This Mango Lassi Cake is one of my favorite cakes I've ever made, and I can guarantee it will become yours, too. It perfectly captures the essence and flavor of a delicious, refreshing mango lassi in cake form. It is made with layers of the moistest vanilla cardamom cake that comes together in one bowl, a creamy mango lassi curd made with mango pulp and yogurt, and a light chantilly whipped cream frosting. Every component is delightful, easy, and fuss-free, and can be made year round with either canned mango pulp or fresh mango pulp. This mango lassi cake tastes every bit as delicious as it looks - if not better!
As a Pakistani, my obsession with mangoes and mango lassi (a South Asian drink made with mangoes and yogurt) knows no bounds. I've created several mango recipes before, such as my mango lassi tres leches cake and my mango and cream chiffon cake, but this one is easily my favorite. I actually wish I had made this cake for my Eid themed finale in "Next Level Baker" (Gordon Ramsay's first baking competition show). I have a hunch it might have scored me the win!
Video tutorial
Here's a video tutorial in which you can see this mango lassi cake in action:
3 easy components of this cake
This mango lassi cake is made with 3 simple components:
- Vanilla cardamom cake. The cake itself is the simplest, moistest vanilla cake flavored with a hint of cardamom to bring in the mango lassi flavor. It is unbelievably easy to make and comes together in one bowl, getting its extra soft and moist texture from the addition of heavy cream, hot water and yogurt. Truly, my favorite vanilla cake recipe ever!
- Mango lassi curd. This is where the magic happens! In between the cake layers goes a delicious mango lassi curd made with mango pulp, yogurt, cardamom and basic curd ingredients. I also add a layer of curd on top of the cake to decorate.
- Chantilly whipped cream frosting. The cake is frosted with a stabilized whipped cream (i.e., whipped cream with cream cheese) - it is creamier and more stable than plain whipped cream, but lighter than a cream cheese frosting, and has a hint of cardamom to tie everything together
To decorate, in addition to the mango curd and frosting, I love using diced mangoes and crushed freeze dried strawberries to add some color.
Fresh vs canned mango
When it comes to mangoes, fresh is best, but only if the mangoes are actually good. Personally, I am heavily biased towards Pakistani mangoes (trust me, they're incredible), but any sweet mangoes that don't have a very thread-y texture work. Simply remove the flash and blend it to create the pulp.
However, good mangoes aren't easy to find. Therefore, I've created this recipe specifically using canned mango pulp, and it works beautifully! I recommend looking for kesar or alphonso mango pulp, as they're very sweet mango varieties. My favorites are the Pulpito chaunsa mango pulp and Deep Indian kitchen mango pulp, but you can also find other varieties in South Asian grocery stores.
For the diced mango garnish, you can use Del Monte's diced mangoes. They taste good and get the job done!
Step by step photos
Let's quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe!
1. Make the cake
Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and rose extract (optional) for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, yogurt and hot water.
Sift in the dry ingredients - this helps remove lumps and makes them easier to combine.
Whisk gently until just combined and no lumps remain. Don't overmix to avoid gluten formation. This will be a very wet batter!
Divide the batter evenly between 4 8" cake pans.
Bake until the cakes are golden on top and just cooked in the middle. I recommend inserting a toothpick in the middle - it should come out with moist, light crumbs on it.
Important tip
It is important to divide the cake batter between 4 pans. This helps the cake layers bake evenly, and balances the amount of curd that goes between the cake layers. If you try to put more batter in one pan, the cake will take a long time to bake and may have a dense texture as a result. If you don't have 4 pans, you can prepare the cake batter in 2 batches, and bake it in 2 batches (using 2 pans each time).
2. Make the mango lassi curd
For the curd, add all ingredients to a pan and whisk to combine.
Cook and stir on low heat until a smooth, thick curd forms. This will take time, so be patient and don't try to rush it!
3. Prepare the frosting
Add the cream cheese, sugar and cardamom powder to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Whisk on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl along the way.
Add the cold heavy cream.
Whisk on medium speed until a thick, fluffy and spreadable frosting forms. Do not overmix as it can become grainy!
4. Assemble and decorate!
Trim the domes from the first cake layer. Spread on frosting, and pipe a thick ring of frosting around the edge.
Spread the mango curd so that it's contained within the ring of frosting. Repeat with all layers, then cover the cake with the remaining frosting.
