Mango Cheesecake Recipe: How to Make Mango Cheesecake

Mango cheesecake is a layered dessert featuring a cream cheese–based filling and mango flavor. You can incorporate mango purée (essentially a mashed or blended pulp made with fresh mangoes) into the cheesecake filling; add a layer of mango curd, mango jelly, or mango purée on top of the cheesecake; or decorate the cake with slices of fresh mango.

Mango season, which runs from May through September, is when you’ll find ripe mangoes with particularly sweet, runny juices. There are a number of mangoes with different flavors and textures that you can test out in this recipe, including the standard red and green-skinned mango commonly sold in grocery stores across the United States. Or, try Alphonso mangoes, which have bright yellow skin. Originating in India, this variety has a firm yet yielding texture bursting with tart flavor. Haitian mangoes have a slimmer and flatter shape, with a honeyed sweetness that contrasts gorgeously with the tangy cream cheese in the cake.

You don’t necessarily need a water bath to make cheesecake. There are two main ways to bake mango cheesecake. The first way involves using a bain-marie, or water bath, to gently cook the dessert in the oven. Steam from the hot water pan conducts heat evenly, which keeps the surface of the cake from drying out and gently coaxes the eggs to reveal their creamy, velvety potential.

Alternatively, you can make a no-bake mango cheesecake. A no-bake cheesecake features whipped heavy cream folded into a cream cheese filling, smoothed over a cookie or graham cracker crust, and set in the refrigerator for an extended period, to produce an effect similar to a mousse. Since the cake doesn’t contain eggs, baking is unnecessary for safe consumption.

Make this fruity cheesecake your own with flavor and textural variations. Experiment with these different elements:

1. 1. Alternate cheeses: Rather than using traditional cream cheese, swap in ricotta, quark, or similarly soft cheese. Ricotta cheesecake is an Italian classic.
2. 2. Cookie crusts: Graham cracker crumbs are classic, but you can swap in any number of crisp, crumbly textures. Try ground-up digestive biscuits, gingersnaps, shortbread, or even your favorite cereal. Or, make a classic shortbread crust.
3. 3. Extra fruit: Blended passion fruit, pineapple, or papaya add extra juiciness and freshness to the mango mixture. Fresh lemon or lime juice and zest can help brighten the mango flavor.
4. 4. Vegan cheesecake: No-bake mango cheesecake recipes are eggless. Simply swap in plant-based cream cheese and whipped cream for a smooth, luxurious vegan cake. Use this vegan cream cheese recipe to make your own from scratch.
5. 5. Warming spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, or crushed coriander seeds add warmth and depth to the cake’s flavors. You can also add a few cracks of black pepper and a half-teaspoon of turmeric for a vivid orange hue. Learn more about how to use turmeric.

As versatile as it is easy, this recipe is great for experienced and rookie bakers alike. These tips will assist you along the way:

1. 1. Use room-temperature cream cheese. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing to prevent lumps in the filling mixture. Allowing the cream cheese to soften will create a smoother batter.
2. 2. Use fresh mangoes. If you’re using frozen, thaw them completely, so they don’t make for a wet topping. Adding lime juice and zest will boost the tartness of the mango flavor—and it’s best to stick to fresh limes, too.
3. 3. Use a springform pan. A springform pan—which has an interlocking base that fits into an expandable rim, equipped with an outer latch—allows you to release the cheesecake for a neat finish after it has set. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges before unlatching. Learn more about essential baking tools.
4. 4. Cool the dessert in the oven. When a cheesecake cools too quickly or overcooks, cracks can occur. To prevent cracks in the surface, allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven before chilling. Prop open the oven door and let the heat slowly escape instead of introducing a cool draft straight to the surface of the cake. It’s also best to limit the number of times you open the oven door during the baking process.
5. 5. Leave time to chill. A perfectly cooked cheesecake should puff in the center and stay firm around the edges with a slight overall jiggle. Chilling cheesecake is an essential part of the process: The custardy, creamy interior needs time to set to hold its shape when sliced.