Mango Lime Loaf Cake

By Jocelyn Delk Adams

Published Sept. 19, 2024

Mango Lime Loaf Cake
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes, plus 45 minutes’ cooling and setting
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes’ cooling and setting
Rating
5(202)
Comments
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Mango and lime are a delightful yet underrated duo that shine in this easy tropical loaf cake. And the best part is you don’t need a mixer for the batter. If you can whisk, you can make this. When it comes to baking, loaf cakes are where it’s at: You simply combine the ingredients in one bowl, pour the batter into the pan, slide it into the oven, set the timer and go about your day. The key is to not overmix the batter, which would result in a super dense loaf. Mixing gently yields a tender, moist cake with zesty citrus and surprising bites of mango throughout. It’s a lovely simple treat with wonderful payoffs.

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Ingredients

Yield:One loaf (8 to 12 servings)

    For the Loaf

    • 2cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ½ teaspoon fine salt
    • ½teaspoon baking powder
    • ½teaspoon baking soda
    • 2large eggs, room temperature
    • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
    • 1½teaspoons lime zest (from 1 lime)
    • 3tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
    • ¾cup/180 milliliters vegetable oil
    • 1cup/240 grams plain whole milk Greek yogurt
    • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1cup/180 grams diced ripe mango (½-inch pieces from about 1 large mango; see Tip)

    For the Glaze

    • 1cup/123 grams powdered sugar
    • ½teaspoon lime zest
    • 1tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1tablespoon milk
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

419 calories; 20 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 36 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 297 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the loaf: Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper with overhanging flaps on the long sides to easily remove the baked loaf.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

  3. Step 3

    To a large bowl, add eggs, granulated sugar, lime zest and juice, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

  4. Step 4

    Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk gently until a thick batter forms. There will be some lumps and that’s perfectly fine. The key is to not overmix. Gently stir in mango. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

  5. Step 5

    Bake until cake is golden brown, starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely on a rack.

  7. Step 7

    Make the glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, lime zest and juice and the milk until smooth. Pour over the completely cooled cake. Let glaze set and solidify before slicing and serving.

Tip
  • When selecting your mangos, make sure the color is vibrant with smooth skin that’s blemish free. Give a tiny squeeze. It should give just slightly. If it’s too firm or too soft, keep looking.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
202 user ratings
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Comments

Wannabe Gourmet

I can't speak for how this would taste with mango; couldn't find mango anywhere. Yet even without the mango (I subbed in canned peaches) this recipe is BOMB!! So so easy...only like 20 minutes of actual effort. And yet it's the most decadent loaf cake. The cake is very moist and not too heavy, and the lime glaze brings such lovely brightness to the whole ordeal. Totally recommend! I can't wait to try it with actual mangoes though...

Elisabeth

Can you make this with frozen mangoes ?

Doghouse Reiley

Wait! You forgot the rum/butter soaker!

Pranav

Disclaimer I’m not a great baker. I don’t really like lime that much, so I wanted to try to sub it with pineapple instead. In my head, it seemed like a similar acidity. I bought a can of pineapple slices in juice and used that juice roughly in the place of the lime juice and zest (leaning on more because it’s not nearly as strong as the lime juice). It came out decent, I liked the final taste, especially the glaze. So yeah. Food for thought.

Jane in Chicago

LOVE this recipe-made a fall version yesterday. Subbed 1 1/2 C split fresh cranberries for the mango, orange zest and juice for the lime, added some cinnamon and 2 T more sugar. Fantastic! I prefer it without the glaze as some others have noted.

Lidia

I tried this recipe but it didn’t quite meet my expectations, especially considering it’s from the NYT. The mango lost its sweetness and turned out rather bland, and the cake overall wasn’t tangy or sweet as I had hoped. Instead, the flavor of the oil dominated. Unfortunately, it’s not one I would make again.

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