This cake turns everyone’s favorite summer drink – an ice-cold mango lassi, into a delicious, refreshing cake perfect for mango season. It’s simple to make and will have everyone asking for seconds!
There aren’t many things that are better than a chilled glass of mango lassi on a hot summer day. It’s thick, creamy, refreshing, and jam-packed with the sweet flavor of mangoes. Now that mango season is upon us, I thought why not turn everyone’s favorite summer drink into everyone’s favorite summer cake?
So I present to you, my mango lassi milk cake.
It’s made with my signature milk cake recipe made with only 4 ingredients and topped with a simple and delicious three-milk mixture inspired by classic tres leches, but flavored like a mango lassi.
It’s one of those desserts that come together in less than an hour but tastes like it took ages in the kitchen.
Best part? It can be made a day in advance and chilled overnight (and it tastes even better the next day!). So if you’re looking for a delicious dessert to make for your summer parties, you might just have found the one.
Let’s get into the details of the recipe.
PS: If you love mangoes as much as me, you might love these…
Cake Sponge
The cake is made with my signature milk cake recipe which uses only four ingredients and creates a light and airy sponge that soaks up all the flavored milk that’s poured on top and becomes moist and flavorful.
Here are the steps for making the cake sponge.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks into two separate bowls and add half the sugar in each bowl. Also, add vanilla extract to the egg yolks along with the sugar. The vanilla helps in taking away the egginess from the cake.
- Whip the egg white mixture on high speed with an electric whisk until it’s fluffy and cloud-like, and reaches medium-stiff peaks. Do not overmix the egg whites as they have to be mixed further with the egg yolks. Make sure that the whisk is clean and does not have any yolk on it, or it may affect the whipping of the egg whites.
- Whip the egg yolk mixture on high speed until it becomes thick, pale, and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. When you pick the whisk up, the yolk mixture should flow like a ribbon.
- Fold the egg whites and the flour into the egg yolk mixture with a silicone spatula in three intervals, alternating after each addition (egg whites->flour->egg whites->flour->egg whites->flour). Do this very gently so that you are able to retain as much of the air in the egg whites as possible. This is crucial because the cake depends on the airiness to rise as there is no other leavening agent (like baking soda). If too much of the air is deflated from the batter, the cake will turn out thick and dense instead of light and airy. Mix until there are visible streaks of egg whites or flour in the batter
- Pour the batter into a greased 6″ round pan and bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Mango Lassi Milk Topping
The cake is topped with a mango lassi mixture made with yogurt, milk, and loads of fresh mango pulp. If you can find liquid-drinking yogurt (like laban), it would be best to use that. If not, you can use regular yogurt but in a different quantity as mentioned in the recipe.
Make the milk while the cake is baking as the cake has to be topped with it while it’s still hot.
Here are the steps for making the mango lassi milk topping.
- In a blender, add chopped mangoes, yogurt, or laban, condensed milk, whole milk, pinch of salt, and cardamom powder (optional) and blend until it turns into a milk-like mixture. If it looks too thick (this may happen depending on the yogurt or mangoes you use), add more milk and blend again. The mixture should not be too thick and should be pourable. If it’s too thick, the cake will not be able to soak it in.
- Yogurt vs. Laban (drinking yogurt): Drinking yogurt or Laban is very common in Middle Eastern stores and it will work perfectly here as it’s more liquid than regular yogurt. If you cannot find it, use regular yogurt (not Greek), but half the quantity and adjust the milk if it becomes too thick. I highly recommend tasting it as you go and adjusting the amount of yogurt and milk as per your preference.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with a toothpick and pour the mango lassi milk mixture on top generously, while the cake is still hot. Retain some milk for serving.
- Let the cake soak the milk at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, then chill for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, top the cake with whipped cream, loads of fresh mangoes, and chopped pistachios. Serve each slice cold with additional mango lassi milk.
If you love mango lassi, this is one recipe you should not skip!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Mango Lassi Milk Cake
Equipment
- 6" round cake pan
- Electric beater with whisk attachment
- Silicone spatula
- Hand whisk
- Piping bag optional for decoration
Ingredients
Cake Sponge
- 4 eggs separated
- 70 grams granulated sugar divided in two
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 grams all-purpose flour
Mango Lassi Milk Mixture
- 300 grams fresh mangoes or mango pulp approximately 3 medium mangoes
- 250-300 ml condensed milk add more or less based on how sweet your mangoes are
- 250 ml Laban (drinking yoghurt) or 125 grams regular yogurt (read notes)
- 200 ml milk add more if the mixture is too thick
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder optional
Topping
- 100 ml liquid whipping cream
- 20 grams icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 grams fresh mangoes chopped
- 10 grams chopped pistachios optional
Instructions
Cake Sponge
- Start by separating the egg whites and yolks into two different mixing bowls. Add half of the sugar to each bowl, and to the yolks, also mix in the vanilla extract. This helps mellow out any eggy flavor in the final cake.
- Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites on high until they become fluffy with medium-stiff peaks. You want them to hold their shape but still be smooth. Be careful not to overwhip at this stage since the whites will be incorporated further. Also, make sure your whisk and bowl are totally clean and free of any yolk—this can make or break how well the whites whip up.
- Next, whip the yolk mixture until it turns pale, thick, and creamy—about 3 to 5 minutes. When lifted, the batter should fall in a smooth ribbon from the whisk.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites and flour into the yolk mixture in alternating additions (start with whites, then flour, and repeat). Do this in three rounds, being as gentle as possible to maintain all that air you just whipped in—the lightness of the sponge depends on it, since there’s no baking powder or soda to help it rise. If you deflate too much of the air, the cake will end up heavy instead of fluffy. Stop mixing when no visible streaks of flour or egg white remain.
- Transfer the batter to a greased 6-inch round baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for around 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Mango Lassi Milk Topping
- In a blender, combine ripe mango chunks, laban or yogurt, regular milk, a small pinch of salt, and cardamom powder if you’re using it. Blend until smooth and pourable. If the mixture is too thick—which can happen depending on your fruit and yogurt—add a little more milk and blend again.
- Note on Yogurt vs. Laban: Laban (a thinner, drinkable yogurt common in Middle Eastern grocery stores) is ideal for this recipe. If you can’t find it, substitute with regular (not Greek) yogurt, but use only half the amount and increase the milk to adjust the consistency. Taste the mix and tweak it based on your preferences.
- When the cake is done baking, take it out of the oven and poke holes all over using a toothpick. Pour the mango lassi milk generously over the warm cake, keeping a bit aside to serve with the final dish.
- Let the cake rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it can absorb the milk, then refrigerate for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours—or overnight for best results.
- Make the sweetened whipped cream: Whip whipping cream, icing sugar, and vanilla until it reaches stiff peaks.
- Just before serving, spread a layer of whipped cream over the top and finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh mango chunks and chopped pistachios. Serve chilled, with the extra mango milk on the side for an extra hit of flavor.
Notes
Even a tiny bit of yolk can prevent your egg whites from whipping properly. Use clean, dry bowls, and make sure your whisk is grease-free. 2. Don’t overwhip the egg whites:
Medium-stiff peaks are what you’re aiming for—firm but still glossy. Overwhipped whites can become dry and hard to fold, which might deflate your batter. 3. Whip yolks until ribbon stage:
Your egg yolk mixture should be thick, pale, and ribbon-like when you lift the whisk. This gives your sponge a lovely structure and lightness. 4. Fold with patience and care:
Incorporate egg whites and flour gradually and gently to avoid knocking out the air. Think of it more as “folding over” rather than mixing—this step is key for a soft, airy cake. 5. No leavening agents needed:
This sponge relies entirely on air for rise. So handle the batter delicately and avoid overmixing. 6. Use ripe mangoes:
Ripe mangoes will give you the best flavor and natural sweetness. Avoid fibrous or overly sour varieties. 7. Adjust the milk soak texture:
The milk mixture should be thin enough to pour and soak into the cake. If it’s too thick, the sponge won’t absorb it well—add more milk as needed to loosen it up. 8. Laban vs. yogurt:
Laban (drinkable yogurt) is ideal for the milk soak due to its thinner consistency. If using regular yogurt, start with half the quantity and adjust the milk until you get a pourable texture. 9. Soak the cake while it’s hot:
Pour the milk mixture over the cake fresh out of the oven. Warm cake absorbs liquid better and more evenly. 10. Chill before serving:
Give the cake at least 4–6 hours in the fridge (or overnight) to fully soak and develop flavor. It also slices much better when cold. 11. Don’t skip the toppings:
Fresh mango chunks, whipped cream, and chopped pistachios aren’t just decorative—they add texture, color, and flavor that really complete the dessert.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time!
