No-bake mango float cake is a quick and easy light dessert reminiscent of icebox cake. Fresh, juicy mangoes are the real star of this widely popular Filipino dessert.
Also known as crema de mangga, this dessert is consists of layers of graham crackers (or ladyfingers), heavy cream, condensed milk, and juice ripe mangoes. While traditionally served chilled, it can also be frozen to achieve and ice-cream like texture.
How to Make No-Bake Mango Float Cake
This dessert is very forgiving and can be made with several variations. To get started, combine the cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until it doubles in volume, approximately four minutes.
If you’re using a stand mixer, you can use this time to prepare the mangoes. Stand it on one end and slice downward alongside the seed.
At this point you can either cut the mango into slices, or cut carefully across and create small diced pieces. (avoid cutting the skin), that way you can “filet” the pieces off.
Transfer about two cups of the beaten cream mixture into the bottom of an eight inch square baking dish. Add a layer of mangoes. Sometimes we like to use thin slices, sometimes we choose to dice the mangoes.
It doesn’t make a difference either way, it’s all in the presentation. Add a layer of graham crackers (at this point, you can use whole or crushed graham crackers, it depends entirely upon your preference.
Repeat the layers, ending with mango, (or a dusting of graham cracker crumbs!).
Cover carefully and place in the fridge for at least eight hours. If you chose to use whole graham crackers, you’ll want to leave it overnight.
Mango Float Recipe Helpful Tips-n-Tricks
1 Don’t use a shallow baking dish with more less than 1 inch of headspace, or the top layer of cream will stick to the film when covered.
2 Line the baking dish with parchment paper, leaving approximately an inch of overhang on either side in order to enable you to remove the cake from the pan.
3 Make sure that heavy cream and condensed milk are very cold before whipping; also, it is wise to chill your mixer and bowl at least 15 to 20 minutes before whipping. Doing so will give you a higher volume of sweetened cream.
4 For this recipe, we use heavy cream or whipping cream, however, you can substitute Nestle’s all-purpose cream if that’s easier to find in your area.
5 If you desire, you may swap out the Graham crackers with broas (lady fingers) or digestive biscuits.
6 To enjoy other delicious variations, use strawberries, raspberries, ripe peaches, nectarines, or fruit cocktail in place of the mangoes.
7 Last, but not least, don’t throw out the mango seeds! Growing a Mango tree indoors is actually pretty easy.
No-Bake Mango Float Cake
You’ll Need:
2 cups heavy cream
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or a couple sleeves of graham crackers if you prefer to use whole
3 ripe mangoes, diced or thinly sliced (depending on your preference)
8″ square Baking dish
- Place cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
- Beat with a hand mixer until it doubles in volume, about four minutes.
- Spread a scant layer of cream (about 2 cups) in an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs over the cream, then add a third layer using the mangoes.
- Work in alternate layers until a total of 9 layers is reached, ending with mango. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or over night.
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How to Cut a Mango Quickly
At our house we call this recipe Mango Royale and we use Manila mangoes, specifically.
Manila mangoes are considered “early mangoes” and are usually usually harvested in June and July. When mature, the soft flesh of the fruit turns a pale golden yellow.
In the Philippines, the three most common varieties are the Carabao mango (also known as the Philippine mango), the Pico, and the Katchamita (also known as the Indian mango).
I’ve made this many times using a Mango Puree in the layers of cream rather than just the fruit pieces.
Mango Puree
2 Manila mangoes, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1Combine the two ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring it a boil.
2Reduce the heat slightly, stir often, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick, like applesauce.
3Cool and chill, then fold it into the sweetened cream. You have to fold it in, don’t just stir it, as you do not want the cream volume to deflate. This mango puree adds a whole other level of flavor!