The perfect summer dessert, this delicious and super simple milk cake topped with a mango kulfi milk mixture will satisfy all your summer cravings and remind you of childhood. The only way to kickstart mango season.
IT’S FINALLY MANGO SEASON. Yes, I AM EXCITED.
The whole year, I wait for summer forgone and one reason only – Mangoes. They truly are the king of fruits, and I am obsessed to say the least.
And while my favorite way to enjoy mangoes is to just eat a dozen slices every day, I do really enjoy making desserts out of them.
Now you know how much I love milk cakes, so obviously I was going to make a mango milk cake. But one fine day I suddenly remembered a memory of eating a super delicious mango kulfi in India, and I was like WAIT, why not make a mango KULFI milk cake?
And that’s exactly what I did, and thank god I did because it turned out absolutely delicious.
The idea is simple, my signature 4-ingredient cake sponge topped with a milk mixture that’s made with homemade kulfi flavored by cardamom, and LOADS of fresh mango pulp. It’s absolutely delightful and tastes like a bowl-full of summer.
Sounds delicious, right? Let’s get into the details.
Homemade Kulfi
Now if you’re wondering, homemade Kulfi? That’s surely not easy. But let me tell you that it really, really is. It may take a little time, but it basically consists of boiling milk with sugar for a LONG time.
I have previously shared this recipe for my Kulfi Mousse Cake, and it really can’t get simpler. All you need is a little time and patience.
Here are the steps for making homemade kulfi.
- Place the milk in a saucepan and let it come to a boil on medium heat, mixing often to avoid scalding.
- Cook for five more minutes, then add the sugar and milk solids (khoya) if using, then cook for another 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Mix the corn flour and milk in a separate bowl to form a cornflour slurry and add it to the saucepan on low heat along with cardamom powder and saffron and mix until combined. Continue mixing for the next 5 minutes until the mixture thickens further.
- Add the cream and mix, then cook for another 3-5 minutes, then take off the heat and let it cool. I recommend not thickening the kulfi mixture too much for this cake.
Love mangoes? Try out these recipes.
Mango Kulfi Milk Mixture
Once the kulfi is made, making the milk mixture is super easy. Traditionally, a three-milk (tres leches) mixture is made with heavy cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk, but since we are adding kulfi in this, we will skip the evaporated milk. We are also replacing the heavy cream with milk as we don’t want the mixture to be too thick.
Here are the steps to make the mango kulfi milk mixture:
- Add the warm kulfi mixture in a bowl along with fresh mango puree and condensed milk.
- Whisk until everything is fully combined and set it aside.
Cake Sponge
The cake sponge is made with my signature milk cake recipe. It’s super simple and is made with only four ingredients – eggs, flour, sugar, and vanilla essence.
Here are the steps for making the cake sponge.
- Separate the egg yolks and whites in two bowls, add half the sugar in each bowl, and vanilla essence in the egg yolks.
- Whisk the egg yolks until they are pale and creamy and the egg whites until they are thick and fluffy.
- Fold the egg whites and flour into the egg yolk mixture in three intervals, alternating after each interval, until everything is well combined.
- Transer the cake batter into a greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it using a fork and pour the mango kulfi milk mixture on top, allowing the cake to soak properly for about an hour, then place in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Top the cake with whipped cream, more of the mango kulfi milk, and fresh mangoes and serve cold.
Mango Kulfi Milk Cake
Equipment
- 6" cake pan
- Electric beater with whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
Homemade Kulfi
- 360 ml full-fat milk
- 75 grams sugar
- 1 tablespoon khoya milk solids optional
- 180 ml full-fat milk
- 9 grams cornstarch/cornflour
- 1/2 tsp caradmom powder
Pinch of saffron
- 50 grams thick cream
- 250 grams homemade kulfi
- 250 grams fresh mango puree
- 100 grams condensed milk
- 250 ml full-fat milk
Cake Sponge
- 4 eggs separated into whites and yolks
- 70 gs white granulated sugar
- 80 gs all-purpose flour
Topping
- 200 grams sweetened whipped cream
- 200 grams fresh mango
Instructions
Homemade Kulfi
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk and cook it on medium heat until it starts boiling, then cook for another five minutes. Keep stirring to make sure that the milk does not burn.360 ml full-fat milk
- Add the sugar and milk solids (if using) and mix until combined, then let it cook for another 5 minutes until it thickens.75 grams sugar, 1 tablespoon khoya milk solids
- In a separate bowl, mix the remaining milk and corn flour to form a slurry. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the slurry into the pan while mixing continuously. Add the cardamom powder and saffron and mix until combined, then let it cook for 3-5 minutes until it thickens.180 ml full-fat milk, 9 grams cornstarch/cornflour, 1/2 tsp caradmom powder
- Add the cream and mix again, then let is cook for another 2 minutes and take it off the heat. Let the Kulfi cool down before using.50 grams thick cream
- Mango Kulfi Milk Mixture: Add all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until fully combined and set aside.250 grams homemade kulfi, 250 grams fresh mango puree, 100 grams condensed milk, 250 ml full-fat milk
Cake Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare the baking pan by layering it with parchment paper or greasing it with butter and flour to make sure that the cake does not stick while baking.
- Place the egg white and yolks in two separate bowls and add half the sugar in each bowl, along with the vanilla in the egg yolk bowl. Whip the egg yolks until they are light and fluffy and the egg whites until they are thick, fluffy, and reach stiff peaks.4 eggs, 70 gs white granulated sugar
- Now, add the egg white mix and the flour into the egg yolk mix alternatively, 1/3rd at a time. Fold the mix after each addition with a silicone spatula gently, making sure not to knock the air out of the mixture. There is no baking powder in this cake. The airiness of the egg whites is what helps the cake rise and gives it that spongey texture. If you knock a lot of air off while mixing, your cake will be flat and dense.80 gs all-purpose flour
- Once everything is well combined, transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The cake layer should not be too thick, around 2 inches.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it using a fork (to help the milk soak better). While the cake is still hot, pour a generous amount of the milk and let it cool.
- Chill the cake in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight, then top with sweetened whipped cream, more milk mixture, and fresh mangoes. Serve cold with more milk.200 grams sweetened whipped cream, 200 grams fresh mango
Notes
If you love mangoes, this is definitely going to be the dessert of the season for you. And if you don’t like mangoes…are you okay?
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
