Mango Cream Cake: 3 Ways! Sheet Cake, Trifle, Torte

This mango cream cake is the perfect summertime treat! Layers of moist sponge cake, fresh mangoes, mango jam, and a mango whipped cream. All of the components are so simple to make from scratch and make for the most beautiful presentation! Follow my easy recipe and make either one of the desserts or all 3! You choose: European three-layer torte, a 2-layer sheet cake, or trifles.

I made this cake last week for Leila’s 5th Birthday party. We had about 25 guests to feed. That’s the usual get together… Mostly family and some close friends. Instead of making a huge cake that would not be able to fit in my refrigerator or freezer, I opted for a few different desserts that all used the same ingredients. 

I made a small 6 inch round cake so that Leila can blow out her Birthday candles and take some pictures to remember her special day. Then, to keep things super laid back and easy, I put together some trifles (the morning of the party), and the day before, I made a 2-layer sheet cake then, sliced it once it set.

Here’s the thing, I love having friends and family over and special occasions like birthday parties can get very stressful. But, with a little bit of planning and a lot of prepping ahead, I always enjoy the parties with my guests. 

So, in this post, I’ll share 3 ways to make this Mango Cream Cake so that you can share it with your loved ones this summer no matter what decorating level you’re at! I decorated cakes for 10 years at our bakery and know that it takes lots of practice. But, you don’t need fancy pants cake decorating skills to create a delicious homemade dessert for a special occasion.

The Mango & Cream Torte (Advanced)

This one takes some practice. It contains 3 layers of sponge cake (made with very simple pantry basics) that are moistened with mango syrup, filled with mango jam, diced mangoes, pastry cream, and then iced with a light and fresh mango whipped cream. So moist and delicious!! Make it any size! I made a 6 inch round cake because I was also serving the trifles and the sheet cake slices (we will get to those later). Smaller cakes are also easier to slice and store.

I made the cake a day before the party and stored it in the refrigerator. Watch the video to see how I put it all together.

Can you bake the sponge cake in round pans?

Yes! I used half sheet pans to keep things simple. Since I was making the trifles and the sheet cake slices, I opted to just bake the sponge cakes in 2 pans and then cut one sheet into 6-inch rounds. You can do this for 8-inch rounds as well. If you own  8 or 9-inch round cake pans, just distribute the batter between the 3 pans and bake until golden and a toothpick that is inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that the more cake batter is in the pan, the longer it will take to bake.

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Watch the Video Tutorial Here:

The 2 Layer Sheet Cake (Easy)

If you’re not ready to decorate a 3 layer cake just yet, then, this one packs all of the flavor and takes very little effort to put together.

Once the cake is assembled it is important that it is given some time to set either in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Especially if you will pre-slice it and place the slices in cupcake liners as I did. Doing this will make the serving process so much easier as all that you will have to do is to set the little pastries out on a serving platter and your guests can pick them up and enjoy! 

Now, it’s up to you! This cake can be served as a sheet cake with candles and all. If you choose to have the slices ready, chill the cake in the freezer (if there’s room) for an hour and then slice into the desired size. Place the slices in cupcake liners and onto a baking tray. Store the slices overnight either in the freezer or in the refrigerator. They thaw out very quickly (less than an hour) so, it doesn’t make a difference. To be honest, they taste pretty delicious frozen too!

The Trifle (for Beginners)

I love trifles!! All of the flavors of a 3-layer cake, in a cup (or trifle bowl). The choice is always yours! Your kitchen, your rules, haha! Either serve the trifle in a large trifle bowl and place it on your table so that your guests can scoop their portion into a bowl/cup. Or, my favorite way, portion each serving into disposable clear cups or trifle bowls. I found these clear disposable glasses at Costco and they were very elegant for the trifles. Take a look.

Assemble the trifles either in the morning of the party or the day before. I highly recommend adding the whipped cream on the day of the party. Homemade whipped cream does not contain stabilizers (that’s why it’s so delicious!!) and will not retain is fluffiness. 

I hope that you give this delicious dessert a try and let me know what you think. Comment below with your questions and ideas and I will see you over here in a few days 🙂

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Mango Cream Cake: 3 Ways! Sheet Cake, Trifle, Torte

This mango cream cake is the perfect summertime treat! Layers of moist sponge cake, fresh mangoes, mango jam, and a mango whipped cream. All of the components are so simple to make from scratch and make for the most beautiful presentation! Follow my easy recipe and make either one of the desserts or all 3! You choose: European three-layer torte, a 2-layer sheet cake, or trifles.

Print

Ingredients

• For the Sponge Cake (makes 2 half sheets)
• 10 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups (330 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• For the pastry cream:
• 4 cups whole milk
• 8 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• For the Mango Syrup and Jam:
• 2 pounds diced mangoes
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups of water
• For the Mango Whipped Cream:
• 1 quart (1 liter) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/3 cup mango jam, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the Sponge Cake:
2. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
3. Line 2 half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper.
4. Combine the eggs, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with the whisk attachment.
5. Beat on high speed for 8-10 minutes.
6. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and whisk together.
7. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture and fold in with a spatula.
8. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared baking pans.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. A toothpick that is inserted in the center should come out clean.
10. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
11. Carefully wrap in plastic and freeze up to one week.
12. Make the Mango syrup and Jam:
13. Place the mangoes, sugar, and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Mix together until the sugar dissolves and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the mangoes have softened.
14. Transfer the mangoes to a mixer along with 1 cup of the liquid.
15. Puree until smooth and transfer to an airtight container. Cool completely and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
16. Transfer the mango syrup into a jar and cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
17. Make the Pastry Cream:
18. In a saucepan, bring milk, half of the sugar, and salt to a simmer over medium heat.
19. In the meantime, combine the sugar, corn starch, cream, and egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk together for a few minutes until thick and pale yellow.
20. Slowly, pour the hot milk in the egg mixture one ladle full at a time while whisking.
21. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened.
22. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
23. Strain the pastry cream into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
24. Refrigerate until cold. the pastry cream can be made 2 days ahead of time.
25. Make the Whipped Cream:
26. Combine the confectioner's sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla in the bowl of a tabletop mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until thickened. About 40 seconds.
27. Add the desired amount of mango jam. Whip until thick and creamy.
28. Assemble the cake/trifles, or sheet cake. (see video)

Notes

Remove the parchment paper from the sponge cakes before freezing. Lay them flat on a baking tray so that they retain their shape.