Do you have some ripe mangos sitting on your counter and aren’t sure what to do with them? Or maybe you have a craving for a tropical cake? Mango cupcakes are the perfect solution! They are moist and sweet and utterly delicious! With a hint of cardamom for a bit of spice (optional but highly recommended). I top mine with a creamy white chocolate and cream cheese mango buttercream. Every time I make a batch of these bad boys they are gone by the next morning! They are so simple to make and even easier to eat!
For gluten free cupcakes use a basic 1 to 1 gluten free flour (I use bob’s red mill) and double the number of eggs. This will keep the cupcakes moist and fluffy.
It’s important that the white chocolate for the frosting be high quality for optimum flavor.
I like to use applesauce instead of oil often when I’m baking sweet treats, but vegetable oil may be substituted for the applesauce.
If you want a smooth pulp free mango, strain the puree with a mesh strainer before adding it to the batter.
For the buttercream I prefer this recipe to be a little looser in consistency as I find that more mango flavor is more important than a thick frosting. You can add more powdered sugar than I have written but be aware that you will lose some of that yummy subtle mango flavor.
Mango cupcakes with white chocolate mango buttercream
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 cup mango puree about 2 large mangos
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup room temperature butter
- 1 1/2 cup quality white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup mango puree
- 3 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
Instructions
Cupcake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients together. Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom and mix well.
- In a separate bowl mix together all wet ingredients. Mango puree, applesauce (or oil), eggs, and vanilla. If you don't want the pulp from the mango, make sure to strain it in a wire/mesh colander before adding to the wet ingredients.
- Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Over mixing will make them dense! Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that all flour is mixed well.
- In a cupcake pan place liners or oil the pan. Fill liners until about ¼ inch from top. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- After they are cool enough to handle, remove them from the pan and place on a wire rack or other flat surface to cool. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a bowl mix the cream cheese and room temperature butter until fully combined and fluffy.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler and add to the butter mixture. Mix well.
- Combine the vanilla and mango puree and mix again. Slowly add in about 3 cups of confectioner sugar or until frosting is desired consistency.
- Pipe or slather onto fully cooled cupcakes.
