Mango Marble Mini Bundt Cakes

When one looks at suggestions for snacks that are about 100 calories per serving, mangoes are never mentioned. There is a misconception that mangoes are fattening. One cup of mango is only 100 calories, 83% of its weight is water. It is packed with Vitamin A, D, C, antioxidants and is full of healthy fiber. Mangoes were grown in India over 4000 years ago. It is believed that the Buddhists took mangoes on their voyages to other lands. By the 10th Century mangoes had reached East Africa and Middle East. Mango design or paisley is featured in textile designs for centuries. Mangoes come in small, medium and large sizes, can vary in shape too and may be either yellow, orange or red in colour and green when raw. And did you know that mangoes are natural tenderizers just like papaya. That makes it a great marinade for meats.

Priya who blogs at The World Through my Eyes suggested mangoes as the #147th theme for the FoodieMonday/Bloghop Group. I’ve already got quite a few mango desserts on my blog and making a dessert was out of the question. I was thinking of making some pickle or a sabji using mangoes. Then a few days ago my neighbor invited hubby and me for her birthday dinner party which was oraganised for Sunday. Buying a good present in this town is a bit of a problem. Anyway I usually like to take home made food so decided to bake a cake for her. Yet another mango dessert added to the list. Oh well, one can’t have enough of mangoes. I’ve yet to come across someone who doesn’t love mangoes.are so many families who don’t believe in celebrating birthdays with cakes and blowing out candles as it is a bad omen. Come to think of it, we believe that fire is God, Agni Devata. So why would we want to blow out the God of Fire? Agni is believed to be the transporter of any offerings that man make to God. Thus the practice of havans or fire offerings.  My neighbour doesn’t believe in blowing out candles and cutting a cake. Bearing this in mind I decided to make mango marble mini bundt cakes for her. This way she could offer the cake to her guests without cutting it.

Apple mangoes the most common ones we get here besides the Lamu mango, is very much in season. Though many believe that we shouldn’t eat mangoes in the rainy season, then how come they grow in abundance during the rainy season in Kenya? I buy them as hubby and I love to have them for breakfast. I’m just careful when I cut it, make sure its not infested with worms. Luckily the mango was a deep orange one and just perfect for the mini bundt cakes.

As to the taste, chocolate and mango is a deadly combination. Not in the literal sense, its such a delectable exotic taste, each with its own taste. A bite of mango and and bite of chocolate was a perfect pair for these mini bundt cakes. This eggless recipe is very versatile. Bake in a pan as a whole big cake, bake it as cupcakes, as mini bundt cakes, as a bundt cake or as mini loaves. The choice is really yours.

MANGO MARBLE MINI BUNDT CAKES

Makes about 16-18 depending on the size of your mini bundt pan

2 cups plain flour(all purpose flour)

1 cup fresh mango puree

¾ cup sugar

½ cup plain yogurt

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbsp hot water

½ cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp soda bicarbonate (baking soda)

extra flour for dusting

little butter or oil for greasing

¼ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grease the mini bundt pan with some butter. Dust it with some flour. Tap out any extra flour.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and soda bicarbonate together in a bowl.
4. In another little bowl or cup mix hot water and cocoa powder.
5. Add sugar, oil, lemon juice and yogurt in a big bowl. Whisk till it becomes creamy and frothy.
6. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest and mango puree and whisk well.
7. Add the flour mixture and mix just enough till the flour gets wet. Do not over mix.
8. Divide the batter into two.
9. Add cocoa paste to one part and mix well.
10. Spoon the mango and chocolate batter into the mini bundt pan in small blobs. The mini bundt should be half full.
11. Bake the mini bundt cakes for 15 minutes.
12. Insert a toothpick into the middle of one bundt cake. If it comes out clean then the cakes are ready.
13. Remove from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes.
14. Remove the mini bundt cakes from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack.
15. Serve with chocolate ganache, dusted with some powdered sugar or on its own.

Tips:

• If the mango is not sweet add an extra 2 tbsp of sugar.
• If you bake medium cupcakes you will get about 12. You can get 2 mini loaves or 1 big loaf.
• Make sure the yogurt is thick and not watery.
• If you don’t get fresh mango puree, used canned one.

You may want to check out some other mango recipes:

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