Decorate the cake however you like. I add the rest of the curd on top and the sides, then finish with piped frosting and diced mangoes. Chill, serve and enjoy!
Don't rush the assembly!
The assembly of this cake is very important because we're adding mango curd, which is naturally more runny than a frosting, between the cake layers. If we don't take care, the curd will start oozing out, causing the cake layers to slide around and eventually break. Here's what you need to do:
- Chill the cake layers in the freezer for ~30 minutes. This makes them less delicate and easier to work with.
- Make sure to level off each cake layer by trimming off the domes with a long serrated knife. This will make it much easier to stack the cake straight.
- Pipe a thick ring of frosting on each edge of each layer (except the top one). This is important as this acts as a "dam" to contain the mango pulp, and prevents it from oozing out. It you try to skip this step, you will end up with a mess!
- Don't put too much curd in one layer! You should divide the curd into 4 portions: one between each cake layer and one for decoration.
- Keep it chilled! I recommend doing a crumb coat of frosting, chilling, and then doing the rest of the frosting and decoration. This helps keep everything in place
The PERFECT Mango Lassi Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 80 minutes + cooling time
- Yield: 12-14 servings
Description
A finger-licking good Mango Lassi Cake with layers of super moist vanilla cardamom cake, mango lassi curd, and a light Chantilly whipped cream frosting.
Ingredients
Vanilla cardamom cake:
- 2 ⅓ cups granulated sugar (466g)
- 1 ⅓ cup vegetable oil (300g)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp rose extract (optional)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240g)
- ⅔ cup hot water (160g)
- ½ cup full-fat yogurt (120g) - Greek or plain
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (440g)
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cardamom powder
Mango lassi curd:
- 1 ⅓ cup fresh or canned mango pulp (320g) - I recommend Alphonso or Kesar pulp
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (56g), melted
- ½ cup full-fat yogurt (120g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (18g)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
Chantilly whipped cream frosting:
- 8oz cream cheese, room temp (226g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- Pinch of cardamom powder
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (600g)
Decoration (optional):
- Diced mangoes
- Crushed freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
Vanilla cardamom cake:
- Pre-heat your oven to 350F (conventional / no gas) and prepare 4 8" cake pans with parchment paper and baking spray
- Add the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla bean paste and rose extract to a large bowl. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth
- Add the heavy cream, hot water and yogurt. Gently whisk until the ingredients are combined
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cardamom powder. Gently whisk and fold until the ingredients are just combined and no lumps of flour are visible. Do not overmix. It will be a wet batter, but that's how we get a moist cake!
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with light, moist crumbs (no wet batter)
- Let the cakes cool down for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pans, place onto cooling racks and let cool completely. If you're not experienced with making layered cakes, I recommend freezing the cakes for 30 minutes before assembly!
Mango lassi curd:
- Add all the ingredients for the curd to a saucepan, and whisk to combine until smooth
- Place on low heat, and cook and stir for ~8-10 minutes or until a thick, smooth mango curd forms. It should have a custard like consistency, and will continue to thicken more as it cools. Don't thicken it too much - it should still be pourable!
- Pour the curd into a wide plate (strain if you see any lumps). Cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate until fully cooled down
Chantilly whipped cream frosting:
- Add the cream cheese, sugar and cardamom powder to the bowl of your stand mixer. Use a paddle attachment to whisk on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl along the way
- Add the cold heavy cream, and continue to whisk on medium-low speed for a few minutes until a thick, spreadable frosting forms. Do not overmix, as it will become grainy. Transfer about a quarter of the frosting to a piping bag, and keep the rest in the bowl
Assembly and decoration:
- When everything is chilled, it's time to assemble. Start by trimming off the domes from the 4 cake layers so they are perfectly straight and even
- Place the first cake layer on a serving stand or turntable. Spread on a thin layer of the whipped cream cheese frosting. Then take the frosting in the piping bag, and pipe a thick ring around the edge of the cake (see images in blog post above). Divide the mango curd into 4 portions, and add 1 portion to the cake. Spread it out such that it is contained inside the ring of frosting.
