This mango coconut cake is filled with a super creamy mousse-like mango mascarpone filling and rolled like a cake roll! It's covered with shredded coconut and is the perfect tropical cake for all year round. Especially for the holidays. It's light, refreshing, and creamy - the perfect ending to a heavy holiday meal. I decorated it like a Buche de Noel because I make it every year for my family for Christmas!
These gingerbread cinnamon rolls and blueberry cinnamon rolls are perfect for your holiday mornings.
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🥭 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Mango filling: It's thick, lucsious, creamy, and there's so much of it! Vanilla bean and mascarpone really elevate the flavor.
- Coconut: The coconut flakes on the outside give this mango coconut cake so much flavor and texture.
- Cake roll: This type of cake is so gorgeous to cut into and reveal that swirl.
- Light and refreshing: This is the perfect cake for summer or for ending off a heavy, delicious holiday meal!
📝 Key ingredients
This cake consists of two components: mango mascarpone filling and the vanilla sponge cake roll.
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
Mango filling
- Mango: Fresh or frozen both work great!
- Vanilla bean: This gives the cake loads of vanilla flavor. It makes it taste more refined - like an ultra fancy dessert! You can alternatively use 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
- Mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone thickens and stabilizes the filling making it stable, rich, thick, and creamy. If you can't find mascarpone you can use full fat brick style cream cheese.
Spongecake
- Eggs: This gives the cake lift and a spongey soft texture. I prefer to whip them whole as opposed to separating the eggs and whites and whipping separately. This saves a lot of time and bowls to wash!
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: This gives the coconut mango cake the perfect texture decoration that makes it look like a snow covered log.
✔️ Ingredient substitutions
Mascarpone cheese: Substitute with full fat brick style cream cheese. It will taste like cheesecake but will have the same function. This mango filling is similar to this lemon tiramisu filling but even thicker and creamier.
Gluten free: Substitute all purpose flour for 1:1 gluten free flour. I haven't tested the recipe with gluten free flour, but it should work. If you test it out, let us know in the comments how it turned out!
👩🍳 How to make mango coconut cake
To make it easier, I prefer to break up the process into three stages: making the mango puree, spongecake, and making the filling/assembling.
These mango cupcakes make the perfect shareable mango treats.
Mango Vanilla Puree
Step 1: Combine mango, sugar, whole vanilla bean (cut in half with seeds scraped out and added) and water in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium low heat until it comes to a simmer and thickens.
Step 2: Once it reaches a very thick, jammy consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Remove vanilla bean pod. Blend in a blender or immersion blender until smooth and set aside.
Tip: You can make the mango vanilla puree a few days ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cake roll.
Swiss Roll Sponge
Step 1: Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a 9” by 13” pan (or similar sized pan) with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper with a bit of oil or baking spray.
Step 2: Combine eggs, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Use an electric mixer to beat until thick and lightened in color, about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add vanilla and sift the flour and baking powder right into the eggs. Gently fold with a whisk until no more dry streaks remain. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the sponge cool at room temperature for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust with powdered sugar. Flip the cake pan over on the towel to release. Peel off the parchment paper and gently roll the cake with the towel without squishing the cake.
Let cool to room temperature.
Tip: Letting the sponge set at room temperature for 2 minutes before rolling helps it from cracking and breaking into pieces. Waiting too long will result in cracking. Set a timer!
Filling and assembly
Step 1: Beat whipping cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer or whisk until medium peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until very thick and creamy - like a mousse. Set aside ⅓ cup for later.
Step 2: Add the prepared mango puree into the whipped cream and gently fold until incorporated.
Tip: The mascarpone whipped cream will be super thick and creamy. Continue beating until it gets there! It's thicker and more dense than a regular whipped cream.
Step 3: Carefully unroll the sponge without forcing it open. Spread filling evenly on the inside and roll it back up. Place on serving plate or cake stand.
Step 4: Cover the roll with a thin layer of the reserved mascarpone whipped cream.
Step 5: Press flaked coconut into the cream all over the cake. Refrigerate the cake to set for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Step 6: Before serving, cut the ends of the cake with a serrated knife (use a sawing motion) to reveal the swirl, and optionally pipe trees on top with an open star piping tip.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
The mango puree can be made a few days ahead of making the cake. Store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.
Assemble the mango coconut cake and store it in the fridge overnight or even longer! It's best eaten within 4 days of making it. Because of all the dairy content, store in the fridge in an airtight container or cake carrier.
It also freezes well. Freeze wrapped tightly or in an airtight bag for up to two months.
