Mango Cake Recipe (VIDEO)
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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 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.
Recipe Notes
*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
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
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.
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!
Hi Natasha
I made this cake and it is just perfect, Thank you so much!
You are very welcome, Loris. Glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha I always love your recipe and I did try the lemon bar the other day it was amazing. My husband love it so much . And it is my first baking dish. 😍 thank you for the knowledge you shared this mango cake is in my list now 🥰
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Nisha! I’m glad it was a hit with your family!
Hello Natasha ☀️ can I also make this cake with whipped cream? and how to store / for how long? Thank you
Hi Edith, I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure how it would hold up with the puree. If you make it with only whipped cream, it would probably be best to enjoy it the day it is made unless you stabilize the cream with something else.
Hi Natasha, I tried this cake , taste was good but I was doing layering with mango puree and creame then cake layer was slippery and moving left n right. Plz tell me how I can fix??
Hi Mani, that can happen if you put too much mango mixture between the layers.
a delicious cake, baked for a test before our birthday (me, son and mother in law on same day-june 23rd 😁). I need advice, should the sponge cake be cut after it is completely cool?
Hi Edith, yes, it’s best to cut it after it has cooled.
Hi, I was wondering if I could add some mango puree to the cake batter itself. I just don’t want to make the batter too liquidy.
Hi Nina, I haven’t tried that in the batter itself. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
can I use a hand mixer?
Hi Amy, 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! 🙂
I just made this beautiful and delicious cake. I would love to make it again but the frosting came out way too liquidy and didn’t want to stay firm even after I put it in the fridge for some time. I had to mix the frosting extra 4-5 min because there were lumps of cream cheese. Is that normal? Should I use any specific cream cheese?
Hi Aggie, make sure to use block-style cream cheese for all baking and ensure that the butter and cream cheese are softened but not too soft. Each should be at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours. If it’s overly soft, it will result in liquidly frosting.
Thank you, Natacha!
I think that was the problem, cheese and butter were too soft.
I will make it again this weekend! 🤞🏻
Hi natasha can I use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar?
You still need powdered sugar aside from the granulated sugar in the recipe
I made the cake again last weekend and it was just perfect! Sooo delicious! Thank you!!! I will make it again and again!
That is fantastic feedback! Thank you too for your wonderful review, we appreciate you sharing that with us.
This is excellent! My kids request it for their birthdays now!
Enjoyed making the cake, esp the decorating part. Had some challenges with the cake, 1st batter didn’t rise 😅
Hi Amery, that is usually due to under beating eggs and sugar. I suggest watching our sponge cake recipe and reading through the Troubleshooting Section of the post.
Hi! Excited to make this cake for a friend’s birthday cake! Using this recipe for 3 6” cake pans that are 2” tall each. How should I modify the recipe?:)
Hi Beatrix, I haven’t tried, but here is a really great resource on how to adapt baking recipes going from the 9″ to the 6″. You may need to make some adaptations.
Hey Natasha. This looks amazing.
Just had quick question.
Can i use frozen or canned mango for the purreed filling?
Hi Hamalik! I think that would be a good substitute for the puree, just be sure to taste the puree and add sugar to taste – sometimes frozen can be tart. You will definitely want to use fresh on top though. I hope you love it!
Hello! I am so excited to make this, but was wondering if they turn out just as well as cupcakes? Thank you!
Hi Christina, I honestly haven’t tried making this recipe as cupcakes to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
This cake was absolutely delicious and easy to make. I also made some mango whipped cream to go with it and it was a huge hit! But I would not recommend making them as cupcakes. Unfortunately the cake pulled away from the cupcake liners during baking. Thank you for this delicious recipe though!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Will the mangos on top turn color by the second or 3rd day
Hi Gary, the topping is best served the day it is made – as it will be most vibrant in color. The leftover portion was a couple of shades darker the next day, it was still pretty and not really brown. Air is the biggest culprit in making fruits/ vegetables brown.
Hello! The recipe is great. I want to try it. Can you please in grams also write it. Thanks!
Hi Andra, you can convert it to grams just click Jump to recipe, then click Metric to convert it.
Should i still bake it in 350F even if I will halve the recipe? Also how many minutes should I set it?
Hi Vern, yes, that will not change. Cook time should not change by much but I would watch it closer to the end. Depending on your pan size.
Hi Natasha!
I only have a 9.5” springform pan here. Would that be okay?
Hi Bri, I think that will work too. If you give that a try, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha!
I only have 9” springform pan here. Would that be okay if I use that pan?
oh, it is a 9.5” springform pan*
Hi Bri, that would work.
