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This mango cake is bursting with fresh mango flavor! It has surprisingly simple ingredients (ONLY 9 TOTAL!) but it is a show stopper – and truly tastes as good as it looks.
This mango cake is a close relative of our wildly popular strawberry sponge cake. The fresh sweet mangos really shine in this recipe. Serve this at your next party and you will get plenty of compliments!
Watch How to Make this Mango Cake Recipe:
Mango is the real star of this cake so make sure to pick some good, sweet ripe ones (see video tutorial on selecting the perfect mango below). Mangos add a beautiful pop of color, incredible flavor, and a healthy boost of nutrients to the cake.
We just love mangos in our family and thankfully they are available year-round to satisfy the craving when it hits!
Ingredients for Sponge Cake:
6 large eggs, room temp
1 cup (210 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1/2 tsp baking powder
Mango Cake Filling/ Topping:
1 lb or 2 medium fresh mangos, peeled and thinly sliced into strips
1 lb or 2 medium fresh mangos (1 1/2 cups puréed )
1 to 4 Tbsp sugar, if needed
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 oz cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1 cup (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
How to Make the Sponge Cake (Click for Video Tutorial):
Prep: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9″ cake pans with parchment (do not grease pans).
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat 6 eggs on high speed 1 min until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar then continue beating on high for 8 min. It will be whipped and forming thick ribbons when you pull up the whisk.
Cooks Tip: This classic European sponge cake relies on the volume of beaten eggs to rise so do not rush the mixing step. If you’re new to sponge cakes, watch our video tutorial first.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Sift flour into batter 1/3 at a time, folding between each addition. Fold just until no flour streaks remain, scraping the bottom to catch any hidden pockets of flour. Divide evenly between prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 23-28 min (my oven takes 25 min). Tops should be golden brown and spring back when poked slightly.
3. Run a knife or thin spatula around edges to loosen and invert onto wire rack. Peel back parchment paper right away. Place cakes right side up and cool to room temperature before cutting in half.
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine 16 oz cream cheese, 1 cup butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat on low to combine then increase to high and beat 5-6 mins, scraping down the bowl as needed. Frosting should be whipped, soft and spreadable. Transfer 1 cup frosting to piping bag fitted with large open star tip and refrigerate until ready to use for the topping.
How to Cut a Mango:
1. A mango has one long, flat seed in the center of the fruit that goes from stem to nose. Slice off the sides around the seeds of all 4 whole mangos resulting in 8 halves. Set aside 4 halves – you will need them to decorate the top. Dice remaining 4 halves and scoop them out of their skin then transfer these to a blender and process until puréed. Taste the mango purée and add sugar to taste if needed.
Watch how to pick a good mango:
A ripe mango is determined more by how it feels than how it looks. It can look completely green and be ripe. It should give a little when you push on the outsides similar to how an avocado would feel when it is ripe. It should not be bruised or feel squishy.
How to Assemble the Mango Cake:
1. Place the first sliced cake layer on a platter and spread with 1/2 cup mango purée. On the second cake layer, spread 1/2 cup frosting and place it frosting-side-down on the first layer so the cream and mango are hugging. Repeat with remaining layers then cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Pipe reserved frosting around the top border of your cake.
2. Peel and thinly slice 4 reserved mango halves, cutting some strips long ways and some wide. Layer mango slices in rings around the cake, starting with the longest pieces and overlapping each piece slightly until only a 1/2″ space is left in the center. Roll a long, thin strip of mango into a coil and place it in the center. Cake can be served right away or refrigerated 2 hours for easier slicing. It keeps well covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.
Tips for a Tastier Mango Cake:
Be sure to taste your mangos and mango filling. Sometimes you may end up with a bland mango (or even a bad mango). If your filling tastes bland, you can spruce it up with a little sugar and/or lemon juice.
Layer after layer of mangos and cream. It doesn’t get much better than this mango cake!
Mango Cake Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
For the Easy Sponge Cake:
- 6 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the Mango Cake Filling/ Topping:
- 1 lb fresh mangos, (2 medium) peeled and thinly sliced into strips
- 1 lb fresh mangos, (2 medium) 1 1/2 cups puréed
- 1 to 4 Tbsp sugar, if needed
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese, 2 packages, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (16 Tbsp), softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
How to Make the Sponge Cake (Click for Video Tutorial):
Prep: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9" cake pans with parchment (do not grease).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk, beat 6 eggs on high speed 1 min until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar then continue beating on high for 8 min. It will be whipped and forming thick ribbons when you pull up the whisk.*
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder.
