This mango cream cake that I brought to the potluck dinner was a smashing hit! Out of 5, I’d rate it….a whooping 5!! It was that good…Perfect for a hot summer evening, the mango cake wasn’t overly cloying or sweet, just cool and refreshing and just the right blend of creaminess…the crust was amazing, too…

Frozen Mango Cream Cake

For the crust:
cooking spray
2 oz salted dry-roasted macadamia nuts
6 T granulated sugar
1/4 c flour
2 T unsalted butter, melted

For the mousse:

1/4 c orange juice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 scant T)
2 ripe mangoes, peeled (about 2 lbs)
1/2 cup sugar
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350. Coat the inside of a springform pan with cooking spray. Pulse the nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. (Or you could use a ziploc bag and a rolling pin like we did.) Combine in a bowl the nuts, flour, and butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and press into the bottom until firm. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Pour the orange juice into a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the juice and let stand until softened, about five minutes. Heat over low heat until dissolved. Remove from heat.

Cut one quarter of one mango into small cubes for garnish and set aside in the fridge. Coarsely chop the remaining mangoes and put them into a blender along with the sugar and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Add the gelatin mixture while the blender is still running. Blend until combined and then transfer to a bowl. Beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, add the powdered sugar, and then beat until the soft peaks form again. Whisk a third of the cream into the mango mixture, then fold in the rest of the cream with a rubber spatula until combined. Pour the mixture over the crust and freeze until firm, at least four hours or up to a week. Garnish slices with the chopped mango pieces.