Mango Cupcakes with Mango Buttercream

Mango cupcakes with mango buttercream frosting and mango syrup topping – a lovely tropical treat. They are a great way to use up overripe mango and taste so good you don’t need a special occasion to bake them.

Mango season is a fantastic time of year! This fruit is so juicy, satisfying, and rich in flavor that I’m surprised it’s not in more baking recipes. At least, you’ll have one go-to mango recipe now.

Why Bake Mango Cupcakes with Fresh Mango?

For this recipe, I use fresh mangos in the mango cupcakes, mango buttercream, and mango syrup. Like most fruit, mangos have high water content and I find that there is even more moisture in the canned and frozen varieties. This can affect the rise and sponginess of the cupcake.

If you do prefer to use canned or frozen mango (which is often also more affordable), you have to drain them first. Stack a sieve on top of a bowl, pour in the package contents, and leave it covered for a few hours and most of the moisture is out.

How to Tell If a Mango is Ripe

With most fruit, you can tell by the color whether they are ripe but with mangos, it is a less accurate indication. A better tell is the hardness of the mango and the area around its stem.

Press into the skin with your thumb. If it leaves an indent then the mango is soft enough to be eaten. The less pressure you need to apply, the riper it is.

Another good sign is when the skin around the stem is more yellow than green and slightly shriveled. If the mango is shriveled all over, it is likely overripe but still perfect for this mango cupcake recipe.

Mango Cupcake Ingredients

Mango Puree

• Diced Mango (About 4 ripened mangos, each weighing around 12 oz. Can also use frozen or canned mangos but they need to be thawed/drained first.)

Mango Cupcakes

• Butter
• White Granulated Sugar
• Large Eggs
• Buttermilk
• Mango Puree
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• All-Purpose Flour

Mango Buttercream Frosting

• Mango Puree
• Butter
• Confectioners’ Sugar

Mango Syrup Topping

• Mango Puree
• Water
• White Granulated Sugar
• Lime Juice

Can I Eat Mango Every Day?

I tend to steer away from definitive statements like these. I’m sure that there are people that can eat mango every day and there are certainly worse things to eat daily.

Make your own decision about mango benefits. Mangos are a good source of vitamin C and a low-calorie, low-fat snack. However, their fiber content is not as high compared to other fruit and they do have high sugar content.

Can You Eat the Skin of a Mango

I don’t recommend eating the skin of mangos, no matter how good you are at living a zero-waste lifestyle. The skin contains urushiol which is fine when it comes in contact with your skin but can cause serious irritations when ingested. Although only present in very small amounts, it is the same compound that makes poison ivy so itchy.

Why Mango Tastes Like Fish to Some

I have recently discovered that this is a thing and I am fascinated by it. It seems like some people really do taste a fishy flavor when eating mangos which as a mango lover is almost unimaginable.

Similar to the way cilantro tastes like soap for some, mango can taste fishy for others. While it’s been confirmed that cilantro is a genetic predisposition, it’s unclear whether mangos having a fish flavor is due to our genetics.

I recommend celebrating summer with a fresh mango cupcake. I could eat one every single day!

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