- Sift flour into batter 1/3 at a time, folding between each addition, just until no flour streaks remain. Scrape from the bottom to catch any hidden flour pockets. Divide evenly between prepared cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 23-28 min (my oven takes 25 min). Tops should be golden brown and spring back when poked lightly.
- Run a knife or thin spatula around edges to loosen and invert onto wire rack. Peel back parchment paper right away and let cakes cool right-side-up to room temp before cutting them in half.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine 16 oz cream cheese, 1 cup butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat on low to combine then increase to high and beat 5-6 mins, scraping down the bowl as needed. Frosting should be whipped, soft and spreadable. Transfer 1 cup frosting to piping bag fitted with large open star tip and refrigerate until ready to use for the topping.
How to Cut Mango:
- A mango has one long, flat seed in the center of the fruit that goes from stem to nose. Slice off the sides around the seeds of all 4 whole mangos resulting in 8 halves. Set aside 4 halves - you will need them to decorate the top. Dice remaining 4 halves and scoop them out of their skin then transfer these to a blender and process until puréed. Taste the mango purée and add sugar to taste if needed.
How to Assemble the Mango Cake:
- Place the first sliced cake layer on a platter and spread with 1/2 cup mango purée. On the second cake layer, spread 1/2 cup frosting and place it frosting-side-down on the first layer so the cream and mango are hugging. Repeat with remaining layers then cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Pipe reserved frosting around the top border of your cake.
- Peel and thinly slice 4 reserved mango halves, cutting some strips long way and some wide. Layer mango slices in rings around the cake, starting with the longest pieces and overlapping each piece slightly until only a 1/2" space is left in the center. Roll a long thin strip of mango into a coil and place it in the center. Cake can be served right away or refrigerated 2 hours for easier slicing. It keeps well covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.
Notes
our video tutorial first
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Excellent recipe! Cake came out delicious 🤤, even quantity of frosting was perfect- just right for the layers and decoration. Tastes great up to 3 days ( too much temptation to stay longer☺️) Thank you for this wonderful recipe! 💙💛
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for the wonderful feedback and review.
Hi, I want to try and make this cake. Am from the UK. What is the alternative to all purpose flour pls?
Hi! I believe all-purpose flour is equivalent to plain flour in the UK. I hope you love the recipe!
Made this for thanksgiving and my family loved it!!!! It’s so light and not very sweet. The mangos on top leaned more towards the green side so it was slightly tart. Turned out to be just right to offset any sweetness from the frosting. The mango topping was so easy (used a mandolin for even slices) to lay out but looked very fancy. Everyone thought it was frosting at first and thought it was from a pro bakery. A hit! I wanna make a whole one just for me. 😂 thanks so much for this recipe!!
I’m so glad it was hit! Thank you for sharing, Sandy!
I made this for my fruit-loving son’s birthday this week and it turned out beautiful and delicious!
While I had purchased fresh mangos for the top, I opted for 2lbs frozen mangos for the puree.
I thawed and drained them, then blended with no sugar added, and it was perfect.
The mangos Id purchased for the top turned out to be in rough shape when I opened them so I spread puree on the top too, not as pretty but just as bright and tasty!
The mango purée definitely needs sugar, I know some mangos taste sweet however, it still needs it. This cake is ok, the frosting needs to be cold as well as the mango for the cake to taste delicious.
How do I make the mango puree? And what do I do if my layers didn’t rise as much as yours did?
Hi Lena! See my recipe notes, “How to cut a mongo” for instructions, you use a blender. As for the cake layers. A couple of things, make sure your baking powder is not expired and be sure to whip your eggs and sugar well until they form thick ribbons when you pull up the whisk. This is very important for the volume of the cake. Also, be sure to fold in your flour, just until incorporated. If you stir aggressively or over-mix, the cake layers will lose volume. I hope that helps.
I made this cake twice now and it’s been a huge hit! Thank you for another awesome recipe, I only bake things from your website. Could you please make a video on piping techniques? Or recommend one on YouTube? The consistency of my frosting feels right but it’s coming out sloppy on the cake. Thank you!
Hello Natasha, thank you for your good comments and feedback. I’ll take note of your suggestion, I think it’s a good topic to discuss in a future video.
Hi Natasha,
Just want to thank you for this amazing recipe. I made it for my son’s birthday as he loves mango and it was an instant hit with everyone. I will definitely make the recipe again and try out your other ones!
Hi Jenny! So happy to hear that. This cake is one of our favorites as well. I’m glad your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review.
Question, I have made multiple times and love it! Do you think you could use berries instead for a variation? TIA
Hi Connie, I imagine that will work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I want to do a pineapple coconut version of this cake and I wanted to know (for the frosting) if I can substitute the 2tsp of vanilla extract to 2 tsp of coconut extract and add 1 cup of shredded coconut sweetened.
