This mango mousse cake is made with a layer of soft vanilla cake, creamy mango mousse that sets up right in fridge, and tangy eggless mango curd on top. It's the perfect tropical and refreshing cake to make during mango season!
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Notes from the baker
This mango mousse cake has everything I love all in one. It starts with a soft cake base at the bottom which I prefer instead of a hard cookie crust. It goes so well with the texture of the mousse. It's an easy one-bowl cake so it honestly doesn't take much more effort.
Then, you have the dreamy mango mousse layer that is creamy from the whipped cream but light and refreshing at the same time. And finally, the mango curd topping that provides an explosion of mango flavour to finish it all off. Definitely don't skip the topping - it takes this cake from good to amazing. And it's surprisingly easy to make!
Why you'll love this recipe
- One-bowl cake layer. Easy-to-make vanilla cake base that stays soft in the fridge.
- No-bake mango mousse. Light and airy yet creamy mango mousse sets right up in the fridge.
- Eggless mango curd topping. The fruity mango topping is basically reduced down mango puree so no need to fuss with any eggs.
- Great make-ahead recipe. This mango mousse cake needs to be chilled overnight so it's the perfect cake to make in advance and it's ready when you need it.
Tools
- 9" springform pan - You'll need a springform pan that has a removable bottom plate to be able to remove this cake from the pan easily. It should also have side walls that are at least 2" tall to be able to hold the entire height of the cake.
- Whisk - You'll just need a simple whisk to make this recipe. No hand mixer needed but you can certainly use one if you prefer.
- Acetate sheet - Acetate is a stiff and clear sheet of plastic often used to wrap around cakes. It's much stiffer and smoother than parchment paper so it leaves a smooth finish and is less finicky to work with. If you don't have this, you can still use parchment paper with a bit of finesse.
- Blender - You'll need a blender to puree the mangoes.
- Small saucepan - You'll need a small saucepan to cook and reduce down the mango curd. It's best to use a saucepan with high side walls rather than a shallow pan because the mango puree can tend to spit and pop as it thickens.
- Fine mesh sieve - Straining your mango curd through a fine mesh sieve is optional but it creates a silky smooth curd so I would highly recommend it.
Ingredient notes
As always, the fullย recipe cardย with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to theย recipe.
- Cake flour - Cake flour contains less gluten and produces a soft and lighter cake.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Milk - You can use any dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer.
- Oil - Use any neutral, light-tasting oil (e.g. canola oil). Since this cake layer is made with only oil (no butter), it will stay soft even after being in the fridge.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Gelatine powder - This sets the mango mousse and allows it to firm up. It usually comes in individual packets with about 1 tablespoon of gelatine powder in each packet. It's possible to use other alternatives such as agar agar but this recipe has not been tested with them and it will likely not be a 1:1 substitution.
- Water
- Mango chunks - In total, you'll need about 7-8 medium mangoes for the mango mousse, mango curd, and some extra for garnish. You can use fresh or thawed frozen mangoes but I would recommend fresh and ripe mangoes for the best flavour.
- Whipping cream - This will be the base of the mango mousse for a creamy yet light mousse.
- Powdered sugar
- Cornstarch - Cornstarch will help thicken the mango curd since this one is made without eggs.
- Unsalted butter - The butter helps the mango curd firm up when chilled and also helps create a shiny finish.
Tips for making the best mango mousse cake
- Use cake strips for a flat cake layer. Cake strips are pieces of fabric that you soak in water and wrap around the sides of the pan to help bring down the temperature of the pan so that the outer edges of the cake bake slower, leading to a flatter cake layer. You can make your own by soaking strips of paper towel in water and wrapping them up in foil. You can also just let the cake bake naturally and cut off the domed part after baking.
- Blend all of the mangoes together. Since we're using mango puree in both the mousse and the curd topping, we can save time by blending them together and separating the puree afterwards.
- Whip cream to firm peaks. Whipping the cream to firm peaks ensures the cream is sufficiently aerated with tiny air bubbles. This will create an airier mousse texture. Some of the air will deflate out of the cream once it's mixed with the mango puree so make sure it starts at firm peaks.
