Want a tasty mango dessert? This Mango Lime Cornmeal Cake is an easy single layer cake recipe that’s dotted with fresh mangoes and simply drizzled with a light confectioners glaze. Super moist and flavorful, no mixers or fancy equipment are needed for this mango cake recipe.
This recipe, article and photos have been updated since its original publication in 2014.
Summertime in Florida means one thing — mangoes. They are everywhere. If you don’t have a mango tree in your own back yard, you probably know a neighbor, friend or co-worker who does. And because those trees are SO BIG and produce SO MUCH fruit, it’s good to have a few mango desserts in your repertoire. This simple mango cake recipe is moist and tropical with a tender, light crumb. The hint of lime in the cornmeal cake and in the confectioners glaze adds just the right citrus note.
Ingredients For Mango Lime Cornmeal Cake
- All Purpose Flour
- Cornmeal
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Lime Zest
- Butter
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Vanilla
Best Type of Mangoes For This Mango Cake Recipe?
I prefer a sturdy mango that’s not too fibrous for this cornmeal cake. Kent or Keitt mangoes are abundant here in South Florida, but there are literally hundreds of mango varieties. Use one that’s not too stringy, easy to chop and doesn’t fall apart.
How Many Mangoes Do You Need For This Mango Dessert?
This really depends on the SIZE of your mangoes. I’ve had Honey mangoes that only yield about 1/3 cup of fruit when I dice them, but a full grown Keitt mango (which can weigh anywhere from 4-5 pounds EACH, will yield a lot more. Keep in mind that mangoes have a large pit in the center of them, so you need to account for that when you’re choosing your fruit.
Mixing Cornmeal Cake Batter
What I love about this cake is its simplicity. You don’t have to haul out the stand mixer for this one. Just whisk the wet ingredients and add them to the dry ones. Gently fold the batter until it’s just moistened and fairly thick.
Tips For Baking The Mango Cake Recipe
- Spray the cake pan liberally with vegetable spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This will prevent any cracks or tears when removing the cake from the pan.
- Use a heavy (professional) 9″ cake pan with sides that come up about 3 inches. The heavy cake pan will prevent a dome from forming and keep your layer cake even without any ripples.
- Also, despite the fact that it won’t rise to 3 inches, those taller sides help the cake maintain its structure.
- Cool the mango lime cornmeal cake for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate.
Make the Citrus Confectioners Glaze
Ingredients:
- Confectioners Sugar
- Milk
- Lime Zest
- Lime Juice
While the cake cools, whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze until they’re smooth.
Adding Lime Confectioners Glaze To The Cornmeal Cake
After the cake has cooled in the pan for about 10 minutes, flip it out onto a cake plate or platter and pour the citrusy confectioners glaze over the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the glaze to the edges of the cake. As it cools completely, the glaze will set, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a slice of the mango dessert right now... I mean, I’m not the food police.
More Summer Cake Recipes:
- Rum Passion Fruit Cake
- Mini Guava Ricotta Cheesecake
- Brown Sugar Cornmeal Plum Cake
- Lemon Strawberry Crumb Cake
- Berry Almond Buckle
More Mango Desserts:
- Coconut Mango Ice Cream
- Tropical Pineapple Mango Sorbet
- Healthy Mango Chillers
- Mango Colada Popsicles
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Mango Lime Cake
Equipment
- heavy 9" cake pan with 3" sides
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lime divided
- 1 cup buttermilk well shaken
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped mangoes
FOR THE LIME GLAZE:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9" pan. Spray the bottom and sides of pan with vegetable spray. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of the pan and spray again. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift togethr the flour, cornmeal, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Use a microplane to zest the lime. Reserve 1/4 teaspoon of zest for the glaze. Add the remainder to the flour mixture and whisk together to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cooled, melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Use a rubber spatula to fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just moistened, but do not beat.
- Add the chopped mango and fold it evenly into the cake batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the centef of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake rest for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cake platter to continue cooling.
Make The Lime Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, reserved lime zest and juice of half a lime. Whisk together until well combined.
- Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake and smooth over the edges with an offset spatula.
I love using cornmeal in cakes, the texture and flavor are great. This is a definate must try.
This recipe looks elegant and delicious; I would love to make this cake for my father’s birthday. I am sure he will be 100% shocked by the taste of this amazing recipe.
Tis the (mango) season! And this is my kind of cake! A perfect offering!
Thank you! Glad you like it!
This mango cake looks just perfect, Lisa! It must be so flavorful 🙂
It really is a good one!
Yum, I love mangos and adding them into recipes. This sounds so delicious, and a must try!
Wow, this cake looks so fruity! Too cold for mangoes here so we have to make do with an apple tree. I never thought of eating a mango like a boiled egg, my mouth is watering!
My grandfather would stand the mango upright and slice vertically along the seed – then scoop it from the sliced piece. So good!
Oh my goodness, totally pinning and gonna make this. So. Much. Mango!
When its mango season, there’s nothing better…
You are so lucky to have a mango tree in the backyard. I miss my home back in India where we had abundance of this fruit. Mango is the biggest thing I miss and I am not getting the kind of mangoes here like I ate growing up. The cake looks marvelous and lovely combination of mangoes with lime.
Sandhya, there are so many different varieties of mangoes it’s mind-boggling. We actually have a mango festival at a local botanical gardens where you can try (and buy) many different types. They sell the trees to plant, too!
I love mangoes, always miss them from India. Mango and lime is such a delightful combination.
This sounds so good. I love mangos but you can’t always find them. Would be nice to have a tree in the yard 🙂
It definitely makes it convenient!
it looks delicious!
Sure wish I had some of those wonderful mangos that I so enjoyed eating for breakfast while visiting your mom and dad earlier this month….so sweet! I can only imagine how delicious this cake is for the palette. If I can get my hands on some decent mangos here in Alabama I will give this recipe a try….meanwhile on my baking agenda this afternoon is the Southern Living Key Lime Pound Cake. Also wanted to let you know that your photography is beautiful and I did enjoy the video clip the other day – I thought it was well done and easy to follow.
I know that Mom and Dad enjoyed having you down to the Keys! Key lime pound cake sounds awesome. Take a picture when it’s done and share it!