Mango Filled Cupcakes, Topped with Mango Buttercream

The delicious filling comes from cooked mangoes. Add fruit chunks to a small pot on the stove. After cooking 5 minutes, add lemon juice, sugar, and salt to pot and let it cook for 16-20 more minutes. Mango's texture will resemble cooked apples.

Let the fruit cool before adding it to the cupcakes, which should also be room temperature. You can use a cupcake corer or do what I did and make a hole in each cupcake using the wider opening of a piping tip.

Make a hole that goes roughly 3/4 of the way to the cupcake's bottom. Then scoop about 2 teaspoons of mango puree into the hole of each cupcake. Firmly pack it down for more fruity flavor!

These cupcakes are literally packed with mango flavor! But there's also a fruity frosting on top. 

If you haven't used freeze dried fruit in frosting, you're in for a treat. Freeze dried mangoes have a concentrated, more intense flavor than fresh or even dried fruits. Their powder works well in frosting because it doesn't add excess moisture.

Beat unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and coconut extracts, salt, freeze dried mango powder, and heavy cream (or coconut milk) on low for about 30 seconds before increasing speed to medium high for 5 minutes.

Test taste and add a drop or two of lemon juice to cut sweetness if desired.

Cover each hole of mango filling with your mango buttercream. Use your piping bag, fitted with your favorite piping tip, to swirl frosting directly onto tops of cupcakes. 

So much mango flavor!

Visit my blog for all the tips and tricks to make these easy cupcakes with mango filling and buttercream!