Mango Passion Fruit Cake
Servings: 12 slices
Tools you'll need:
- 2 x 23cm (9inch) springform pans
Try this mango passion fruit cake recipe, Mango and passion fruit jam sandwiched between two yoghurt sponges with mango cream cheese frosting.
INGREDIENTS LIST
Yoghurt sponge
- 100 g butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp of vanilla paste
- 3 medium eggs (separated)
- 200 g natural or greek yoghurt
- 250 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda / baking soda
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 100 g mango (diced, optional)
Mango and passion fruit jam (see notes)
- 1 piece mango (260g fresh or frozen )
- 50 g caster sugar (4 tbsp)
- 2 pieces passion fruit
- 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
Cream cheese frosting
- 200 g full-fat cream cheese (I use Philadelphia)
- 100 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 300-400 g icing sugar (US powdered sugar)
- 1 pod of vanilla or 1/4 tsp of vanilla paste
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
- 1-2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) (optional)
Preparation
- Mango jam filling: Dice one large mango and add to a small saucepan with the pulp of two passion fruits and 50g sugar.
- Starting over low heat, stirring often so the sugar doesn’t burn. Gently simmer the mixture until it has reduced and thickened, approx. 10 minutes.
- Mix a little cold water with the 2 tsp cornflour to form a thin paste and pour it into the jam, stir continuously for about half a minute to cook the cornflour and avoid lumps forming. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. If you are using shop-bought jam, use the above cornflour while stirring the jam over a steady boil. This way you will see the jam thicken as you add the cornflour mix and not add too much. If it does become too thick, simply add a little water. This can also be done a couple of days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use.
- Cake batter: Preheat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F / Gas 3 .
- Grease and line the bottom of two 23cm (9inch) springform pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the vanilla and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time until fully incorporated. Next, add the yoghurt and mix well.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter mixture and then fold in the remaining egg whites with 100g of diced fresh mango (optional).
- Baking: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes until golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake as they will become very dry in taste.
- Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes, then release them from the pans and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until well combined and smooth. Alternatively use an electric mixer, either hand-held or standing to make it easier. Add about half of the icing sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Then add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until well combined. Add the remaining sugar until the desired consistency is achieved and it is well combined and silky smooth. For more details and tips, check out my cream cheese frosting recipe.
- Assembly: Place one of the cooled sponges onto a cake board or plate and spread half a centimetre layer of frosting over the cake. Then top with the remaining cooled mango jam and the second sponge. Finally, ice the top and sides of the cake.
- Decorating: If you would like to decorate the cake as I have, simply slice some fresh mango and lay it on top of the cake at different angles. spoon over some jam or passion fruit pulp and finish with whipped cream and mint leaves.
Notes & Tips
Using shop-bought jams: When using shop-bought jams it is important that they are not too runny. If you feel that it is, simply heat the jam in a small saucepan and follow the steps in the jam process from step 3 adding the cornflour. This will ensure that your jam is thick enough when adding to the frosting and middle of the cake.
