Mango upside down cake
When I think of mangos, my first thoughts are of tropical flavors. I鈥檓 pretty sure the mango belongs somewhere in that song with the lime and the coconut. I think of seafood and summery flavors, like(with听mango margaritas on the side). I think of听,听, or even听. It鈥檚 certainly never occurred to me to combine mango with the aromatic spices of the holiday season, like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or cloves.
So, when the听听offered to send me a sampling of mangos along with some ideas for pairing mangos with festive holiday flavors, my interest was piqued. I accepted their offer, eager for the opportunity to experiment with one of my favorite fruits in a novel way.
The shipment of perfectly ripe mangos arrived last week. Along with the selection of vibrant mangos, the National Mango Board provided a sampling of seasonal spices and a few recipe cards for inspiration. One of those recipe cards grabbed my attention in a way I couldn鈥檛 resist: mango upside down cake.
This festive spiced mango upside down cake is a definite keeper. The cake is moist and flavorful with a satisfying texture, the result of folding beaten egg whites into the batter; an extra step worth taking. And I鈥檓 fairly certain I could be happy eating nothing but the tender mango and caramelized top of this cake for the rest of my life. Seriously, the gooey top layer of this cake is something that epic poems should be written about.
This cake would work well any time of year, though I think it would be make a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert spread. The glazed top and artful mango star make it truly show-stopping and worthy of the festive season!
Today鈥檚 Focus on Technique 鈥� Folding in Egg Whites
Beaten egg whites can be folded into a variety of dishes, such as cake, mousse, souffle, and waffles for a lighter, fluffier result. The goal of folding in the egg whites, as compared to just stirring them in, is to maintain as much of the air, which has been beaten into the egg whites, as possible.
To begin, start by carefully separating the yolks from the whites, taking care not to allow any yolk to mix with the whites. (This can prevent the egg whites from getting properly light and fluffy.) Beat the egg whites using an electric mixer at medium/medium-high speed until soft peaks form. To incorporate the egg whites into your batter, start by adding about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites.
Holding your spatula in an almost horizontal position, gently turn the mixture over the egg whites until the egg whites are incorporated. (This first 1/3 helps to lighten the batter, making it easier to incorporate the remaining 2/3).
Add another 1/3 of the mixture, gently lifting and turning the batter over the egg whites. Add the remaining 1/3 of the egg whites, using the same gentle lifting and turning maneuver, just until the egg whites are blended and no longer. Over-mixing the egg whites into the batter will diminish the lightening effect of the beaten egg whites.
Spiced Mango Upside Down Cake
Recipe slightly modified from the one provided by the National Mango Board听
听1-1/2听sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened (divided)
1/2听cup light brown sugar
1听large mango, peeled, pitted and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1-1/2听cups all-purpose flour
1听teaspoon baking powder
1/4听teaspoon salt
1/4听teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1听cup granulated sugar
1/2听teaspoon orange zest
3听eggs, separated
1听teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3听cup mango nectar or mango puree
1/3听cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, set aside.
In small saucepan, melt 1/2 stick of butter and stir in brown sugar, simmer for about 2 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and top with sliced mango, creating a circular fan pattern.
In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 stick softened butter, granulated sugar and orange zest on high until pale yellow and fluffy, about five minutes. Add whole egg yolks, one at a time until well blended. Add vanilla. Decrease speed to low and add half of flour mixture. Mix in mango nectar (or mango puree) and milk and then remaining flour mixture.
In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold one third of the egg whites into the batter. Repeat with another third of the egg whites. Finally, fold the remaining third of egg whites into the batter, taking care not to over-mix.
Carefully pour cake batter over mangos, spreading evenly. Bake for about an hour, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then invert cake onto plate. Cool completely.
Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and candied orange peel, if desired.