Hi, Natasha!
I will be making this cake for my fiancé next week. However, my oven is too small to bake two cakes at the same time. I’ve read the comments and I’ve seen that
1.) when I use only one round pan, it will not be as fluffy and tall and;
2.) i should bake the batter mixture right away or it will affect the cake
Therefore I thought that maybe I could divide the ingredients for the sponge cake and make two sets of the batter mixture so that the batter will not sit for too long? What do you think?
Thank you for sharing this recipe, btw! I am confident that my fiance will love this since he’s a fan of mangoes 😊
Hi Bri, I bet halving this recipe could work! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi again, Natasha!
About the baking powder. How can I accurately halve it since it is 1/2 tsp?
Hi Bri, I would measure it to 1/4 tsp.
Can I use a 9” springform pan given that I will still halve the recipe?
Hi Bri, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Very nice You’re great 👍 Sister Ji
You’re very welcome.
Hey Natasha, great recipe! I was just wondering what your opinion on adding banana was? And if you would recommend it, in what way do you think would be most suitable for the banana?
Hi Taku, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I have not tried this with a banana to advise. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like it.
This recipe is amazing. I wasn’t sure how the cream cheese frosting would taste with mango but it was perfect. I love your recipe for cream cheese frosting. It’s delicious and not overly sweet. The cake turned out beautiful and delicious. Thank you for this recipe!!
Hi Tiffany, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your wonderful review.
natasha, im planning to make this for my brother’s birthday which is tomorrow, but i have a 8-inch mold, so how should i modify the recipe? (im bad at maths :P)
Hi Neko, if your 8″ is tall enough, that should work. The cake will be slightly taller and make take a few minutes longer, but I would watch it closely towards the end.
Hello, I love the recipe..sounds easy but I have a 8 inch mold instead of 9 inch mold…do I use same measurements and how long do I have to bake it…
Hi Shenaaz, if your 8″ is tall enough, that should work. The cake will be slightly taller and make take a few minutes longer, but I would watch it closely towards the end.
Thanks for your reply Natasha. I will be trying this recipe this weekend for my friends birthday party. Will let you know how it went. I have already tried your Tiramasu recipe…it was a hit. Thanks.
Sounds great! I would love to hear your feedback, I hope this becomes a hit.
OMG! I did it. I made the cake….& I can’t believe it. I made it in 8inch pan and it took 23 minutes to bake. I wish I could share photos but I don’t have facebook, instagram nor twitter accounts. It was a Super hit. Thanks Natasha.
One thing I learnt is that I should bake cake a day ahead & and store in fridge..and frost the next day…as it would be much easier to slice the cake in half and frost it…
Thank you for sharing that with me, Shenaaz! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Hi Natasha, if I grease the sides of the pan, will it affect the way the cake bakes? Also, can I bake this in 2 eight inch pans? Thank you!
Hi Sammy, please see this note in the recipe “Prep: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9″ cake pans with parchment (do not grease pans).” It will impact the cake.
How do you make the mango puree?
Hello Patty, I recommend watching the video and checking out the recipe again as it’s all indicated in there. I hope you love the recipe!
I made the cake following the recipe to the letter and it turned out divine. Next day it’s even better as the sponge absorb the mango juices and it’s so moist. The combination of flavours is amazing, it’s now in my top cake recipes and can’t wait to make it again. Wonderful summer cake, thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Yuliana!
Hiya. This looks great – I’m hoping to make it but wanted to make it 2 layers of sponge only (so it looks like a Victoria sponge) without the icing on the outside.. so 2 sponges with the cream/mango in between them, then the mango slices on top – would that work? Thanks!
Hi Jane, I bet that could work! If you experiment, I would love to know how you like that!
I am in love with this recipe. However, I need to make a 6inch cake and am horrible with converting recipes for smaller versions. Do you happen to know the ingredients for a smaller version like this?
Hi Kristina, I haven’t tried but here is a really great resource on how to adapt baking recipes going from the 9″ to the 6″. You may need to do some adaptation.
hello natasha,
im so happy for all of your recipe just once doubt sometimes mango will discolor, how to avoid discoloration on the garnish?
Hi Marie, the topping is best served the day it is made – as it will be most vibrant in color. The leftover portion was a couple of shades darker the next day, it was still pretty and not really brown. Air is the biggest culprit in making fruits/ vegetables brown.
I have found that if you press the plastic wrap directly onto the fruit (whatever type of fruit you put atop a cake) and gently push all the air out, it’s perfect the next day!
Nice one, thanks for sharing that with us, Kristina!