Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) for a conventional oven. Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line its base with baking parchment. Preparing the tin before mixing helps you transfer the batter quickly and release the finished cake without breaking its edges.

Place the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract. Creaming incorporates air into the batter and helps produce a lighter texture.

Add the mango puree to the butter mixture and stir until evenly combined. If the mixture looks slightly separated, don’t worry; the flour will help bring the batter together. For this Mango Cake Recipe, use smooth puree without large fibrous pieces so the cake has an even crumb and consistent mango flavor.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and optional cardamom into a separate bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the mango mixture in batches, alternating with the milk as needed. Mix only until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick but easy to spread, not watery or stiff.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for approximately 35–45 minutes, checking near the end of the baking time. Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil while the center finishes baking.

Let the cake cool in its tin for 10–15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. For a simple finish, serve it plain or dust it lightly with powdered sugar. For a celebration cake, spread lightly sweetened whipped cream over the top and decorate with fresh mango cubes. Slice and enjoy.