Mango Cake

Name: Mango Cake Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 Egg yolks; 45ml Milk (3 tbsp); 35ml Vegetable oil (2 tbsp 1 tsp); 40g Cornstarch (1/3 cup); 40g All-purpose flour (40 g); 3 Egg whites; 65g White sugar (1/3 cup); Pinch of salt; 480ml Thickened cream; 100g White sugar (1/2 cup); 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 2 large mangoes

January 3, 2022 by Catherine Zhang 107 Comments

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This Asian style mango cake is made up of fluffy cotton soft sponge cake, fresh and juicy mango, all topped with a light vanilla whipped cream

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The perfect cotton soft sponge cake
How to frost with whipped cream
Frequently Asked Questions
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

I've always said that Japanese-style strawberry shortcake is my favourite cake, but this mango cake comes pretty close. What can go wrong with layers of cotton soft sponge cake and fresh mango! This cake is just like those mango cakes you'll find in Asian bakeries, but even better. Filled to the brim with mango and the softest sponge cake you'll ever bake, once you bake this you'll have a hard time going back to the bakery!

Asian bakery style Fresh mango and vanilla whipped cream cotton soft sponge cake

The perfect cotton soft sponge cake

This sponge cake base is the one you've been looking for. I've spent my entire baking career trying to find the perfect cotton sponge cake with the softest pillowy texture, while having enough height and structure to fill with fruit and cream. I posted my strawberry shortcake recipe a year or 2 ago, and while I still love that sponge cake recipe, this one is more fool-proof, fluffy, and delicious! Follow all these tips for the cotton sponge cake of your dreams.

Use an aluminum cake tin without a non-stick coating

It is important to use a cake tin without a non-stick coating when making soft sponge cakes! The sides of the cake tin act as a wall for the batter to crawl while it bakes. This ensures the cake has tall sides and a good structure. On the other hand, the batter would simply slide down the walls of a non-stick cake tin.

There is no need to grease the sides as well, simply line the base with baking paper and pour the batter in.

Whisk the egg yolks with cornstarch

Cornstarch is one of the most important ingredients for a tender sponge cake that can hold itself together. By replacing some of the flour with cornstarch we are reducing the amount of gluten being developed during the mixing process, resulting in a softer sponge cake. Whisking cornstarch won't make the cake tougher, unlike flour, so make sure you give the cornstarch and other wet ingredients a good whisk to fully incorporate it before folding in the flour.

Mix the flour until just combined

Unlike cornstarch, flour can cause a cake to get tough or gummy if overmixed. This is because flour has the tendency to form gluten networks the more you mix it. Gluten gives bread structure and its chewy texture, but that's not what we want in a cake. After sifting the flour into the egg yolk mixture use a whisk to fold the flour in gently until just combined.

Whisk the egg whites and sure to a strong, stiff meringue

A strong meringue base is one of the most important steps to ensuring the success of the cake. To ensure you whip up a stable meringue make sure you use a clean whisk and bowl. I like to wipe down my whisk and bowl with white vinegar or lemon juice before adding my egg whites. You can also add a ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar to your egg whites once foamy to help stabilise the meringue. The resulting meringue should be fluffy, shiny and stand at stiff peaks.

Lighten the egg yolk mixture before adding it to the remaining meringue

When making sponge cakes the most typical method is adding the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and folding until just combined. I find that this method increases the possibility of undermixing. When you undermix a sponge cake there will be a separation of the meringue and egg yolk mixture during baking- this is what causes a rubbery egg-like base.

To prevent this from happening add ⅓ of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and mix until well combined. Then transfer the lightened egg yolk mixture to your meringue and fold until just combined. This method prevents the meringue from deflating while ensuring the ingredients are well incorporated.

Bake in a water bath

A water bath is important for so many reasons. Having a waterbath helps to even out the oven temperature, creating a moist environment for the cake to rise without sudden rises and large cracks. A waterbath also helps to give the sponge a softer texture as it helps the batter retain moisture as it bakes.

