Rich yet light and perfect to use up those sweet summer mangoes, this elegant mango mousse cake is easier than it looks. Just two easy layers – coconut lime cake which is moist and flavourful and a layer of light mango flavoured mousse.
- Tropical flavours of mango, coconut and lime.
- The topping tastes like creamy mango.
- The cake is moist and soft but slightly dense.
- Both layers are so easy to make.
- Perfect for making ahead.
Once you’ve baked the coconut base and poured over your luscious mousse filling you just need to wait while it chills for 6 hours or overnight so you can get ahead and make this a day or even two ahead of serving. Decorate it simply with fresh mango slices and shaved coconut for a simply stunning dessert.
You’ll love this mango coconut cheesecake and this Chocolate raspberry mousse cake too.
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What is mousse cake?
A mousse cake is mousse that is formed in the shape of a cake with a texture that makes it able to be sliced like a cake. It generally has a base of some type for the mousse to sit on – here I’ve created a rich coconut sponge cake but you could also use a cookie crust.
What is mango mousse cake made of?
While classic French style mousse uses uncooked eggs, whipped up to get that fluffy texture, I prefer to make my mousse eggless, so the mousse portion of this mango mousse cake recipe contains no eggs, just the baked cake base.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
The coconut cake base
You’ll need regular cake ingredients like eggs, plain flour (all purpose flour), baking powder and white granulated sugar. On top of that, some neutral flavoured oil which adds moisture and fine desiccated coconut for flavour and texture. The zest of 1 large lime adds irresistible zingy lime flavour.
For the mango mousse
- Fresh mangoes: You’ll need 2 very large ripe mangoes. You can use frozen mango though it doesn’t tend to have such a strong flavour or colour.
- Cream: You’re after thickened cream, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Gelatine powder: Gelatine helps this mousse set to a texture perfect for slicing but not too much so the mango mousse is still, soft and airy.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar or powdered sugar are for sweetness.
- Lime: Some more lime zest in the mango mousse for stunning fresh flavour.
How to make mango mousse cake (step-by-step)
While stunning, this mango mousse cake is actually very simple to make. A simple one bowl coconut cake and a mousse that comes together in just a few minutes.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
For the coconut cake
- Wet ingredients: Start by simply mixing together the sugar, eggs, oil and milk in a mixing bowl (photo 1).
- Dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients straight into the same bowl, along with the lime zest and gently mix it together until combined (photo 2).
- Bake: Line a spring form pan with baking paper and pour in the cake batter (photo 3). Level it out, then bake until a toothpick comes out with a sticky crumb or two attached.
- Flatten: The cake will come out of the oven with a slight dome. You can just wait for it to cool and slice the dome off but you’ll lose a little height. I like to just lightly press down with a glass while it’s still warm to flatten the dome. This also makes the cake a little dense but in a nice way – it’s almost like a coconut mud cake.
For the mango mousse
- Gelatine: Sprinkle powdered gelatine over water in a very small saucepan (photo 4) and let it soften a few minutes. Heat it, stirring constantly, until dissolved (photo 5) without boiling it.
- Mango: Blend mango flesh in a blender to a puree then tip it into a bowl. Whisk in sugar, lime zest and that gelatine mixture (photo 6).
- Cream: Whip the cream in a medium bowl (photo 7) until you have stiff peaks.
- Fold together: Now fold the mango mixture into the cream a bit at a time (photo 8), being careful not to knock the air out of the cream.
- Pour over the base: Pour the mango mousse over the cooled cake base (photo 9) and chill for 6 hours or overnight until set.
I use baking paper to line my tin for simplicity but you can see ridges in the sides when you unwrap it later. I just smooth them out a little with a hot offset spatula. If you want neater sides, you can use acetate strips to line your tin, after baking. These are available from cake supply stores.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t overwhip the cream: Overbeating the cream will give you a grainy texture and it’s very easy to beat it too far. As soon as you see lines in the cream that don’t disappear, switch the lowest setting on your hand mixer and check regularly until you have peaks that hold their shape.
- For perfect straight sides: You can use acetate strips (available from cake supply shops) to get perfectly straight sides on your mousse. After the cake base has baked, remove the baking paper from the tin and slide your acetate strips into place around the side of the cake, keeping the spring form tin locked. Once the mango mousse has set, simply remove the ring of the cake tin and gently peel away the acetate strips.
