Mango Cake Roll with Fresh Cream

The fluffiest mango cake roll filled with real mangos and fresh cream. A bakery style cake that you can easily make at home.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• What Does This Mango Roll Taste Like?
• Which Pan Size Should I Use?
• What Type of Mangos Can I Use?
• Can I Use Other Fruits Instead of Mangos?
• Preparing the Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Prevent a Cake Roll From Sagging?
• Tips For the Fluffiest Chiffon Cake Roll
• How Do I Roll Cake Without it Cracking?
• Step By Step
• How to Store and Make In Advance
• Make This Roll into a Birthday Cake
• Recipe

Mangos are "in season" right now in the Pacific Northwest so I wanted to adapt my popular Japanese Strawberry Cake Roll for this Fresh Mango Cake Roll recipe because almost everyone is my extended family loves fresh mangos. While we don't have locally grown mangos in our native climate, we have access to imported mangos year-round due to our proximity to the shipping ports. Currently, the mangos at the stores are sold at a reasonable price and they are in perfect condition for making cake - fragrant, ripe (or easily ripened) and sweet. If you love light semi-sweet Asian desserts, you'll love this recipe too. Enjoy!

XOXO,
Mimi

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Light & Fluffy - this chiffon cake base uses oil instead of butter to make it extra tender and soft.
• Flexible Cake Base - doesn't crack easily when rolled.
• Semi-sweet - made in the Asian dessert style, both the fresh cream filling and the cake base perfectly semi-sweetened.
• Pipeable Whipped Cream - unlike regular un-stabilized whipped cream, the stabilized whipped cream in this recipe is sturdy enough for use in cake rolls without drooping and for piping designs

What Does This Mango Roll Taste Like?

This fresh mango cake roll is composed of one fluffy sheet of chiffon cake, rolled and filled with freshly whipped dairy cream and real mangos. A chiffon cake is a type of foam cake that uses oil instead of butter as the fat. This makes the cake extra tender and soft. The fresh cream is light in texture but has a rich, creamy flavor. Lightly sweetened, this cream is almost universally beloved as it's so approachable. Paired with real mango chunks, this cake is similar to most desserts you'll find at the Asian bakeries - soft, moderately sweetened, and not too rich.

Which Pan Size Should I Use?

8X12" cake pan without sloped sides. This size will yield a cake with optimal thickness for rolling without cracks. If you don't have this pan size you can consider making it in cup form as per this recipe: Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup. The post will also show you how to bake this cake in any sized pan.

What Type of Mangos Can I Use?

You can use different varieties of fresh mangos as long as they are ripened. Ripe mangos yields slightly from pressure and gives off a sweet, fruity aroma near the stem. Their color will have likely changed from green to yellow, orange or red, depending on their variety. Some varieties remain green so it's best to do the feel and smell test. I do not recommend using previously frozen mangos as the freezing process breaks down the cell walls in the mango, making them too mushy to use for this cake once defrosted.

Fresh mangos can usually be purchased at large well-stocked grocery stores. Next, try specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. And of course, Asian grocery stores will usually have them in stock as well.

Can I Use Other Fruits Instead of Mangos?

Yes, you can use other fruits as fillings. These fruits should be low-moisture to prevent transfer of fruit juices into the cream which can cause it to separate. Recommended fruits include: fresh strawberries, blueberries, melons, bananas, grapes and canned peaches. If you need inspiration, here are my recipes for: Fresh Strawberry Cake Roll, Tokyo Banana Cake Roll (batter contains bananas!), Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll and Carrot Spice Cake Roll.

Preparing the Ingredients & Substitutions

Japanese Chiffon Cake Base

• Cake Flour - cake flour is a low protein flour which will help make this cake lighter and softer than if using all purpose flour. You can also use "cake & pastry flour" which many stores sell. This is a blend of both flours with a lower protein than AP. It's ok to use AP flour if that is all you have. Always sift cake flour before using to prevent clumps.
• Baking Powder - leavening agent in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue. It can be omitted if you know how to make meringues properly.
• Fine Sea salt - brings out the flavors in the cake.
• Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and separate the grains.
• Neutral oil - canola, grapeseed, avocado are all good choices.
• Vanilla extract - rounds out all the flavors in the cake.
• Egg whites - fresh egg whites, large size. Preferably at room temperature for better whipping.
• Granulated sugar - use only granulated sugar, powdered sugar does not work for whipping meringue.
• Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

• Granulated sugar - the sweetness level is moderate in this recipe, add an extra 1 teaspoon of sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste.
• Whipping cream 33% M.F. - has a milk fat content of at least 33%. It can be substituted with heavy cream (with minimum 36% milk fat) which will produce an even more sturdy filling. It must be completely chilled before whipping or else it won't gain volume.
• Vanilla extract
• Gelatin powder, unflavored -  Knox brand was used in this recipe. It can usually be found in the baking aisle by the yeast.
• Mangos - only use fresh mangos as frozen mangos will be too mushy to use once defrosted. It can be substituted with other fruits like strawberries or canned peaches.

