A fluffy, soft, exquisite, eggless vegan mango cake scented with cardamom. On top goes a fluffy vegan mango buttercream that will have everyone licking their fingers.
This cake has been many years in the making: all the way since I posted a recipe that made more than a few ripples--my vegan mango cupcakes with mango buttercream frosting.
Those cupcakes have since been baked by hundreds of you, and countless other food bloggers. I have taken them to vegan bake sales, office farewells, and birthday parties. Each time they induce raves and demands for more, and it's surely one of the recipes I've created that I am most proud of.
One of the questions I'd get most often on my cupcake recipe was, how do I convert this to a cake? Some intrepid cooks went ahead and baked the batter in cake pans and reported great results. Still, I held back on doing so myself. As gorgeous as those cupcakes are, I wanted to make this eggless mango cake recipe even better--moister and fluffier, as good as any cake with eggs would be.
This past week, with Jay on my back begging for mango cupcakes, I finally took the plunge. And I'm kinda glad I waited because lessons I've learned from baking countless other cakes since I made those phenomenal cupcakes helped me this time in creating a vegan mango cake like no other.
What you'll love about this vegan mango cake
- It's got a fluffy, airy, light and moist crumb.
- It's infused throughout with the deliciousness of mangoes and cardamom--it's like biting into an Indian summer.
- The buttercream frosting is flavored with more mango and a hint of vanilla.
- The cake is easy to put together. If you follow instructions, it's even foolproof.
- The cake is also one-bowl, so easy cleanup. Rinse out the same bowl to make the buttercream.
Ingredients
For the cake
- All purpose flour (always use unbleached if possible)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cardamom
- Mango puree. Fresh or canned are both fine.
- Vegan yogurt. I use my homemade cashew yogurt, but another vegan yogurt is fine.
- Vegetable oil
- Sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
For the mango buttercream
- Vegan butter
- Mango puree
- Pure vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Cardamom (optional. I don't use it because I find the quantity in the cake is enough, but you can always add a soupcon if you wish)
Steps and tips
- The mango puree is the most important ingredient in this recipe because it will determine the flavor. So begin with a really good one and by that I don't mean an expensive one. If you get really sweet, bright orange mangoes, you can puree them and use them in this cake. Make a very smooth puree. I use canned mangoes because I love the Indian alphonso mango in this and most of my mango recipes. But the only way I can find alphonso in this country is in the form of a tinned puree that I buy at the Indian grocery store for around $4. The cans are usually 30 oz and one can is perfect for this cake.
- One of the tricks I use to make this cake lighter and airier is to sift the flour. This is a small step but it really pays off, so don't skip it.
- To make the cake moist and soft, I add a tiny bit of vegan yogurt--just two tablespoons is enough.
- Start the cake batter by whisking the dry ingredients together--the flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt and cardamom. Whisk them together first--this is important--and then dump in all the wet ingredients one after the other before mixing it all up.
- Never overmix cake batters made with wheat flour because you risk activating the gluten, which will make your cake tough. Remember you are baking cake, not bread.
- You can bake this cake in two 8- or 9-inch cake pans, as I did, or you can bake it as a bundt cake. Spray the pans with oil. If using regular cake pans make sure you line them with parchment paper for easier unmolding.
- For the buttercream, make sure the butter is at room temperature and very soft.
- Add only as much sugar to the frosting as appeals to your tastebuds. I tend to find about two cups does the trick for me but because Jay likes it sweeter I add about two and a half cups. You can use more or less.
- I have half a cup of mango puree in the recipe, but you can add more for more mango flavor.
More vegan mango dessert recipes
Vegan Mango Cake | Eggless Mango Cake
A fluffy, soft, exquisite, eggless vegan mango cake scented with cardamom. On top goes a fluffy vegan mango buttercream that will have everyone licking their fingers.
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Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 338kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the vegan mango cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon ground cardamom (always use green cardamom pods for desserts)
- 1⅓ cup sugar
- 3 cups mango puree (canned Alphonso mango pulp is what I use and I buy it from the Indian grocery store. You can also puree fresh mangos but make sure they are very sweet)
- 2 tablespoon vegan yogurt
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the vegan mango buttercream
- 16 tablespoon vegan butter (2 sticks, softened, at room temperature)
- ½ cup mango puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups powdered sugar (use more or less per your preference)
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
Instructions
Make the cakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Oil two 8- or 9-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add cardamom. Whisk well to mix.
