Mango Cake has a layer of ultra fluffy, flavorful vanilla cake, a cloud of pillowy whipped cream, and sweet, juicy mango slices on top. The fresh cream & simple vanilla cake allow the mango flavor to shine through beautifully. This snack cake is incredibly easy to throw together and I know you’ll make it again and again this summer season!
Why you’ll love this Mango Cake:
- Fluffy Vanilla Cake – I defy you to find a more fluffy, soft sponge cake than this one! It’s easy to make, incredibly moist (it’s such a moist cake that it stayed fresh in the fridge for 5-6 days), and full of rich vanilla flavor. Whoever said vanilla cake is boring hasn’t tried this one!
- Pillowy Whipped Cream – A pile of pillowy, fresh cream sits atop this fluffy cake and provides a blanket for our mango slices to lay on.
- Fresh Mango Slices – Fresh mango slices are the perfect way to top off this simple yet beautiful cake! Their juicy sweetness pairs perfectly with a basic vanilla cake and homemade whipped cream.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post. This recipe uses basic ingredients but do note the cake flour and that some need to come to room temp before using.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour produces a lighter crumb in cakes, and I highly recommend using it! Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. 1 cup of cake flour weighs 110 grams, whereas 1 cup all-purpose flour weighs 130 grams. (Some people standardize at 120, 125, or 130 – I’ve chosen 130.)
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
- Eggs – This recipe uses a mix of egg whites and whole eggs to create the perfect vanilla cake. Let them come to room temperature first.
- Milk – Just like our other cold ingredients, your milk needs to be at room temperature. I use 2% milk.
- Vanilla extract – Use a good quality, pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Fresh Mangoes – Get fresh, ripe mangos at your local grocery store. They’re ripe when they have a bit of give when you apply gentle but firm pressure. Essentially, they shouldn’t be hard, just like a ripe peach or avocado. The skin will also change from mostly green to having yellow and reddish orange patches. Mangoes are easier to find than mango puree, at least at the stores I tried so that’s why I went with this option! Besides, nothing can beat a fresh mango! Use whatever type of mangoes your store has – whether that’s alphonso mangoes (the all orange type) or kent or tommy atkins mangoes – the red and green variety.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted dairy-free products in this cake and for the whipped cream. Use a can of coconut cream for a dairy-free whipped cream, if desired.
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this cake. Let me know if you try it!
- Other Fruits – See recipe variations at the end of this post for more fruit ideas.
- Cake Flour Substitute – Make your own cake flour by spooning & leveling 1 cup of flour into a measuring cup, using a flat edge to level it off. Add to a mixing bowl, then remove two tablespoons (scoop & level them off). Add two tablespoons of corn starch, then sift this mixture twice. This is important to evenly mix the ingredients and to give the same light texture as cake flour.
How to Make this Mango Cake Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Make Cake Batter. Start with the wet ingredients. Cream together the butter and oil in a large mixing bowl. Then, beat in the granulated sugar for two full minutes. Add the eggs, then the sour cream and vanilla on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture with the mixer on low. Then, slowly repeat with the milk.
Step 2: Bake. Fill your cake tin with the batter and bake in a preheated oven as directed in the recipe card below. Let the cake cool completely before adding the cream & mangoes.
Step 3: Make Whipped Cream. In a separate bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl on medium high until stiff.
Step 4: Prepare Mangoes & Assemble. Slice your mangoes and set aside. If you want them a bit sweeter, add 1-2 tsp of sugar and toss in a small bowl. Let rest. Dollop the whipped cream onto the center of the cake, and gently spread it towards the edges with an offset spatula, creating pretty swoops. Spoon the mangoes over the top of the cake, and add a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Slice & enjoy!
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Slice & serve immediately once the cake is assembled! You could also chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before serving. But, I don’t recommend adding the whipped cream & fruit a day ahead. This would be delicious with a scoop of ice cream, as well! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Expert Success Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
You can make the cake layer, let it cool, then store on a dinner plate wrapped securely in plastic wrap for 24 hours before assembling the cake. The whipped cream and mangos are best prepared fresh, just before serving.
You either didn’t spoon & level or weigh your flour, leading to too much flour, or you didn’t beat things in for the amount of time and at the speeds specified in the recipe below. With cakes, those things are very important.
Use a sharp paring knife to peel it, or slice parallel to the seed in the middle of the mango, slicing the sides off. Then, push each side down against the rim of a drinking glass, letting the rim and side of the glass separate the peel from the flesh.
Absolutely! You can double it to make a two layer cake with whipped cream and fruit in between the cake layers, and on top – see my Berry Cake for reference.
Recipe Variations:
- Other Fresh Fruits – Feel free to swap in any other fruit you like to top this cake with! Try sliced peaches, plums, or berries. You can also use one of my fruit compotes, like Strawberry Compote or Blueberry Sauce.
- Frosting – If you want, you can use a vanilla frosting on this cake. Since it’s meant to be a simple, light cake I think the whipped cream pairs best, but you can use 1/4 of the cream cheese frosting recipe from my White Birthday Cake.
Special Tools:
- Offset Spatula – Offset spatulas make frosting this delicious dessert so easy! They can also be used for spreading cake and brownie batters evenly in your pan.
More Easy Cake Recipes to Love:
- Berries & Cream Cake
- Caramel Apple Crumb Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake (no-bake!)
- Mini Chocolate Cake
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Mango Snack Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp cake flour, spooned & leveled 128 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 and 1/2 tbsp salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature I used 2%
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Mangoes
- 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled & sliced
- 1-2 tsp granulated sugar, optional
- pinch of cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Prep: Rub shortening all over the inside of a 9-inch cake pan, coating each evenly. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside each. Place this on top of the greased pan bottom, then grease over the parchment paper. Add a handful of flour, and tap the pan around to coat the inside with flour, tapping out any excess. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Make the Cake: In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with a hand mixer for about 30 seconds, until creamy. Add the vegetable oil and cream together with the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 full minutes. The mixture will be fluffy. Add the egg, and beat on medium high speed for 45 seconds. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix on medium low speed until just combined.Add half of the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low speed. Add the milk with a few streaks of flour remaining, then when the milk is almost mixed in, add the remaining dry ingredients. When just a few streaks of flour remain, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to make sure everything is combined – don't over mix!
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 18-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will pull out moist crumbs and the cake shouldn't jiggle in the center when you move the pan. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the Whipped Cream: Add all whipped cream ingredients to a large bowl and beat on medium high until stiff peaks form, then stop mixing. Or, do this in a food processor, pulsing 6-7 times, then mixing on high until you have thick cream.
- Prepare Mangoes: Peel and slice mangoes (see info in blog post on how to do this). Taste, and toss with 1-2 tsp sugar, if desired, in a small bowl.
- Serve & Store: Dollop whipped cream into the center of the cake and spread with an offset spatula, creating pretty swoops. Spoon on the mangoes and any juices, and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Slice & enjoy immediately! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Julia says
This was so simple and delicious! I made it on an afternoon when it was 90 degrees in my no-AC kitchen and it was very much worth turning the oven on for! The recipe’s combination of oil for moisture and butter for flavor turned out a lovely light crumb and the whipped cream and mango topping was mouth-wateringly good and so quick to put together.
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks for that high praise, Julia! 🙂 So glad that you enjoyed this cake.
Lindsay says
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Stephanie Simmons says
Hi Lindsay! Yes it can. I believe you’ll have 8-10 cupcakes. You may want to make more whipped cream to adequately top them all with. Let me know how you like the recipe! Happy baking.