Vanilla Cake with Mango Frosting

Vanilla Cake with Yellow Mango Frosting

Vanilla Cake Recipe (Makes two 8" or 9" round layers)

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup GF oat flour (grinding up your own oats is fine)

• ⅓ cup sweet potato flour

• ⅓ cup coconut flour

• ⅓ cup arrowroot flour

• ¼ cup hazelnut meal

• ¼ cup tapioca starch

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted

• ⅓ cup palm shortening, softened

• ¾ cup date-cashew paste

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup oat milk or coconut milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F

2. Grease two 8" pans with avocado or coconut oil spray, dust with coconut sugar

3. Make date-cashew paste (double batch if you want extra for other uses)

4. Cream fats + date paste:

   • ½ cup melted coconut oil

   • ⅓ cup softened palm shortening

   • ¾ cup date-cashew paste

   • Beat with paddle attachment 3-4 minutes until fluffy

5. Beat 4 eggs in separate bowl, then add to fat mixture about one egg at a time, beating well after each addition

6. Mix in ⅓ cup maple syrup and 2 tsp vanilla

7. Combine all dry ingredients in separate bowl (can premix, that's fine)

8. Alternate adding dry ingredients and 1 cup oat milk to wet mixture:

   • Start and end with dry (dry-wet-dry-wet-dry)

   • Don't overmix once flour is added

9. Divide between two greased 8" pans

10. Bake 28-35 minutes (toothpick comes out with moist crumbs)

11. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks

Yellow Mango Frosting (Whipped Palm-Based)

Base Whipped Frosting:

• 1 cup palm shortening (chilled)

• ½ cup coconut oil (solid but not hard)

• 2 cups powdered coconut sugar (or date sugar)

• 2-3 tablespoons coconut glycerin (KEY for stability!)

• 3 tablespoons agave or maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• 2-4 tablespoons oat milk (as needed for consistency)

Yellow Color Add-ins:

• 2-3 tablespoons freeze-dried mango powder (ground super fine in spice grinder)

• ⅛-¼ teaspoon turmeric (start with ⅛, add more for brighter yellow)

• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons melted cocoa butter (for extra richness and smooth texture)

Method:

1. Grind freeze-dried mango to fine powder in spice grinder, sift out any large pieces

2. Start with paddle attachment while fats are firm:

   • Beat 1 cup chilled palm shortening + ½ cup solid coconut oil for 2 minutes

3. Switch to whisk attachment:

   • Continue beating 2-3 more minutes until fluffy

4. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar while whisking

5. Add flavorings:

   • 2-3 tbsp coconut glycerin

   • 3 tbsp agave or maple syrup

   • 2 tsp vanilla

   • ¼ tsp sea salt

6. Add color ingredients:

   • 2 tbsp mango powder (add more for deeper color/flavor)

   • ⅛ tsp turmeric (increase to ¼ tsp for bright yellow)

   • 1-2 tbsp melted cocoa butter if using (adds richness)

7. Beat 5-7 minutes until light and airy

8. Adjust consistency with 2-4 tbsp oat milk if needed

9. Chill 30-60 minutes

10. Re-whip for 1-2 minutes before using

11. Pipe or spread onto cooled vanilla cake layers

Color Notes:

• Mango powder alone = pale peachy-yellow

• Mango + ⅛ tsp turmeric = soft golden yellow

• Mango + ¼ tsp turmeric = bright sunny yellow

• Turmeric has virtually no flavor at these amounts

• Mango adds subtle tropical sweetness

Assembly Options:

• Two vanilla layers with mango frosting between and on top

• Vanilla + chocolate layers with mango frosting

• Top with fresh mango slices or edible flowers

• Drizzle with white chocolate ganache (cocoa butter + powdered sugar + vanilla)

Beautiful Cake Filling Options

For a Firetruck Theme - RED Fillings:

Option 1: Strawberry-Date Compote ⭐ (BEST for firetruck theme!)

• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped

• ¼ cup date paste

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

• Pinch of sea salt

• Simmer 10-15 minutes until thick, cool completely

• Beautiful RED color, naturally sweet, perfect theme match!

Strawberry-Date Compote Filling

(Makes about 1½ cups - enough for 2-layer cake)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped into small pieces

• ¼ cup date paste (from your double batch!)

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

• 1 tablespoon water or lemon juice (to dissolve arrowroot)

• Pinch of sea salt

• Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

• Prepare strawberries:

  • If using fresh: hull and chop into ¼-½" pieces

  • If using frozen: thaw completely (overnight), chop if pieces are large, reserve any juice

    • or leave bag on counter 1-2 hours

  • Cook the compote:

    • In medium saucepan, combine strawberries, date paste, maple syrup, and salt

    • Bring to simmer over medium heat

    • Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally

    • Strawberries will break down and release juice

• Or use Frozen Strawberries

  • Put frozen strawberries directly in pan (no thawing needed)

  • Add date paste, maple syrup, salt

  • Heat on medium - they'll thaw and release liquid

  • Cook 12-15 minutes total (few extra minutes)

  • Add arrowroot slurry

  • Thicken 2-3 minutes

  • Cool completely

• Make arrowroot slurry:

  • In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder + 1 tablespoon water (or lemon juice)

  • Stir until smooth with no lumps

• Thicken:

  • Once strawberries are soft and jammy, stir in arrowroot slurry

  • Continue cooking 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly

  • Mixture will thicken noticeably

  • Should coat the back of a spoon thickly

• Finish:

  • Remove from heat

  • Stir in vanilla if using

  • Taste - add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter

• Cool completely:

  • Transfer to bowl

  • Let cool to room temperature (30-45 minutes)

  • Or refrigerate for faster cooling (15-20 minutes)

  • MUST be completely cool before using on cake or it will melt your frosting!

Consistency Check:

• Should be thick and jammy, not runny

• If too thin: return to heat, add ½ teaspoon more arrowroot dissolved in 1 tsp water

• If too thick: thin with 1-2 teaspoons water or lemon juice

Storage:

• Refrigerate in airtight container up to 1 week

• Can make 1-2 days ahead!

Using on Cake:

• Spread ½-¾ cup on first cake layer

• Leave ½" border around edge (compote will spread when you add top layer)

• Place second layer on top

• Any extra compote can go in the middle of a 3-layer cake or serve on the side

Color Tip: If you want SUPER vibrant red, add a tiny bit of beet powder (⅛ teaspoon) or use only the ripest, reddest strawberries!

Option 2: Raspberry-Date Compote

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

• ¼ cup date paste

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

• Simmer until thick, cool completely

• Deeper red-pink, slightly tart (balances sweet frosting nicely)

Option 3: Mixed Berry (Red-focused)

• 1 cup strawberries + 1 cup raspberries

• ¼ cup date paste

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

• Best of both worlds!

YELLOW Fillings (complement yellow frosting):

Option 1: Lemon-Date Curd

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice

• Zest of 2 lemons

• ⅓ cup date paste

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 3 egg yolks

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• Cook over double boiler until thick, cool

• Bright, tangy, beautiful golden yellow

Option 2: Mango Compote

• 2 cups fresh or frozen mango chunks

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot

• Juice of ½ lime

• Simmer until thick

• Matches your mango frosting theme!

Option 3: Pineapple-Date Filling

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped

• ¼ cup date paste

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot

• Simmer until jammy

• Tropical and golden-yellow