Mango Mousse Cake
My light and airy Mango Mousse Cake features smooth and creamy mango mousse nestled in a buttery graham cracker crust.
This simple and elegant showstopper is also surprisingly easy to whip up! The crust calls for just 10 minutes in the oven and the mouse requires no baking at all!
For more flavor options, check out my Strawberry Mousse Cake!
Key ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs: Graham crackers are mixed with butter and a bit of sugar to form the crust.
- Granulated sugar: Mangoes differ quite a bit in sweetness, so feel free to adjust the sugar in the mango puree to taste.
- Powdered gelatin: One envelope of powdered gelatin is the perfect amount to get a light and airy mousse.
- Lime juice: Lime juice brightens the flavor of the sweet mango mousse cake.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream is whipped to stiff peaks to make homemade whipped cream.
- Mango puree: While you can find mango puree at some grocery stores (often marketed as mango pulp), I find it just as easy to make my own by pureeing fresh or frozen mango.
Choosing mangoes
I rarely use fresh mango for the puree since the taste is similar to frozen. But if you choose fresh, here are some tips:
- Most varieties of mango will blend well.
- Make sure to look for mangoes that are soft and ripe, without any blemishes or bruises.
- If you need a little tutorial on how to best cut a mango, make sure to check out this step-by-step guide.
If using frozen mango, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight and then drain any excess liquid before pureeing until smooth. I’ve found Trader Joe’s frozen mango chunks to provide the most intense mango flavor.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Make the crust and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make the mango puree and whipped cream.
Step 3: Fold the whipped cream into the puree.
Step 4: Pour into the cool crust and allow to set in the fridge for 4 hours.
Step 5: Garnish with whipped cream if desired.
Step 6: Release from the springform pan and enjoy!
Storage
Mango mousse cake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing mousse cake, as the texture won’t be as light after thawing.
Expert tips and tricks
- Working with gelatin. Microwave the bloomed gelatin for 10-15 seconds until fully dissolved; this ensures a smooth texture in the final mixture. Avoid boiling as this can affect its strength.
- Making the whipped cream. Make sure your heavy cream is cold. You can also chill the bowl and beaters for 15 minutes before whipping.
- Folding the puree and whipped cream. When folding the whipped cream into the mango puree, use a gentle hand to avoid deflating the whipped cream.
FAQs
This cake will keep in the fridge covered for 3 days.
Freezing the mousse cake will slightly alter the texture. It will still be creamy and delicious, but may lose a bit of lightness. To thaw, let the mousse cake sit in the fridge for several hours.
Make sure to line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. This should ensure that your graham cracker crust releases easily from the pan.
If you’d prefer that more of the mango mousse shows, you can skip pressing the crust into the sides of the pan. In this case, I suggest lining the sides of the pan with greased parchment paper or using an acetate cake collar.
If the mousse doesn’t set, it’s likely due to the gelatin not being fully dissolved or the chilling time being to short.
I haven’t tested this recipe with agar agar so can’t provide quantities. That being said, it should work but will most likely result in a firmer texture. Remember that agar agar has to be activated by simmering it in water.
Mango Mousse Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
Mango Mousse
- 1.5 cups (350 grams) mango puree (see recipe notes for instructions)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 ounce (7 grams) powdered gelatin (1 envelope)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
Assembly
- whipped cream to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Line the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the pan.
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Make graham cracker crust. In a small bowl combine the finely crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Mix until completely coated. Pour the mixture into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
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Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool.
- Prepare the mango puree. Combine the mango puree, lime juice and sugar. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, stirring several times to dissolve the sugar.
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Bloom the gelatin: Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin for 15 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the gelatin has completely dissolved*. Let cool slightly and then stir into the mango puree.
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Make the whipped cream. Use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Start on low speed and gradually increase to high as the cream begins to thicken.
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Add half of the whipped cream to the mango puree. Use a spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the puree. Repeat with the second half.
- Pour the mousse into the cooled graham cracker crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until the mousse is set. Release the springform clasp and remove the outer ring of the pan.
- Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Mango puree: To make mango puree, blend fresh mango chunks in a blender until smooth. If using frozen mango chunks, allow to thaw in the fridge, drain any excess liquid and blend.
Gelatin: Having no lumps in the gelatin is very important. If you have a few little lumps that just won’t dissolve, simply pour the gelatin mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
Storage: Mango mousse cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More tropical fruit desserts
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Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! This mango mousse cake is very airy and not too sweet. Perfect! I used frozen mangos, but 350grams drained somehow does not turn out to be 2.5 cups of purée. So I blitzed more frozen mangos to have 2.5 cups for the recipe. I only used half the crust recipe for the bottom (not going up the sides) of my 6-inch tin, all other ingredients at full portion. The finished cake is about 2.5 inches tall.
Hi Constance! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try – I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
My daughter wanted a mango mousse cake for her birthday. I found this recipe & made it. She loved it!
Thank you!
I’m so glad she loved it, Sherri! Happy Birthday to your daughter! 🙂