- Toppings: I topped my mango mousse cake here very simply with slices of mango, lime zest and shaved coconut. You could also top it with my mango curd or really play up that lime flavour using my lime curd.
Yield and storage
This recipe makes enough for 10-12 slices.
Leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days depending on how far in advance you made it.
While the mousse portion doesn’t thaw well, so is best not frozen, the coconut sponge base can be frozen for up to 3 months, so you can actually make that in advance, freeze it and have it ready when you want to assemble the mango mousse cake.
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Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar (150g / 5.3oz)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup neutral flavoured vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon milk (notes 1)
- 165 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 ¼ cups / 5.8oz)
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut (30g/1oz)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Zest of one large lime
FOR THE MOUSSE
- 1 cup thickened cream (or whipping cream or heavy cream), cold (250ml)
- 2 large ripe mangoes (you'll need 2 ¼ cups puree)
- ¼ cup icing sugar (powdered sugar) (33g / 1.2oz)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ¼ cup cold water (60ml) (notes 1)
- 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
- mango slices and shaved coconut for topping
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Electric mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 8 inch springform pan or cake ring
- baking paper
- acetate strips/acetate cake collar – if you want a smoother outside to the mousse
Instructions
- FOR THE LIME COCONUT CAKE BASE: Preheat the oven to 160C (140Cfan) / 325F. Line the base of an 8 inch springform pan, then grease the sides and line those with baking paper too.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar and whisk until combined. Add the oil and milk and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, coconut, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Use the whisk to mix until just combined. Add the lime zest and use a spatula to gently stir it in.
- Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a crumb or two attached.
- As soon as you take it out of the oven, gently press down the top of the cake with a glass to flatten it out slightly. It seems strange but the cake does dome a little and a flat surface looks nicest for the mousse to sit on.
- Carefully release the spring clip but don’t take the outer ring off the pan. Leave it in place while the cake cools to at least room temperature before proceeding (you can speed it up in the fridge but let it cool for 5-10 minutes first, then place it on a plate and cool in the fridge).
- FOR THE MANGO MOUSSE: Pour the cold cream into a large mixing bowl and use an electric beater to beat to stiff peaks. Careful not to overwhip it or it will become grainy. Chill until required.
- Cut the flesh from the mangoes and add to a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth puree. Measure out 2 ¼ cups of mango puree into a separate bowl and set aside.
- In a very small saucepan or milk pan, pour the water, then sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top evenly. Let it sit for 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Turn the heat on low under the pan and stir until the gelatine has dissolved, stirring and pressing it against the bottom of the pan as needed to dissolve it. Make sure not to bring it to a boil and remove it from the heat if you see any bubble. Take the time to make sure the gelatine is completely dissolved so you don’t end up with lumps in your mousse.
- Add the sugar, lime zest and gelatine mixture to the mango puree and whisk to combine.
- Pour quarter of the mango mixture into the whipped cream and use a spatula to very gently fold it together – don’t stir it. When there are just a few streaks remaining add the next portion of mango. Repeat until it’s fully folded together. Make sure to scrape right from the bottom of the bowl so all the cream and mango are incorporated.
- If using acetate strips, remove the baking paper from around the inside sides of the spring form pan and lock it back up again. Slide the acetate strips down the sides of the cake all the way round.
- Tip the mousse mixture onto the cooled cake and give it a shake to level it out. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
- To serve, if using baking paper, run an offset spatula around the cake between the paper and the tin. Carefully unlock the spring clip and lift it off. Now carefully peel off your baking paper or acetate strips.Decorate with sliced mango and shaved coconut then slice and serve.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (this is equal to 4 teaspoons worldwide). Many countries use a 15ml tablespoon so check first so you can measure the correct amounts for the recipe.
- Lime juice: Feel free to replace some of the cold water with lime juice in the mousse – up to 1 tbsp.
- For perfect straight sides: You can use acetate strips (available from cake supply shops) to get perfectly straight sides on your mousse. After the cake base has baked, remove the baking paper from the tin and slide your acetate strips into place around the side of the cake, keeping the spring form tin locked. Once the mango mousse has set, simply remove the ring of the cake tin and gently peel away the acetate strips.
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