- Stir mango curd often while cooking. Stirring often prevents the mango mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. As the curd thickens, it will also start to sputter so stirring reduces this prevents it from getting too hot.
- Chill the mousse cake overnight. The mango mousse sets fairly quickly when cold but you want to ensure that the mousse and the topping is thoroughly set and firm enough to slice into. Chilling it overnight is ideal and also easy to do!
Storage
This mango mousse cake can be stored in an airtight container or covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
Frequently asked questions
Why are your measurements in grams? Why do you mix gram measurements with tablespoons/teaspoons?
Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions.ย To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.
Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ยผ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.
More mango cake recipes to try
Recipe
Mango Mousse Cake
Refreshing mango mousse cake made with a vanilla cake base, no-bake mango mousse, and fruity eggless mango curd on top
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 acetate sheet, or parchment paper
- 1 blender
Ingredientsย ย
Cake Layer
- 120 g cake flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 70 g milk, dairy or non-dairy
- 60 g oil, any neutral oil (e.g. canola oil)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mango Mousse
- 2 tablespoons gelatine powder
- 100 g cold water
- 500 g mango chunks, about 3-4 medium mangoes
- 400 g whipping cream, cold
- 50 g powdered sugar
Mango Curd
- 400 g mango chunks, about 3 medium mangoes
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 60 g unsalted butter, roughly cubed
Instructionsย
Cake Layer
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom of the pan only by clamping it in between the bottom plate and ring of the pan. Set aside.
- Mix batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined into a smooth batter. Pour the batter into your lined springform pan.
- Bake: Bake cake for about 15 minutes or until the sides are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prep cake and pan: Once cooled, run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. If your cake is domed, you can remove it from the pan, use a serrated knife to level the cake, and put it back into the pan. Line the sides of the pan with a sheet of clear acetate or parchment paper. Set aside.
Mango Mousse
- Bloom gelatine: Fill a small bowl with cold water. Sprinkle gelatine powder on across the surface. Set it aside for at least 5 minutes to allow the gelatine to bloom. It will become a firm, gel-like consistency.
- Make mango puree: To a blender, add all of the mango chunks for both the mousse and the curd (900g in total) so that you only need to blend them once. Blend mangoes on medium speed for about 1 minute or until smoothly pureed. Transfer 400g of mango puree to a small saucepan and set aside to make the mango curd later. Keep the remaining 500g of mango puree in the blender.
- Add gelatine: Heat the bowl of bloomed gelatine in the microwave in 10-second increments until it completely dissolves and becomes a clear liquid. Pour this into the blender and blend for 30 seconds until combined with the mango puree. Set aside.
- Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Use a whisk to whip until it becomes firm peaks.
- Fold in mango: Add the mango-gelatine mixture from the blender and fold together until no streaks remain.
- Fill pan: Pour the mixture into the springform pan on top of the cake layer. Gently jiggle the pan to help the mixture settle into a flat layer or use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
- Chill: Chill the cake in the fridge while you make the mango curd topping.
Mango Curd
- Cook: To the saucepan of mango puree you set aside earlier, add the sugar. Heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring often.
- Cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the mango mixture. Continue heating the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in butter: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in one cube of butter at a time until they have all melted and combined. Push the mango curd through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl to create a silky smooth curd. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd and let it cool at room temperature or in the fridge until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
- Topping: Once the mango curd is cool to the touch, pour it on top of the chilled mousse layer which should be firm to the touch by now. Use the back of a spoon to spread the mango curd around the surface of the cake. Drag the spoon around the curd to create a swirl design.
- Chill: Cover and chill the cake for 12 hours or overnight to allow it to set. Before serving, release the cake from the pan and peel away the acetate sheet. Decorate the top of the cake with mango chunks and mint leaves, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 1747IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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Paula says
This was such a pleasure to eat (and bake)! I mixed some crushed raspberries into the mousse, and added some fresh passionfruit juice into the curd, which turned out lovely. It was supposed to be reminiscent of our wedding cake flavours, for our first anniversary ๐ thanks for the great base recipe, I will definitely bake this up again!