Be careful not to use too much water in the waterbath as this can cause the oven temperature to lower, and the cake will take a lot longer to bake. I recommend filling a large baking tray with enough boiling water that it comes 1cm up the side of the cake tin. Don't worry if the waterbath dries out during the baking process, as it is primarily needed during the initial stages of the cake baking.

Drop the cake on the counter right after baking

After you remove the cake from the oven hold it about 15cm from your countertop and drop the cake. This process removes any hot air that is being held in the sponge cake and prevents it from shrinking too much as it cools. You'll notice that the cake shrinks slightly after dropping it, however, that is completely normal. Without dropping it, it would shrink even more as it cools.

Cool completely before unmoulding and slicing

As this cake is so soft and tender it is very fragile when warm. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before trying to unmould it. To unmould run a thin knife or spatula around the edges of the cake tin and invert to remove it.

How to frost with whipped cream

There are a couple of tips to help you frost with whipped cream and achieve a smooth finish! Whipped cream can be difficult to work with because of how temperature-sensitive and fickle it is, but with a bit of practice you'll be frosting cakes with ease!

Do I need to stabilise the whipped cream?

Stabilising your whipped cream isn't necessary when frosting cakes. I find that trying to stabilise the whipped cream can mess with the texture and consistency of the cream and make it even easier to curdle. Instead, work with good quality heavy or thickened cream as they already have thickening agents incorporated.

Work quickly

My biggest tip when working with whipped cream is to work quickly. The faster you frost your cake the less likely it'll start melting and curdling. If you find that your whipped cream is starting to melt pop your cake and cream back into the fridge to chill for half an hour before continuing.

Don't overwhip your cream

It is so easy to overwhip your cream, and the more you work with it the more it'll whip as well. When whipping your cream only whip to medium stiff peaks. At this consistency it is thick enough to hold up when frosting, while having a smooth finish. If the cream is whipped to stiff peaks it can cause the cream to look grainy and clumpy, while being difficult to spread over the cake with a smooth finish.

I like to whip my cream to medium peaks and hand whip until I reach the right consistency. Since cream is very fickle it'll turn from medium peaks to stiff peaks in no time when attached to a stand mixer or electric mixer. Hand whisking gives you complete control over the cream, ensuring no overwhipping occurs!

Use a turntable

Having a turntable is a lifesaver when icing cakes. Use the momentum of the turntable and hold your palette knife or scraper lightly on the cream, this should be enough to spread and smoothen the cream over the cake.

Use a scraper for the edges

A bench scraper is the best tool for creating sharp and clean edges on your cake. Once you have a decent layer of cream on the edges of your cake, hold the bench scraper lightly against the edge of the cake and spin the turn table. This way you'll get an even and smooth finish around the edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this cake last?

This cake will last up to 3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.

Can I use a different fruit?

Yes definitely! Feel free to change up the fruits to suit your tastes, or even do a combination of your favourites.

Why did my sponge cake deflate?

If your sponge cake deflated too much it is most likely because the cake was underbaked. This could be because of a couple of different factors:

The oven temperature was too low
There was too much water in the water bath
The cake wasn't baked for long enough

My sponge cake had giant cracks

This sponge will crack as it bakes, this is essential when making chiffon or super light cakes as you want the sponge to rise and gain as much air as possible. However, the cracks should be quite small. Large cracks could be due to a couple of reasons:

The oven temperature was too high
There wasn't enough water in the water bath
The meringue wasn't beaten well

Why doesn't this recipe use butter?

This recipe doesn't use any butter, and instead uses vegetable oil. Due to the nature of butter it will firm up when chilled. As this cake is kept chilled and frosted in whipped cream, using butter in the sponge cake will only cause it to firm up and lose its fluffy texture. While butter acts as a fat while adding extra flavor, vegetable oil acts as a fat that can bring a fluffier texture.

Why doesn't this recipe use baking powder?

Baking powder is used in most cakes to bring volume and rise, however, this cake is leavened with the air incorporated into the egg whites, giving it an airy texture without the need to add chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda.

Let's Get Cooking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.

Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

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