Mangoes are in season and in abundance.
The South African Mango Growers’ Association shares four ways to bake mango inspired cakes:
*Vanilla cake with mango curd
For the mango curd
1 large fresh mango, cubed
½ cup white sugar
juice of 1 lemon
3 large eggs
6 tbs unsalted butter, cubed
For the cake
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbs vanilla essence
1 cup castor sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups self-raising flour
¾ cup milk
Method
For the curd, place the mango in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the sugar and lemon juice, and continue to process until completely smooth.
Whisk the purée and the eggs together and pour into a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously for a few minutes.
Next add the butter and cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pour the curd through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressing the plastic onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Cool the curd before refrigerating for about 2 hours or overnight.
In the meantime, prepare the cake, beat the butter with the vanilla until light and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Then add half of the flour and half of the milk and stir to combine. Add the remaining flour and milk and beat lightly until the mixture is smooth. Divide between 2 x 17cm cake tins and bake until cooked for about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool before inverting the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely before applying the curd.
To assemble the cake, spread with a little curd between the layers and sandwich together. Pour the remaining curd over the cake and decorate as desired.
*Coconut mango cake
3/4 cup caster sugar
125g butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup buttermilk
300ml thickened cream
2 tbs icing sugar mixture
1 medium mango, peeled, finely chopped
125g butter
For the passion fruit icing
1 cup icing sugar mixture
10g butter, melted
2 passion fruit, halved
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 6cm-deep, 25cm heart-shaped cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat until combined. Add coconut, flour and buttermilk in 2 batches, stirring after each addition. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make passion fruit icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add butter and passion fruit pulp. Stir until icing is smooth and spreadable.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Stir in mango. Cut cake in half crossways. Spread cream mixture over base. Sandwich with cake top. Spread passion fruit icing over cake top. Serve.
*Upside down caramalised mango cake
For the caramel
175g castor sugar
2 mangoes, chopped (out of season, substitute with canned mango, drained)
For the cake
150g cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
175g butter, softened
175g castor sugar
4 tbs ground almonds
4 eggs, beaten
5ml vanilla essence
garnish
1 mango and passion fruit
Method
Grease and flour a Bundt cake tin and line the base with baking powder. Alternatively a greased silicone cake mould works well.
To make the caramel, place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Do not stir. Allow to caramelise over medium heat very gently until deep golden brown. Pour immediately into the prepared tin.
Arrange the diced mango over the caramel. The fruit must almost cover the base of the tin.
Sift the flour and baking powder and place in a food processor.
Add the butter, sugar, almonds, eggs and vanilla. Process briefly until smooth and evenly blended, 1 to 2 minutes.
Spread the cake mixture over the fruit.
Bake at 160ºC until the top is golden and the sides of the cake have pulled away from the tin, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool for a few minutes, before unmoulding.
Serving suggestion – dust with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraiche.
*For more mango-inspired dessert ideas, visit www.mango.co.za
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