Upside-down mango and coconut cake

Together, mango and coconut are the true taste of summer. This crowd-pleasing cake is fabulous either served warm or at room temperature, with or without cream or ice-cream.

Serves 15
Preparation 30min
Cooking 35min
Skill level Mid

By
Anneka Manning

Ingredients 

melted butter, to grease
270 ml can coconut milk
135 g (1½ cups) desiccated coconut
200 g unsalted butter, softened
220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
4 eggs
150 g (1 cup) plain flour
100 g (⅔ cup) self-raising flour
cream or ice-cream, to serve (optional)
shredded or flaked coconut, toasted, to serve (optional)

Mango topping

3 firm but ripe mangoes (about 400 g each)
50 g unsalted butter
60 g (¼ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 24 cm x 30 cm (base measurement) lamington tin with melted butter and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

To make the mango topping, cut the cheeks from the mangoes, remove the skin and then cut lengthways into 1 cm-thick slices (reserve the remaining flesh for another use). Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in the brown sugar and cook for about 1 minute until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread as evenly as possible over the base. Arrange the mango slices over the top of the brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

Combine the coconut milk and desiccated coconut in a bowl and set aside. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until well combined.

Sift together the plain and self-raising flours. Add half the flour to the butter mixture and use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold until just combined. Fold in the coconut mixture and then the remaining flour until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the tin over the mangoes and use the back of a metal spoon to spread evenly, being careful not to move the mango. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Stand the cake in the tin for 10 minutes. Run a palette knife around the outside of the cake and turn out onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or ice-cream, or on its own, and sprinkled with the flaked coconut.

Baker’s tip

• This cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. 

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.