Mango Mousse Cake

Ingredients

Yellow Sponge Cake
6 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
½ teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

Mango Mousse
½ cup lime juice
4 pounds ripe mangoes
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 egg whites
½ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt

Equipment
10” x 4” cake pan
10” spring form pan
Flour sifter
Electric blender or food processor
Mixing bowls with whip attachment
12“ serrated knife
Baking parchment paper

Chef’s note: prepare the sponge cake and allow to cool completely before making the mango mousse and assembling the cake.

Method

Yellow Sponge Cake
Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Sift the flour and salt. Add flour and salt to the egg and sugar mixture alternately with water. Add lemon rind, almond extract and lemon extract.

Whip egg whites until foamy. Add baking powder. Continue beating until the whites are moderately stiff. Fold egg yolk mixture into the whites.

Line the cake pan with baking parchment paper on the bottom. You may lightly grease the cake pan if desired.

Pour cake batter into the lined cake pan. Bake at 325⁰F for approximately 50–60 minutes. Remove cake from oven and cool for 1 ½ hours. Remove cake from pan, and with a fine serrated knife, split the cake into 2 even portions lengthwise through the middle. Set cake aside for final cake assembly.

Mango Mousse
Peel the mangoes, slice flesh off the seeds, and purée in an electric blender with lime juice, being careful not to over-blend. You will have 5 cups of puree. Stir in sugar.
Dissolve gelatin in ¼ cup hot water, cool, and stir into mango puree.
Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Whip cream until stiff. Fold cream into the egg whites, and then fold this mixture gently into the mango purée.

Cake Assembly

In a 10” spring form pan, place the bottom layer of the sponge cake with the bottom facing down. Pour half of the mousse on top of the first layer of cake.

Place the second layer of cake on top of the poured mousse and then pour the remaining mousse on top of the second layer of cake. Smooth out the top of the mousse with a cake spatula and refrigerate for 4 hours until completely set.

Remove cake from the refrigerator, slice carefully and serve with fresh mango pieces or mango slices.

Yields 12 – 16 servings.