I’m really not sure why, after many years of endless mangoes, it took this long for me to try to make mango cupcakes. But, 2019 was the year, and they were LONG overdue. The combination of a vanilla bean cupcake with mango filling and frosting was absolute magic.
My first attempt at these cupcakes was just the vanilla cupcake and the mango frosting. It was very good, but I really wanted to try to find a way to shove more mango flavor in there. A creamy mango curd fit the bill for me, but you could also use a mango jam if you prefer.
Add all of the curd ingredients (except butter) in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, then stir in the cubed butter until it’s all melted and the mixture is smooth.
At this point, your curd is ready to use, but you can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days until you’re ready to use it.
The frosting is similar to what most people call “boiled icing” or “heritage frosting.” That is, it’s made with a cooked flour paste that is mixed with butter and sugar.
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan, then whisk in your flour until smooth. When the flour starts to sizzle a little, add the mango puree and a little bit of lemon juice. Cook this until it turns into a soft dough-like consistency. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it cool completely. You can speed this up by putting it in the refrigerator while you make the cupcakes.
Meanwhile, make the cupcakes. Sift your dry ingredients and set them aside. Using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs until they’re foamy first, then add the sugar, oil, and vanilla bean paste. Mix in your dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
Line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Divide the batter evenly among your cupcake liners. The recipe normally makes about 15 cupcakes for me, so I also fill 3 cavities of a 6-cup cupcake tin. Bake them for about 12-14 minutes, then let them cool completely on a wire rack.
When the cupcakes are cool, you can fill them with the mango curd. I like to use a piping bag fitted with a Bismark tip to do this, but you can also cut a hole in the middle of each cupcake with a paring knife or apple corer and spoon some filling in. Here is a great guide for methods of filling a cupcake.
To finish the mango frosting, take 1/2 cup of softened butter and add the cooled mango flour paste and 2/3 cup of sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and you can’t feel the sugar grains. Frost the cupcakes in your preferred fashion. I used a piping bag and a 1M pastry tip.
You should store the cupcakes in the refrigerator, but they taste best if you bring them to room temperature before you eat them.
Mango Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the mango filling:
- 1/2 cup fresh mango puree
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
For the mango frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup mango puree
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Directions
Make the mango filling:
Combine all of the curd ingredients (except the butter) in a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan and cook over medium to medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding like consistency.
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one cube at a time, until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool. You can strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps, if you wish.
(Curd can be made in advance. Store in refrigerator until ready to use, then bring to room temperature.)
Make the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
Sift your dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat your eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed. Add your sugar and continue mixing until the egg and sugar mixture starts to turn light in color. Add your vanilla and oil and beat for about 1 minute, until well combined.
Add your flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity about 1/2 full.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Make the frosting:
In a saucepan, melt ¼ cup of butter. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the fruit puree and lemon juice and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Simmer gently for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the mixture and let cool to room temperature.
Add the sugar, the remaining butter, and the cooled mango flour paste to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Assembly:
Fill the cupcakes with the mango filling using your preferred method. Frost the top of each cupcake with mango frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then bring to room temperature.
Makes about 15 cupcakes