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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
It all went well untill i had to assemble the cake lol. I did it the wrong way and it end up looking awful. Delicious though 😋 thank you for the recipe! Definitely trying this again!
Oh no! I hope it will be perfect on your next try! Practice makes perfect.
I made this cake for Mothers Day and it was a hit! I got so many compliments. It was easy to make also! Thank you Natasha, your recipes are always so good!
One question- how can I make the icing a little stiffer? Even though it was in the fridge, it softened quickly when served
You’re so welcome, Gwen! I’m so glad this was a hit! You can try adding more powdered sugar to it or a thickener. If your cream cheese became too soft that may also be the culprit.
Made this cake yesterday. The sponge cake was dry and didn’t gel well with the frosting. This is the first recipe from Natasha’s kitchen that my results turned out bad. The cream cheese frosting didn’t personally work for my family. Maybe next time I would try using whipped cream and some sugar syrup to wet the sponge. Dunno why the mango puree didn’t soak well in the sponge
HI, since it’s a puree and not a liquid syrup, the puree doesn’t really get absorbed by the cake – there should be a visible layer of mango puree between layers.
It really did taste much much better the next day.. The puree had seeped in well in the sponge and wasn’t dry. My boys and me thoroughly enjoyed the dessert for the next two days and it’s gone now! Thanks for your reply.
Do we need 6 six eggs. Can I make it with 5 eggs? I made it before with six eggs came out well.
I would recommend using 6 eggs for the right results.
Hey Natasha!
I’m planning on making this for Easter – I am crazy over your sponge cakes…I’ve made your Strawberry Sponge Cake and your Russian Tiramisu and your Berry Tiramisu dozens of times (no exaggeration)…and then…i.found.this…mango AND sponge cake? Is this a dream? 😍
Anyways, I am super, super excited but can’t watch the video for some reason? Also looked for it on YouTube but wasn’t there…maybe this is just me and if so my apologies for bothering you haha
Thank you so much for this and all your recipes…
God bless! <3
Hi Agnes! I’m so glad you found this recipe. I think you’ll love it too. In the blog post above, there is a section titled, “Watch How to Make this Mango Cake Recipe.” It’s the YouTube video for this recipe. You can also click on the video icon at the very top of the page for a shortcut.
Hi natasha, i don’t really like cream cheese, what would you suggest as a substitute? Is greek yogurt frosting ok?
Hi Diane! I’ve only tried this with cream cheese frosting but feel free to experiment with other types of frosting. You can use the search bar at the top of the page to view my other frosting recipes for some ideas.
Hi Natasha, does this require 2 packs of 16oz cream cheese or is it just total 16oz of cream cheese?
Total of 16oz, which typically comes from two 8 oz packages. I hope that helps.
Delicious and fresh. Thank you Natasha, for this recipe!
Mine came out a bit dry but that’s my oven’s fault – the thing is that it was still saved by the mangoes’ moisture, which was a nice surprise.
Hi Amanda! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natasha! Great recipe, just like many others. I do need some practice with sponge cake – it worked out fine, but I can do better – I know it! I am wondering what makes the cake be flat at the top? When I baked my sponge cakes, the tops rise, I cut them off (in an attempt to make the cake layers be uniform thickness), but is there a trick to baking it such that the top comes out flat?
Hi Anastasiya! It helps to cool the cakes upside down on a cooling rack.
I Made this cake and it turnes out great and was a big hit for my son’s Birthday and thanksgiving celebration.
So Light and tasty.
Thank you for a great recipe.
That’s awesome and were very happy to hear that!
My entire family (ages 2-82) LOVED this cake! I used mangos this time but will use the cake and frosting recipes and change the fruit as the seasons change. Two of them already asked me to make this for their birthdays! Excellent recipe!
That’s a great idea, Robbin! I’m so glad your family is loving the recipe.
I have made this cake many times, always turns out great! My family loves it!
That’s wonderful, Kris! Thank you for sharing.
Was not great. The sponge tasted gross and overall the cake fell flat. Have made tons of other great cakes, but this one just didn’t hit the mark.
Hi Ash! I’m sorry you didn’t like this recipe. Sponge cake is a different cake and not to everyone’s liking. It uses more eggs and has to be handled carefully and mixed properly (folded, carefully not to deflate) or your batter will be flat. You can add vanilla or lemon extract if you want to add more flavor but it’s an excellent base for many cakes. We’ve had great success with this sponge and use it for many of our other cakes too.
Hi Natasha!
I would like to make this cake for my birthday. I don’t like cream cheese-butter frosting , do you think heavy whipped cream-cheese cream frosting ( the one from strawberry layers cake) would work for this recipe? Thank in advance for your answer !
Hi Lana! Yes, that would work. I hope you love this recipe.
This is my first time making the mango cake. It was delicious!! But the sponge cake was dry. Even the mango purée didn’t quite help it out. Is that common with these types of sponge cakes? Any tips to overcome this issue?
Hi Rebecca! Yes, sponge cakes tend to be drier and often have syrup or fruit puree to help. Using too much flour or baking too long can also dry them out more. Here is a tutorial on how to measure ingredients.
Most amazing recipe…its our fam favourite…i just had one question..what would be the approx weight of this cake ?
Hi Richie! I’m so glad you love this recipe. I’m sorry, I’ve never actually weighed the cake to know.
Hi Natasha,
How do you cut the cake so cleanly? I had the sliced mango on top being dragged down when I sliced the cake.
Hi Michele! It’s important to use a good knife and clean it in between slices. You can use a smaller shaper knife to help cut through the layer of fruit first and then go over that with a larger knife as you go deeper to cut the actual cake. I hope that helps.
My sponge cake totally failed! It was my first attempt (other than angel food cakes) at a sponge cake. I’m guessing it was old eggs, not quite room temp eggs, and/or overbeating. I ended up using an emergency box of white cake mix to finish the recipe for my sister’s birthday, but the icing and fruit combo was so good, I’ll definitely give the sponge cake another try in the future!
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear about the sponge cake, but those are all reasons that it could have been effected. I hope you try this recipe again with better results! I’m glad you loved the flavor and frosting.
Can I use frozen Mango when fresh is not available for the filling.
Hi Tamara! One of my readers left this comment, “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.” I hope that helps.
I unfortunately did not have the luxury of having even just an electric mixer and just mixed everything by hand. It’s my mom’s birthday and mangoes are her favorite. Took me from 9PM to 1AM (I work nights) for the sponge cake and my god. My arm may be dead but the result was so WORTH IT. I am unfortunately allergic to mango so I can’t eat it but the crumbs and bits i took off the sides of my cake pan was so good, our popular cake shops here in my country could never. The icing didn’t turn out though but that’s fine. My sister was willing to just eat the entire thing. I love how easy this is despite how fancy it looks, even with clumsy hands like mine, it looks like it came from a bakery and I’ve never been more proud of myself considering it’s my first ever cake. Thank you so much for sharing! Def getting a mixer for next time though hahaha
Hi Josephine! Wow, that is incredible. You are so committed. I don’t know if I could have done that haha! You are amazing. I’m so glad you loved the recipe! ♥️