Creamy Mango Mousse Cake
Mango mousse cake is an easy dessert featuring a layer of moist vanilla cake, fresh mango mousse, and swirls of fresh mango puree. This light and airy mousse cake is a perfect summer dessert for the mango season!
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- ¾ cup cake flour *see notes for measuring*
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoon cubed unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Mango Puree
- 4 cups frozen or fresh cubed mango
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Line an 8" springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom, then lock it into place. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then mix in the cubed butter until it resembles coarse sand.
- Mix in the sour cream and oil until paste-y, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together. Stream it into the mixing bowl on low speed, until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Set it aside to cool completely. Once cool, run an offset spatula around the sides of the cake. Unlock the pan to release the sides. Leave the cake layer on the bottom, then wash the sides where the cake residue is. This will keep the cake from sticking to the pan when you remove it for serving. Place the sides of the pan back on top and lock it in place.
- In a stand mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream and powdered sugar on high speed until soft peaks form. Tranfser it to a large bowl and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
- In a small pot, cook the mango, sugar, and lemon juice for 10-12 minutes, or until the fruit is softened. Then blend it smooth with a blender or immersion blender. (You should have about 2 ⅓ cups of puree). Pour the mango puree back into the pot.
- In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin in cold water for 1 minute, then stir it into the mango puree. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then pour the mango puree into a bowl and set it into an ice bath to cool, stirring occasionally, until it feels room temperature (7-10 minutes). Don’t let it get completely cold as the gelatin will start to set and your mousse will be clumpy!
- Reserve ⅓ cup of the mango puree and set it aside. Then pour the rest of the puree into the bowl of whipped cream and gently fold them together. Once combined, spread the mousse on top of the cake layer.
- Spread half of the reserved mango puree on top of the mousse, then spread the rest of the mousse on top of the puree. Dollop the remaining puree over the top, and use a toothpick to swirl it into the mousse. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours to set.
- To remove it from the cake pan, run a small offset spatula around the top edge of the mousse. Unlock the sides of the pan and gently lift it off the bottom. Transfer it to a cake board or serving plate. Use a sharp knife (wiping it clean between cuts) and cut into servings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*