Hi Eunice, I haven’t tried this with coconut and pineapple, but I bet using that extract in place of vanilla would be great! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi! Just wondering if I can make this using a sugar substitute like stevia or Splenda?
Hi Jenny, I have not tested this toa advise. I have read that stevia can be used in place of sugar in most recipes. You’d have to experiment and let us know how it works for you.
Hello,
Would it be okay to put canned peaches instead of mango?
Thank you!
I have not tested that but I imagine it would work. I would drain them well to remove excess syrup. Let us know how it works for you.
Hi Natasha,
I don’t have a stand mixer and I really want to make this cake. Can this be made with a hand held mixer?
Hi Anna, if using an electric hand mixer, beat an additional 2 minutes since hand mixers are not as efficient in whipping as stand mixers. I hope that helps! 🙂
Delicious cake! I’ve made it twice now and even though it’s a bit of a labor of love, it is delicious. I’ve made it with the original cream cheese frosting and regular frosting and both were amazing. Made it for my son’s birthday and people came back for seconds!! That’s the kind of cake you want at a party 👌
Thanks for the recipe Natasha!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Mary!
Hi Natasha, love this cake! I am planning on making it for my son’s birthday. I will make it into a double recipe so it can be bigger (half sheetcake). Any recommendations on the slicing of the cake in half when it is bigger? I am concerned it might not be as sturdy
Hi Mary, if using a sheet pan the cake should be fairly thin and won’t require cutting in half.
Natasha dear I made for my sons birthday n we all loved it so much.really hugs for u for sharing this recipe . Thank you so much .😀🥰🙏
Aww! That’s the best! Happy Birthday to your son, Grace! I’m so glad you all enjoy it!
Great cake and so easy! Cheated a bit and used canned Alfonso mango puree from the local Indian store. Also added 1/2 cup of puree to cake batter. Was a total hit at the dinner party we took it too!
That’s alright and I’m glad it was a huge hit! Thank you for your review.
Did you adjust the baking time after adding 1/2 cup puree to the batter? I am planning to get canned mango puree as well
Where may I find this Alfonso Mange Puree?? I think an easier way to make!!
You can find canned mango puree in any Indian grocery store in your city. It could be Alphonso or Kesar and most of them are sweetened and taste great
Hi Natasha,
A massive THANK YOU for this recipe, I have been waiting for a cake like this for years! I’ve tried so many different birthday cake recipes over the years, yet never made one twice as none quite delivered. Your cake is in a different league from anything I’ve tried! Light, fluffy, tasty, so easy to make and so much fun to decorate and turn into a spectacular piece of art. And very important, not too sweet, which as a European I found was a bit of an issue with American recipes. I admit I was reluctant at first about the genoise, I’m used to sponges with butter in them, but having read the raving reviews I decided to give it a go. It’s a different beast to the butter sponges and it takes a little bit of getting used to – both the making of it as well as the baking, it pulls away from the sides and mine sent tentacles to grab onto the mould, very exciting! 🙂 But your instructions are so clear and the pictures and explanations are so good that I started making it with a feeling of giddiness rather than apprehension. I bake quite a bit but every new recipe can be scary – but yours is so reassuring I think even first-timers would very amazing results.
I made it the day before and the mango puree and the filling had set beautifully. I had no issues with layers slipping as I was assembling it, even though I added an extra sponge, so two extra layers. And the frosting, oh my god, the frosting is stunning! It’s like a perfect cloud, it’s stiff enough to stay put and soft enough to go exactly where you want it. The cup I reserved in the fridge to decorate with on the day was a bit less friendly, so note to self, I’ll be making a fresh batch just before I need to decorate.
I’ve used countless recipes from the internet over the years yet never felt compelled to leave a review like I am now. So this is my first review ever, because your cake is THAT amazing! I’m already dreaming of trying it with different fruit, or even caramel! I was going to try to think of a variation of it for chocolate but I’m sure you’ve already got a great recipe for a chocolate cake, so I’ll just look it up 🙂
Thank you again and all the best with your creations!
Alexandra
I’m so glad you found this process exciting, Alexandra! Thank you for your lovely and thoughtful comment! I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying my blog and recipes!
Hi before I make this I was wondering if it gets soggy overnight? I have to make it for a bday party and probably won’t have time in the morning… so is sponge cake a good idea
Hi Mia! with fresh mango, I would assemble the day before for best results, no earlier. The topping looks best when assembled the day of or the day before it is served.
Can I make the cream cheese frosting ahead of time? If so, how to store?
Hi Mars, I haven’t tried making the frosting ahead. I like to use it while it’s fresh and soft to spreads easily. If you experiment with storing it, I would love to know how that turns out!