- Place the next cake layer on top, and repeat the steps. Then repeat them with the third layer. Cover with the fourth cake layer. Cover the entire cake with a thin coat of the frosting (crumb coat) and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes
- Now frost the cake generously with the leftover frosting. Spread the remaining mango curd (the fourth portion) on top of the cake, then swirl it using a spatula or spoon. Now, you can decorate however you like! I like applying some mango curd to the sides to give the cake a marbled / painted look, and finish with frosting dollops, diced mangoes and crushed freeze dried strawberries
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Scaling this recipe: This recipe makes a large 4 layered cake. If you want to make a smaller size, you can divide all quantities by 2, and make a 2 layered cake instead!
- Make ahead and storage: You can make this cake 1-2 days in advance, and keep it in the fridge. I recommend chilling it for 30 minutes, then covering it with cling wrap before returning to the fridge so it does not dry out. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American, Pakistani, South Asian
Lydia says
What size cake pan did you use? Also can I use 3 8 pans?
Zoha says
I use 8" pans for this recipe! You can try 3 pans instead of 4 but I recommend 4 for the perfect baking.
Rohan says
Can this be made eggless? If so, could you please give measurements for the replacements.
Noor says
Hi Zoha, I loved this recipe. It turned out perfect. My only complaint is that it was so delicious my family keeps pestering me to make it!! Haha. Thank you!!! ♥️♥️♥️
Zoha says
HAHAHAAH
Akara says
Tried the recipe and it tasted so good but all my cakes came out stodgy (and I made the batter 2 separate times). I definitely didnt overmix so no clue what I could do to avoid this. Any advice please help!
Zoha says
Hi Akara, thank you for trying my recipe! I think you may have underbaked your cakes, or added too much batter to one pan (especially if you used fewer pans instead of 4, which is explicitly advised in this recipe).
Deeba says
I would like to test it out, i will definitely try to make this cake.
Yusra says
You said that “if you don't have 4 pans, you can prepare the cake batter in 2 batches, and bake it in 2 batches.” If I do it like this, what do I do with the leftover batter (batter for 2nd batch) while the cakes are baking? Do I have to refrigerate or can I keep it sitting out?
Zoha says
Hi Yusra, no. I specifically said prepare the batter in 2 batches, so you don't have batter sitting and waiting while the first batch of cakes bakes. While it's not the end of the world for batter to sit at room temperature for up to an hour (no more than that), the cakes don't rise quite as well. However, if you want to save time and don't want to make batter in batches, it won't be the end of the world
Zoha says
Hi Akara! I wonder if they were underbaked. Could you help me understand better what the texture was like?
Veda says
Tried this cake and it turned out really delicious! The crumb was moist and the flavor was well balanced. The only thing I noticed was that the bake time seemed quite off, it needed closer to 30 minutes rather than the suggested 18–20 minutes for the center to cook through, which made the exterior slightly crusty. Hopefully you can revisit the measurements or bake time to help resolve this. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Zoha says
Hi Veda. How many pans did you use, and what size were they?
Veda says
Hi Zoha,
Thank you for your reply, I used two 6” x 3” pans and two 7” x 3” pans as I needed to make two cakes.
Zoha says
Hi Veda, changing the pan size affects the baking time as the depth of the layers changes, so naturally it won't be the same as what the recipe states.
Ashiya says
made this cake today for Eid dinner and it is absolutely divine. Frosting and mango curd are truly something special, and the cake is so light and fluffy – got compliments from the whole family 🙂 Thank you for sharing the best mango lassi cake recipe.
Zoha says
Yay, I am so glad to hear this! Thank you so much!
Shah says
Hi Zoha!
I saw "cardamom powder" on the ingredients list and decided to grind up whole cadamom because I didn't have any that was pre-powdered. I didn't know whether the powder was bari elaichi or choti elaichi, so I went with choti elaichi. It would be good to specify which one it is for the recipe.
The cake came out fantastic and does taste just like mango lassi!
Zoha says
Hi Shah! You made the perfect choice — it is indeed choti elaichi (green cardamom)! So happy the cake came out perfectly and tasted just like mango lassi! 🙏
Tanya M says
Such a great easy recipe. So soft and moist. Everyone loved it! I love your cake recipes. They always come out so good! I just added some frozen mangoes to the lassi mixture to add a little extra mango flavor and added some of the curd to the frosting.
Zoha says
I love those additions so much!! Frozen mangoes in the lassi mixture is such a smart way to boost the mango flavor. Thank you for sharing your tweaks! 😍