- Stir in the sugar. Then dump in the remaining ingredients--mango puree, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract. Mix to incorporate everything and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple of times to ensure there is no dry flour remaining.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake 30 minutes or until spongy and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes unmold, peel off parchment, and continue cooling the cakes, right side up. The cake top will be slightly domed -- if you want it flat for the frosting, after the cake is completely cool, use a sharp, serrated knife to make a horizontal cut all around just under the portion you want to trim and slide the knife across the cake to remove.
Make the buttercream
- Place the softened butter in a bowl with the mango puree, vanilla, cardamom, if using, and 1 cup powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer or whisk to incorporate into a smooth, fluffy frosting.
- Continue adding powdered sugar in ½ cup installments and taste before adding more. Stop when the buttercream is sweet enough for your liking. I use 2 to 2½ cups.
Assemble the cake
- Place one cake on a cake stand or plate. Slather on half the buttercream with an offset spatula or knife, then carefully place the other cake on top and smooth on the remaining buttercream. You can frost the sides of the cake if you wish, I just left them naked because the orange is so pretty.
- Decorate the top with slices of fresh mango, if you wish. Cut and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 911IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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Nancy Huttlinger
The cake was no problem to make. It looks beautiful. The frosting was another story! I left the vegan butter out all night and made the frosting exactly like it said. The frosting was curdled. I put it in microwave for 20 sec. It looks much better but is not thick like frosting. Kinda runny. It already has 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar in it. What can I do to change the consistency? Do I need to start over?
Vaishali
Hi Nancy, glad to hear you enjoyed the cake. You can try putting the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then start mixing it again in an electric mixer, gradually increasing the speed. This should help fix it.
Suchi
Yummy recipe -used whole wheat pastry flour and added rehydrated dried mango(cut into pieces) +cashew pieces -reduced the sugar & skipped the frosting - turned out very nice.
Christine
What would be a good replacement for the yogurt?
Vaishali
Replacing the yogurt will affect the texture a bit. If that's okay, use applesauce instead.
Elyza
This cake is so yum. I used 5 mangos for the cake itself, and 4 or 5 for the buttercream. I also made it with Whole wheat flour instead of all purpose, and subbed coconut sugar 3/4 cup instead of the 1 1/3 cup white sugar (i like less sweet). i also forgot to add vanilla extract to the cake. The result was good, a bit firmer and darker in color from the use of WW flour, but still tasty and cane sugar free. The extra mangos i added to butter cream naturally sweetened it perfectly. I topped with dates, candied mango, rose, and walnut. Yum!! Only thing is I wish i added extra cardamom.
Vaishali
Hi Elyza, that cardamom sure is addictive, isn't it? So great to hear it worked well with whole wheat and with coconut sugar. I can just picture how fabulous the finished cake must've looked with all those yummy toppings. Thanks for the feedback, and so happy you loved the cake!
Anna
Hi there!
My vegan daughter would love this!! so I plan to make this for her 21st birthday. Problem is I will be driving 4hours to her. I was planning on having the cake part baked already and assemble the cake when I arrive. Do you think I could prepare the buttercream ahead of time too and just keep it in a cooler during travel or should I just make it when I reach her place?
Vaishali
You can keep the buttercream in a cooler. Be sure to thaw it to room temperature before frosting the cake.
Rebecca
Hi! I'm excited to try your recipe. I got canned mango from the store but the shopper gave me sweetened. Do you sweetened canned mango already for this recipe? Or do you think I should reduce the sugar? Thanks!
Vaishali
The mango puree I use from the Indian store is also sweetened, so that's perfect, no need to adjust anything.
AR
Hi! Instead of using two cake forms, could I just use one, and then slice it once cooled off? Thank you
Vaishali
Yes, but you will need to add more baking time. I'd add 10 minutes and check for doneness before taking out of oven.
AR
Thank you! Will do!
Jacqueline Radcliffe
This recipe was so moist and delicious. I used local Northern Territory Mangoes and half of the amount of sugar stipulated. I did not have any cardamom, but it was pretty darn tasty nonetheless. I couldn't recommend this cake enough. Thank you for the winning recipe!
Vaishali
So happy you loved it!
Heather
I didn’t want to drive an hour to the Indian grocery for pureed mango, and was going to get frozen. I got an idea while I was in the store and shot over to the baby food isle and found Gerber mango baby food. Looked at the ingredients: Mangoes. 🙂 Each twin pack = 1 cup! Awesome recipe. Came out great. Thanks!
Vaishali
What a wonderful idea! That's awesome, and thanks for sharing that tip. So happy you liked the cake.
heather
HELLO! I just made the cake to recipe but made all the mango puree myself out of very ripe mango. My cake didn't cook properly? It is dense wet and thick like a pudding? Maybe it is the fresh mango? Any advice?
