Mango Mousse Cake (No Egg or Gelatin)

Want to make mousse but don't want to deal with eggs or gelatin? This creamy mango mousse cake recipe achieves the lightness of mousse without egg whites, egg yolks, or unflavored gelatin. Instead, like my no-bake cheesecake, this cake relies on mascarpone for thickness and whipped cream for a soft mouth-feel. I include my trials and errors here to make it super easy for you to recreate this mango cake, which is perfect for mango season or any time of year, really. It's a flavorful and impressive treat that is perfect for eating on a special occasion or cooling down for a perfect summer dessert.

Ingredients for this Delicious Mango Mousse Cake

The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card below. Here are some highlights. And instead of using cake tins or cake pans, you'll be putting these ingredients into a springform pan.

• Mascarpone - This Italian cream cheese is high-fat, with a smooth, creamy texture. It's somewhat similar to American cream cheese but noticeably softer and less tangy. I have used both the Trader Joe's brand of mascarpone as well as what Belgioioso makes, which I see in many grocery stores. 
• Heavy whipping cream - Some no-bake cheesecakes and mousses rely on gelatin to thicken the filling and help it set up. Instead, this dessert uses whipped cream. When beaten, this ingredient adds volume and airiness.
• Mango filling - By cooking mangos on the stovetop and then using a food processor or immersion blender, we create a mixture similar to mango purée. I like adding all of the fruit, including the mango pulp, to my filling. You can use fresh fruit or frozen here.
• Biscoff cookie crumbs - This ingredient, combined with melted butter, forms a sturdy base to hold the filling.

Biscoff Crust for Fresh Mango Mousse

I have a full blog post about making Biscoff crust here but have included the highlights below. The full steps are in the recipe card below, too.

Add all crust ingredients to a food processor. Grind cookies into a fine, crumb-like texture, which will resemble wet sand.

Line a springform pan with a 9-inch round of parchment paper before pressing the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and slightly up its sides.

Easy Steps for Making Mango Puree 

While you can buy mango curd or jam and use that instead, making your own filling from fresh mangos is simple.

Add freshly diced mangoes or frozen mango chunks to a small pot on the stove, over medium heat. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so as mango juices release.

Add lemon juice, sugar, and salt to pot and let it cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 more minutes, bubbling gently. Mango will become very soft, similar to the texture of cooked apples. 

Let mango fully cool before adding to a food processor, blender, or using an immersion blender in the pot and setting it aside in a separate bowl.

Making Mango Mousse Filling

Retrieve your chilled bowl from the refrigerator or empty out the ice in it and wipe it dry.

In your mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat your cold mascarpone cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on a slow speed initially for 1 minute as you see soft peaks form. Then once everything is incorporated, increase to medium-high speed for 2 minutes.

Next, once your mango filling has medium stiff peaks, gently fold your cooled mango mixture into the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Evenly spread the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Refrigerate the mango mousse for at least 4 hours, or until set. Because you're working with cold ingredients from the beginning, the filling will be somewhat firm as soon as it goes into the pan. But it does become thicker with a few hours in the refrigerator.

Once the mango dessert has set, remove it from the refrigerator and gently slide it from the cake pan .

As close to serving time as possible, add powdered sugar, cold heavy cream, and freeze dried mango powder to a cold mixing bowl, mixing on medium high speed until stiff peaks have formed (generally 1-2 minutes).

Transfer topping to piping bag fitted with tip of your choice and cover top of the cake.

FAQ for this Mascarpone Dessert 

Tips for a Successful, Delicious Cake

• Use a springform pan: This kind of pan allows you to easily remove the mousse cake from the pan without disturbing the crust or filling. Its tall sides also hold all of the filling. If you use a pie crust that's not as deep, your filling may spill over the sides.
• Choose a sturdy crust: The crust is a tasty component in this recipe, and it's sturdy enough to hold up the filling. You could make a graham cracker crust.
• Chill time: I recommend giving this cheesecake at least 6 hours of chilling in the refrigerator so that it sets up properly.  
• Dress it up: Once mousse cake has set, add whatever toppings you'd like! Fresh mangoes, finely diced, or mango slices could make this even prettier.
• Storage: This dessert will keep well in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Put it in a covered container or use plastic wrap so it doesn't absorb the smell of other foods in your refrigerator. You can even freeze it to enjoy later, though the texture will be a bit different. Let it come to room temperature before serving for softer mouthfeel.

More Dessert Ideas

Looking for more mango desserts? Try out my mango buttercream, which is the perfect pairing for these mango-filled cupcakes!

Mango Mousse Cake (No Egg or Gelatin)

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This mango mousse cake has a texture similar to that of mousse without using eggs or gelatin. The recipe uses mascarpone for a creamy mouthfeel and mango puree as well as freeze dried mango powder for tons of mango flavor. Paired with a Biscoff cookie crust, this indulgent dessert is surprisingly easy to make at home.

• Author: Susan Gravatt
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cooling Time: 6 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 9-inch mousse cake 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Crust

• 1 sleeve (240 grams) of Biscoff cookies or graham crackers
• 6 T (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 T brown sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Mango Puree

• 10 oz (284 grams) frozen or fresh mango chunks
• ½ cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
• 4 tsp lemon juice, bottled or fresh
• Pinch of salt

Mousse 

• 16 oz (450 grams) mascarpone cheese, cold
• 1 ½ cups (350 grams) heavy cream, cold
• 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 T vanilla extract

Mango whipped topping 

• 1 cup (220 grams) cold heavy cream
• ¾ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 (40 grams) oz freeze dried mango powder
• Optional: 2-3 teaspoon coconut extract

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Instructions

Crust 

1. Add your Biscoff cookies, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter to your food processor. Grind cookies [in two batches if needed for a smaller food processor] into a fine, crumb-like texture, which will resemble wet sand.
2. Line your springform pan with a 9-inch round of parchment paper before using the base of a round glass to evenly press the crumb mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.
3. Place in the freezer or refrigerator to firm up as you make the filling. 

Mango Filling

1. Add mango chunks to a small pot on the stove, over medium heat. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so as mango juices release.
2. Add lemon juice, sugar, and salt to pot and let it cook over medium-low heat for 16-20 more minutes, bubbling gently. Mango will become very soft, similar to the texture of cooked apples. 
3. Let mango cool for a few minutes before adding to a food processor, blender, or using an immersion blender in the pot. If you’d like to remove the pulp, put your mango filling through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the smooth pureed mango.

Mascarpone Filling & Whipped Mango Topping

1. Using a chilled mixing bowl, beat cold mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on a slow speed initially for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium for 1 more minute as soft peaks form.
2. Then, add cooled mango puree and increase to medium-high speed for another minute. 
3. Evenly spread the mango mousse filling into the prepared crust. Smooth over with a spatula.
4. Refrigerate mousse cake for at least 6 hours, or until set.
5. Once set, remove it from the refrigerator and gently slide it from the springform pan onto serving dish.
6. As close to serving time as possible, add powdered sugar, cold heavy cream, and freeze dried mango powder to a cold mixing bowl, mixing on medium high speed until stiff peaks have formed (generally 1-2 minutes) .
7. Put in piping bag fitted with tip of your choice and cover mango mousse cake. Serve, and enjoy!