Mango and almond cake

I think it is safe to say that we have plenty of mangoes at the moment.  Lots and lots.  And we just can't seem to get enough of it either.

Summer equals mangoes in this part of the world.  And mostly we just like them as they are:  Ripe and juicy, eaten sliced with the juice dripping down your arms.  We really go through dozens in a season.  And often that is what we will have for lunch on any given day.

But occasionally I get to safe a few and do something with it in the kitchen too, apart from slicing it and eating it myself.  

It was my turn recently to take eats to an orchid meeting, which always seems to happen at times when time just does not seem to exist.  I needed a cake and fast.  I thought of a Nigella cake I once made  with orange pulp and just knew that mango will be a good substitute.  The beauty of using mango though is, that you need not boil anything beforehand as with the orange.  Just slice (and don't eat) and process.

This is the kind of cake you can get your kids to make on a sunday for tea.  Really simple, yet fruity and moist.  

Mango and almond cake

300g mango
6 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
50g flour
200g almonds
200g castor sugar
50g soft brown sugar

Icing sugar or coconut flakes for serving

Preheat the oven to 180°C and butter and line a 20cm cake tin.

Process the mango in a food processor until smooth. (I added a quarter of a chilli and a few mint leaves for some extra flavor)
Clean the processor and then process the almonds and sugar until fine.
Add all the other ingredients and process until well combined, but do not over mix.  Pour into the tin and bake for one hour.  Check the cake after 40 minutes and cover with foil or baking paper if the top seems to brown too much.


Let cool and sprinkle with icing sugar or some coconut flakes.