❔ How does this make the perfect sponge?
Usually making a sponge involves beating the egg yolks and the egg whites separately. This complicates the process and you get double the amount of dishes to wash.
So I thought back to my Sharlotka Apple Cake family recipe. It's also a sponge cake, but the eggs are beaten with sugar without dividing them. No extra bowls involved! It always turns out so light and fluffy too, never lumpy.
Tip: You NEED some kind of electric mixer (handheld or a standmixer). You do not want to attempt this completely by hand.
Baking powder helps reassure that the mango coconut cake sponge will stay nice and fluffy after it comes out of the oven.
This mango crepe cake doesn't require any oven baking (only stovetop) and is the perfect impressive cake for a party.
✔️ Tips for making the perfect swirl
To make a perfect swirl, the sponge has to be rolled while still hot. I like to give the sponge two minutes to cool down and help the structure set. Don't roll immediately because that can also cause cracking!
Do not wait too long after you pull the sponge from the oven, or it won't roll up easily and you could end up with cracks.
Alternatively, this pumpkin cheesecake roll needs to be rolled as soon as it comes out of the oven. The pumpkin puree in the sponge changes the sponge texture slightly and you need to roll it right away for the perfect swirl.
When filling, you want to work fairly quickly because the roll has set in a roll shape and the longer it is unrolled, the higher the chances of it breaking and cracking due to gravity pulling it apart. Don't be afraid of a crack here or there when you unroll the sponge, they won't be noticeable once the sponge is filled and rolled back up.
The benefit of covering the cake roll with coconut is that it will cover any mistakes or cracks, making this a low stress mango swiss roll.
📖 Recipe FAQs
It's an all year round cake! It's perfect for the holidays because it's light, creamy and refreshing. A great way to finish off a heavy, comforting holiday meal.
I used frosting to pipe on Christmas trees but that's completely optional.
If you don't like coconut, you can just leave it out. Cover the mango cake with white chocolate shavings or leave it as is.
If you really want to amp up the coconut flavor, add a few drops of coconut extract into the spongecake. You can also use unsweetened shredded coconut and toast it in a dry pan over low heat until crisp and golden. Let it cool before covering the roll.
In a pinch, you can. Make sure that it's very thick and jam like. Simmer it in a saucepan on the stove top to reduce if needed. Sweeten to taste as needed and don't forget to add the vanilla!
🔗 Related recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Mango Coconut Swiss Roll Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Mango Puree
- 3 cups mango, cubed fresh or frozen
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- ¼ cup water
Sponge
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Filling and Assembly
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese cold
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35%) cold
- ½ cup flaked coconut sweetened
Instructions
Mango Puree
- Combine mango, sugar, salt, whole vanilla bean (cut in half with seeds scraped out and added) and water in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium low heat until it comes to a simmer and thickens.3 cups mango, cubed, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 vanilla bean, ¼ cup water, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Once it reaches a very thick, jammy consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Remove vanilla bean pod. Blend in a blender or immersion blender until smooth and set aside. This can be made up to a few days ahead of time, refrigerate in an airtight container.
Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a 9” by 13” pan (or similar sized pan) with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper with a bit of oil or baking spray.
- Combine eggs, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Use an electric mixer to beat until thick and lightened in color, about 10 minutes. This will take a while.6 large eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Add vanilla and sift the flour and baking powder right into the eggs. Gently fold with a whisk until no more dry streaks remain. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the sponge cool at room temperature for 2 minutes.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust with powdered sugar. Flip the cake pan over on the towel to release. Peel off the parchment paper and gently roll the cake with the towel without squishing the cake. Let cool to room temperature.2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Filling and Assembly
- Beat whipping cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer or whisk until medium-stiff peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until very thick and creamy - like a mousse. Set aside ⅓ cup for later.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- Add the prepared mango puree into the whipped cream and gently fold until incorporated.
- Cover the roll with a thin layer of the reserved mascarpone whipped cream.
- Press flaked coconut into the cream all over the cake. Refrigerate the cake to set for at least 3 hours or overnight.½ cup flaked coconut
- Before serving, cut the ends of the cake with a serrated knife (use a sawing motion) to reveal the swirl, and optionally use frosting to pipe trees on top with an open star piping tip.
Hermione
Excellent! The recipe is very easy to make and the result amazing! Very tasty, light and soft! I made it for a birthday occasion and everyone loved it! A small modification that I made was that I used half of the amount of sugar that is mentioned in the recipe and the sweetness was perfect for my taste.