Marvellous mangoes

FOR A TASTE OF SUMMER IN THE TROPICS INDULGE IN THIS SEASON’S JUICY CROP OF THE KING OF FRUITS MANGO LAMINGTON LAYER CAKE

SERVES 16. PREP 25 MINS. CHILL 1 HR 20 MINS. COOK 30 MINS INGREDIENTS

• 85g cornflour

• 125g plain flour

• 85g self-raising flour

• 10 eggs, at room temperature

• 250g caster sugar

• 65g unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 ripe mangoes, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve

• 150g coconut flakes

WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM

• 250g white chocolate, finely chopped

• 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream

MANGO BUTTERCREAM

• 400g unsalted butter, softened

• 6 cups (720g) icing sugar mixture, sifted

• ⅓ cup (80ml) milk

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 60g mango crisps, ground (we used a spice grinder)

• Yellow and orange food colouring

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 180C.

2 Grease three 18cm cake pans and line with baking paper.

3 Sift the flours into a bowl and set aside. Place eggs in the large bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk for 5 minutes or until thick and tripled in volume. Gradually add the sugar, whisking constantly for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Fold in the sifted flour mixture, butter and vanilla. Divide among prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.

4 For the white chocolate cream, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place ½ cup (125ml) cream into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate, stand for 3 minutes, then whisk until combined and smooth. Set aside to cool completely. Whisk remaining ½ cup (125ml) cream to medium peaks and, in 2 batches, fold through cooled white chocolate mixture. Cover and chill for 1 hour to firm.

5 For the mango buttercream, place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until very pale. Add the icing sugar in batches, whisking well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla and ground mango crisps. Whisk until combined. Add a few drops of yellow and orange food colouring to buttercream.

6 To assemble, place one cake on a stand or serving plate. Top with half the white chocolate cream, spreading it evenly to the edges. Gently place half of the sliced, fresh mango on top. Repeat layering with the next cake, then top with the final cake. Spread a thin layer of mango buttercream over the top and side of the cake to create a crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes to set. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream and smooth with a palette knife. Gently press coconut flakes all over sides and top, top with extra mango to serve.