. Place in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
- Pour in a saucepan and reduce on low heat until almost half of its original volume.Pro tip - We reduce the mango puree for a more concentrated flavor. You can also use fewer mangoes and skip the reduction as well.
- Divide as required in the recipe below for cake, filling, and buttercream. Pro tip - Depending on the size of the mango you may need more or fewer mangoes.
Cake batter
- Preheat the oven at 320 °F / 165 °C / Gas Mark 3
- Grease and line 3 x 7-inch baking pans or two 9-inch baking pans.
- Dry ingredients - Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip eggs with half the sugar until light and foamy (ribbon stage) - remove whipped eggs to a separate bowl and set aside.Pro tip - start by whipping on med-low speed adding the sugar a little at a time then gradually turning the high-speed.
- In the same bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy.Pro tip - there is no need to clean the bowl after you whip the eggs. But you do need to work quickly so we don't lose volume on the whipped eggs.
- Add the vanilla extract. Followed by the flour and buttermilk in three batches. Then, add the mango puree. Scrape the sides and bottom to ensure you have a smooth batter.Pro tip - do not overmix at this point as we do not want to activate the gluten in our cake.
- Finally, fold in the whipped eggs in three batches. Prot tip - I like to add the first ⅓ of the whipped eggs with a whisk, and then fold the rest gently with a spatula.
- Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans. Spread evenly with a spatulaTip - I like to use cake strips to ensure my layer cakes bake flat. Tap the pan to remove any air pockets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before decorating.
Swiss meringue buttercream
- Watch my video on how to make Swiss meringue buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.Pro tip - make sure the bowl is grease-free otherwise the egg whites will not whip
- Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).Pro tip - you don't need a thermometer, as long as all the sugar has completely melted your eggs are ready to use
- Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.Pro tip - it is best to start whipping eggs at medium speed then increase speed as you go for the best meringue
- Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch. Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer at medium speed.Pro tip - it is VERY important that the meringue is cooled completely before you add the butter otherwise you will have a soupy mess.
- Once all the butter is added, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla. Combine well until everything is well combined.
- Put 2 cups buttercream in a piping bag for the buttercream dam. Pro tip - don't skip the buttercream dam otherwise all the filling will ooze out of the cake from the sides which looks very messy.
- Mango buttercream - Add mango puree to the remaining buttercream. Add a few drops of yellow food color.Pro tip - mango is yellow but it does not make the buttercream very yellow. Unless you want a pale off-white frosting do not skip the yellow food color.
Assemble
- Prepare simple syrup – cool completely before using.Pro tip - simple syrup is just sugar and water boiled for 3 minutes. It keeps the cake layers moist.
- Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers using a serrated knife. Brush each layer with the cooled, simple syrup.
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.Pro tip -if you plan to move the cake again, it is best to use a cake circle under the cake, so you can pick the cake with its base and without any accidents.
- Fill the cake - Pip a buttercream dam (edge) on the cake layer. Top with a big dollop of mango puree – spread evenly but within the piped buttercream dam/edge. (see video)
- Next, top the second cake layer on top followed by buttercream dam and filling. Then, place the last cake layer on top.Pro tip - it is best to lift individual cake layers on pieces of clean cardboard or cake lifter so you do not break them from table to cake.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.Pro tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need
- Crumb coat - Spread more buttercream around and on top of the cake. (see video). Chill the cake for another 15 to 30 minutes.Pro tip - chilling the crumb-coated cake will ensure no cake crumbs get into the rest of the buttercream and you will have a nice clean cake.
- Spread the remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake.Pro tip - A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
- Final smoothing - dip an off-set spatula and bench scraper in warm water and smooth the sides and top of the cake.
- Add the remaining frosting in a large piping bag with the star tip. Pipe a border around the cake at the top. (see video)
- Decorate with slices of fresh mango (see video).
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking.
- Use large size eggs - a large size egg is about 60 grams in weight. If not sure, weigh and add more egg if necessary
- Add the sugar to the whipping eggs gradually. This will ensure the eggs whip the eggs light and fluffy.
- Whip the eggs until light and fluffy - this will ensure a light and airy cake.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will give a light and airy cake.
- You can add the buttermilk on its own or along with the flour as long as you do it carefully. The best is to add the buttermilk and flour alternating to each other.
- Once you add flour do not over mix the batter.
- Add the mango puree to the batter and combine well.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting - at least 3 to 6 hours.
- Always simple syrup the cakes before frosting
What other pans can I use for this cake?
Well, if you don't want to make this a mango layer cake,- You can use an 8-inch bundt pan like my mango bundt cake.
- Make a sheet cake using a 9 x 11 sheet pan.
- Use a 9 x 9-inch square pan for a coffee cake.
- These will also make 20 beautiful mango cupcakes.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 306mgPotassium: 218mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 1629IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
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mrbrown
Very inspiring. I really loved this. You tried something new. it is fantastic too. thanks for sharing such a nice post.
kim
can you give an amount to the mango purée used in this recipe? thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Kim, the recipe card below has the full list of ingredients - it shows 3/4 cup for the cake and another 1/2 cup for the frosting.
Aiden
Can I bake this to 3x 8inches Pan?
Veena Azmanov
NO, you can use 2 x 8-inch round pans
Anusha
Can I double the cake and use 9 inch round cake pan? I am trying to get 3 layers and only have 9 inch cake pan. Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Yes, Anusha, you can double the recipe and make 3 x 9-inch cake layers. Thanks
Brittany Jordan
Super fun to make! A real challenge for new bakers wanting to take on something more. This was my first time making Swiss merengue buttercream and I absolutely loved how nicely it went on the cake. Overall I didn’t love the taste of the Swiss merengue buttercream and made American buttercream for the final touches on top. Turned out to be a good move for the family. I do wish I could add a picture: most beautiful cake I’ve ever made in my life!
Veena Azmanov
Hey Brittany. Thank you for the lovely comment. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this cake. You can share the pictures with me in my facebook group or on Pinterest the link to the Pinterest image is in the blog..highlighted in green. Can't wait
Kay
I just tried it and it was fun to make it. Yellow color is so mango-like. 😉 Thank you for the recipe!
I have a question for you!
If I want to use oil instead of butter, should I put the same amount?
It is summer here where I live, and when I took out the refrigerated cake, buttercream icing softens very fast, much faster than a cake. So, inside is still hard when buttercream's already too soft..
Actually this is the problem I have in this season.. so I think I have to use oil-based cake.
How do you substitute butter with oil?
Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Hey Kay, I have not tried this cake with oil so I can't tell you if it works better. But I have a strawberry cake made with oil instead of butter. I think you can use mango puree instead of strawberry puree for that cake. I hope this helps.