How to Prevent a Cake Roll From Sagging?

This cake roll is filled with a fresh whipped cream that is stabilized with gelatin. For cake rolls, I prefer taking some extra steps to stabilize the cream filling because whipped cream has a tendency to deflate after a while. It's completely possible to skip the stabilization part by whipping the cream with sugar and omitting the gelatin - which a lot of recipes do - but you might find that the cream gets a bit sloppy and the shape of the cake roll doesn't hold up as well, especially after a few hours.

For use as a cake topping, whipped cream can be conveniently stabilized with powdered sugar as in this recipe. However, for use as a filling, it's preferable to stabilize it with gelatin instead. It may sound intimidating but it's actually quite easy and the results are well worth the effort. If you need extra guidance and tips, here is a complete tutorial on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.

Tips For the Fluffiest Chiffon Cake Roll

Unlike a sponge cake which uses no or little butter, the pillow-y soft chiffon cake base in this roll uses oil instead. The secret to this Asian bakery-style roll cake is its super fluffy cake base. Here are some tips:

• Use cake flour instead of AP flour.
• Always sift cake flour to prevent clumps.
• Gently incorporate the dry-mix and wet ingredients together until no lumps of flour can be seen. Do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake.
• For the meringue, use room temperature egg whites for better volume.
• Whip the egg whites in a clean non-plastic bowl free of oil and water.
• Gently fold the meringue into the cake batter, retaining the air that you've built into the meringue. Do not stir.
• Use parchment paper or silicon mats to line the cake pan and for rolling. It prevents sticking and tearing of the cake.

How Do I Roll Cake Without it Cracking?

The main culprits of cakes that crack are: problems with the recipe, overhandling or incorrect rolling techniques. First, not all cake recipes are meant for rolling into a cake roll. I've tested all my cake roll recipes countless times and I can confirm that this cake base is indeed flexible enough for rolling into a cake log.

Second, overhandling can cause the cake to crack. Therefore, I've eliminated the extra step of rolling up the cake while warm for "muscle memory". This cake recipe is flexible enough that we can just leave the cake to cool on a rack to release moisture while we make the cream. Once the cream is completed, we can begin to roll the cake immediately.

Lastly, using the correct rolling technique will prevent the cake from cracking. Add a little bit more cream on the short edge that is to be rolled first. This will give the log more cushion in the center so it won't crack due to large gaps. Use gentle pressure and a piece of plastic wrap placed underneath to push the sheet cake onto itself while rolling. Don't worry about rolling the cake too tight the first time, you can shape the wrapped cake into a rounder log by wrapping it again with another piece of plastic a bit more tightly. Make sure to bake the cake in the correct sized pan.

Step By Step

Combine Wet and Dry Mix

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper or silicone mat. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add the wet mix. Stir to combine until fully incorporated, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside. 

Make Meringue

Now make the meringue. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on low-speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have decreased, add sugar a little bit at a time. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks.* This is the meringue.

Fold Meringue Into Batter

Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the milk-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue in two parts. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 

Bake

Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing.

Cool

Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.  The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the fresh cream.

Stabilize Whipped Cream

Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better. Cut up the mango into ½" chunks. Place cool water in heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

Immediately start beating the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium. Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be warm but still runny. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Assemble

Gently flip the cake onto a piece of plastic wrap. Spread an even layer of cream on it, adding a bit more on the short edge where rolling will start. Lay mangos on the cream in a few rows spaced evenly apart. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the plastic wrap to help push the cake onto itself. Wrap the cake roll with plastic wrap once or twice more, a bit more tightly each time to help shape it into a log. Place in the refrigerator to set before cutting, about 3 hours. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Mango cake roll needs to be refrigerated and will stay fresh in an air-tight container inside the fridge for 2-3 days.

How to Store and Make In Advance

Mango cake roll should be kept in the fridge in an air tight container, it will stay fresh for 2-3 days. Because it contains whipped cream, it does not freeze/defrost well. Making the cake fresh will yield the best results. If advance preparation is required, I recommend refrigerating/freezing only the cake portion as a sheet and defrost overnight in the fridge. Once defrosted, make the whipped cream and then assemble.

Make This Roll into a Birthday Cake

This cake base is super soft and fluffy which makes it perfect for cake rolls but it's not as sturdy for a round birthday cake that requires stacking and extra cream. I've adapted the cake base in this recipe for use as a "birthday cake". The adapted recipe is called: Asian Bakery Strawberry Chiffon Cake, just swap out the strawberries for mangos and you're all set.