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This chocolate mango cake features a moist chocolate cake with a light yet decadent mango frosting! Top this sweet cake with fresh mango and enjoy a slice for dessert.
Chocolate and mango is a delicious combo! Mangoes are naturally sweet, with a slight acidity that pairs with bitter chocolate exceptionally well. In this chocolate mango cake recipe, I use mango extract to flavor the frosting, then I top the whole cake with sliced mangoes.
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This mango and chocolate cake starts with a pillowy soft chocolate cake that's moist and not too dense. It has an intense chocolate flavor and a tender crumb. It's a standout chocolate cake that could be used with any frosting you like, but tastes amazing with mango buttercream!
My family devours this dessert quickly but mango chocolate cake is easy to freeze, so don't worry if you can't finish the whole thing. I like to freeze it in slices, so I can pull one slice out at a time.
👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Dark chocolate cake layers
- Easy to make with simple steps
- A unique cake for parties and get togethers
- Light yet decadent mango frosting
- Freeze leftover cake for later
- The whole family will love it!
- Perfect for a special occasion
- Best chocolate mango cake ever!
🥘 Ingredients
My choco mango cake calls for simple ingredients found at your local grocery store. Here's what you need:
- Coconut Oil & Sour Cream: Oil keeps this dessert moist and tender. If you don't have coconut oil, vegetable oil should work too. Sour cream is actually more for texture than for tang, as it creates a moist yet light cake!
- Eggs: Eggs are important for structure. Be sure to use large eggs for baking unless otherwise specified.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: Vanilla in chocolate cake? Trust me on this one! Vanilla accentuates the deep flavor of the cocoa powder! A little bit of salt enhances sweetness.
- Brown Sugar & Cocoa Powder: For sweetness, and for the chocolate flavor!
- Baking Powder & Soda: Leavening agents are crucial for a light and fluffy cake! Without baking powder, this dessert would be dense and gummy. Be sure to use baking powder that's less than a year old.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour has the perfect amount of protein for cake. It keeps it sturdy yet soft.
- Instant Coffee & Boiling Water: If you don't like coffee, don't worry! This ingredient is not for a coffee flavor. It enhances the deep and chocolatey taste of the cocoa powder. You need the water to hydrate the instant coffee.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites whip into stiff peaks, similar to a light and airy meringue-like frosting. Be sure to buy pasteurized egg whites!
- Powdered Sugar & Butter: For a silky smooth and decadent mango cake filling. I recommend unsalted butter so the buttercream doesn't taste salty. Icing sugar sweetens the buttercream.
- Mango Extract: You can find mango extract at your local craft store, like Michaels or Hobby Lobby. If you can't find it there, try online. You don't need mango puree for this recipe. The extract along with fresh mangoes impart plenty of mango flavor!
📖 Variations
- Mango Chocolate Mousse Cake: Instead of filling the cake with buttercream, fill it with chocolate mousse frosting or chocolate ganache!
- Chocolate Cake With Mango Filling: For a mango filled cake, top the buttercream with thinly sliced mangoes before you add the top layer.
- Gluten-Free: Gluten free flour can be substituted to make this gluten friendly.
🔪 How To Make Chocolate Mango Cake
My mango chocolate cake has multiple steps, but they are all simple! Here's what you need to do:
Preheat Oven, Combine Wet Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, then set it aside. I recommend using springform pans if you have them, as it will make it much easier to remove your cake after it bakes! In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla, then set aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour until combined.
Make Batter: Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and mix.
Hydrate Coffee: In a separate bowl, combine the boiling water and instant coffee. Stir the coffee mixture into the batter.
Bake: Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly, cover it with foil as it cooks.
Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before you remove it and transfer cake to a wire rack.
Make Buttercream: While the cake cools, make the mango cake glaze. Whip the egg whites and the powdered sugar with a whisk attachment for 3 minutes. Add half of the butter and whip until smooth. Add the remaining butter and mango extract, then whip for 4 to 5 minutes. It's okay if it looks separated at first, it will all come together. Add orange coloring.
Add Icing: Slice the cake in half with a serrated knife. Use an offset spatula to spread 1/2 of the buttercream over the bottom layer.
Assemble Mango Chocolate Brownie Cake: Add the top layer of cake, then frost with the remaining buttercream. Top with sliced mango if desired. Sometimes I top with mini chocolate chips too.
Chill: Chill the yummy cake for one hour, then serve!
❓ Recipe FAQs
What causes a cake to be too dense?
There are a few culprits that cause a cake to be dense. If you add too much liquid, it will weigh down the cake and make it gummy. If it doesn't have enough leavening, like baking powder or baking soda, the cake batter won't rise in the oven. The last culprit is an overmixed batter! Don't overmix the batter or you will develop too much gluten, and deflate the cake.
How should I store this easy mango cake?
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to store it in a container so it doesn't dry out.
Can I freeze chocolate cake with mango filling?
Yes, in fact I recommend it! When you freeze a cake, it's less prone to dry out than when you store it in the refrigerator. I like to slice it first, then put the cake slices onto a sheet pan. Stick the sheet pan in the freezer until the slices are frozen. Transfer the frozen cake slices to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
How do you keep mangoes from browning on cake?
Coat the sliced mangoes in lemon juice before you place them on the cake. This should keep them from oxidizing and turning an unsightly brown color.
💭 Expert Tips
- Whip the buttercream until the butter flavor is subtle. Eight minutes may seem like a long time to whip frosting, but the results will be delicious!
- Cool the cake before removing: If you try to remove the cake from the baking dish before it has fully cooled, it will fall apart or won't come out as smoothly!
- Cake must be at room temp before frosting: Do not frost the cake until the cake layers are completely cooled or at least at room temperature! If you try to frost a warm cake, you will end up with melted frosting soup.
- Chilling the cake before serving will give the frosting a chance to set up and harden before serving.
- Measure by weight: For the perfect sponge cake, make sure to use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, and to sift your flour before measuring it!
- Place in the center of the oven for baking: You want to bake this dessert on the center rack of the oven to achieve the perfect temperature to help your cake rise.