Vaishali
Hi Heather, you should just bake it longer--it's possible the fresh mangos had more moisture. Always do the toothpick test before removing from the oven.
Irene Coker
Wow, I just made a sample cupcakes for my baby’s birthday and my my my my.
I am now getting ready to make a real birthday cake.
I was gonna spend $150 on a cake.
Irene Coker
Thank you very very much
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
Pallavi
Hi Vaishali
The recepie looks tempting...i want to try for my friends special day but the measurements are in cups can you provide with metrics or how to convert to metrics. Your reply would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance..
Vaishali
Hi Pallavi, click on the "metric" tab next to the "Ingredients" field in the recipe card--it should give you the conversions!
Katie
Hi there!
Would it be possible to use less mango? For example, half of what the recipe asks for? Fresh and even frozen mangos are very expensive where I live, which is why I'd like to know if I can cut back on them a bit! Thank you so much for your help.
Vaishali
Hi Katie, you will get less mango flavor if you do that, but you could sub half with applesauce. That said, have you access to canned or tinned mango puree? That is usually cheaper than buying fresh mangoes and it would work beautifully.
Anastasia
Hello Vaishali, thank you so much for this detailed recipe! I am going to make this cake for my boyfriend's birthday and could I ask you two questions please? One, if I replace sugar in the cake (not in the buttercream) with maple syrup would it work? And two, is that possible to then cover this cake with a fondant (I'm planning on making a small special figure on top)?
Vaishali
Hi Anastasia, maple syrup as a substitution for sugar will be fine. Your batter might feel a bit runnier but it should firm up when you bake. And yes, absolutely, you can cover with fondant. 🙂
suwarna banjara
Wow!!! The cake out amazing. I made it for my eldest son who is vegan for celebrating his 50th birthday and truly I am only left with one slice only.
The icing came out awesome too. Thank you for creating such a delicious recipe
Vaishali
Hi Suwarna, so happy to hear!
LoAn
I can't wait to make this cake for my guy's birthday request. All the comments helped me to know what to expect and avoid if possible. Will for sure share the results here with y'all. I rated the recipe and comments and will rate the taste and baking experience again later:)
Andrea
Really wonderful recipe! I was surprised by how easy this is overall to make. I used the canned mango puree and it was perfect. Cake was delicious and moist. I did have a little difficulty with the frosting, I felt like maybe there was to much butter in it, I would probably try just 1.5 sticks next time. I'm also curious if it might be possible to add some fresh diced mango to the batter. The cardamom gave it an incredible flavor. I will definitely be making again!
Vaishali
Hi Andrea, so happy you loved it. Fresh diced mango in the frosting would be great but it would release additional moisture while baking so adjust baking time up.
julee
This looks incredible! Can I use g-free flour instead of whole wheat? Almond? 2:1 from Bob's Mill? Thanks.
Vaishali
Hi Julie, I think it would turn out really good with almond flour. Use the following berry almond flour cake recipe as a template and replace the preserves with mango purée . Let me know if you try!
https://holycowvegan.net/gluten-free-berry-almond-flour-cake/
Priyanka
Amazing cake! Loved it.
Mikoyo’s Cultured Vegan Butter spoiled after adding mango pulp in frosting. I just refrigerated the frosting and worked out fine. Any suggestions ? I guess the acid in Mango would spoil (vegan) butter.
Vaishali
Hi Priyanka, so happy you made it. Yes, refrigerating the frosting for a bit and then whipping it again should help resolve any curdling. I haven't made this with Miyokos, I usually use Earth Balance.
The curdling can also happen sometimes if the butter is not completely soft, in that case however you'd need heat to make it uncurdle.
Vaishali
Hi, it sounds like your oven temperature is way off. While some variations happen with different ovens, the time you baked for sounds too long and the cake would've been burned had it been baking at 350 degrees for an hour. Another possibility is that the mango puree you used could be too watery--that seems more likely given that you say the icing was also runny. I use the Ratna or Swad Alphonso mango cans from the Indian grocery store. Pureeing fresh mangoes is a good option.
Anonymous
Hi, do you have gluten free recipes
Vaishali
Tons. 🙂 And lots of gf desserts too. And some gf sourdough recipes too, if you're into that. Please search for "gluten-free recipes," "gluten-free desserts" and "gluten-free sourdough baking."
Maya
Incredible cake. Even maybe the best I have ever baked. Everyone loved it and the flavor was just mindblowing. I am making this again for a family gathering tomorrow and I know everyone's going to love it. Thanks for this recipe.
Vaishali
So happy to hear! My favorite for sure. Thanks for the feedback. 🙂