Heidi's Mix: Mango Coconut Cake

This Mango Coconut Cake is a sure way to brighten your day and your Easter table. It's a moist yellow buttermilk cake soaked with mango puree and coated with a coconut buttercream.

The yellow cake recipe I used to create the tropical cake is from Sarah Carey and was featured recently in the Oregonian Newspaper.

To add color to the cake, I coated the entire cake with a coat of light yellow icing. I then tinted three small bowls of icing various shades of yellow and randomly painted them onto the cake. The technique was easy and the result is bright and cheery.

Classic Yellow Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.

Beat in the eggs plus egg yolks, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla.

In another large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating to combine. Beat in 3/4 cup buttermilk, another third of the flour mixture, another 3/4 cup buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter among two greased and parchment lined 9-inch round cake pans (2-inches deep). Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before inverting them onto cooling racks.

Mango Puree

1 cup diced mango (I use Trader Joe's frozen diced mango)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

In a saucepan, combine the mango, water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mango is very soft and the liquid has reduced, about 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processer and process until smooth.

Coconut Buttercream

6 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt
yellow food coloring (optional)

Place the whites in a clean mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar and cream of tartar.

Place bowl over a double boiler on medium heat, stir frequently until the mixture is very hot (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit).

Move to mixer and whip whites on high for 2 to 3 minutes; turn down to medium low until cool (use the bowl as your guide).

In a separate bowl with a wooden spoon, stir butter to soften.

With mixer on medium/high speed, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, adding the next tablespoon just as the previous one is blended in. Once all the butter incorporated, add in vanilla, coconut extract and salt and whip on high speed until fluffy.

Tint icing as desired.

To Assemble:

Once the cakes are out of the pan, use a skewer to make holes all over the top. Spread each cake with half of the mango puree. Let the cakes cool completely before moving onto the next step.