Pistacchio Crusted Mango Rose Cake

Last Updated on November 13, 2019 by Chef Mireille

I may have been born in Brooklyn, NY but I am definitely a child of my ancestry. Give me some curry chicken any day over fried chicken. I want a Caribbean black cake where the fruits have been soaking in rum and brandy for years and browning gives it its characteristic black color, instead of the pale colored fruit cakes I see in stores now. Mango, pineapple and coconut are the fruits that call my name…you can have the apples, pears and peaches.

When I was a child, my Mom gave me peanut butter and coconut sandwiches…not jelly. Sweet cornmeal porridge was for breakfast…not oatmeal and every Sunday was fried King fish for dinner with coo coo, a savory okra and cornmeal porridge.

In this cake, I used all the flavors that I love of my Caribbean heritage, with a little nod to India with the use of rose and pistacchios. In the Caribbean, almonds would be more common but since my great grandfather is from India, I can also claim India as part of that heritage also. You can keep your apple pie. I will prefer this tropical cake any day!

In addition to Aruba, Dominica and Haiti, I also have a direct connection to Barbados as this is where my Mom spent her teenage years and my youngest aunt was born there, she’s the Bajan of the family. There’s a saying in the Caribbean that says “Bajans are more British than the British” and one way this is represented is in the tradition of tea time. Lord, do the Bajan’s love their tea and this is one habit my Mom picked up while living there. My Mom drinks tea at least 5 times a day. Several years ago, we went on a cruise together. I would be all ready to go to bed and she would ask me to accompany her to the dining area to get her tea. She cannot go to sleep without her cup of tea. Being the good daughter, I would accompany her and watch her drink her cup of tea, while I was falling asleep. All I remember thinking was how could one person drink so much tea in one day! Anyway, if you have any tea fanatics in your family, this cake is perfect to accompany their cup of tea.

Pistacchio Crusted Mango Rose Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yield: 1 loaf cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup mango juice
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon rosewater
• 1 cup dessicated coconut
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon preserved rose, torn by hand if there are large pieces that are stuck together.
• 1/3 cup shelled pistacchios

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine mango juice, oil, eggs and rosewater. Add to dry ingredients. Mix to combine.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in coconut and 1/4 cup of the rose.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Cool for 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar and coconut milk in a small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Chop the pistacchios until finely chopped. Add rose and chop until all is finely chopped.

Pour glaze over cake. Put pistacchio rose topping on top and press into the cake with your hand. Leave for 10 minutes before slicing.

As we all get ready to ring in the New Year and hope for sweet things in the coming year, enjoy this cake and may you only have sweet tidings in the coming year.

Happy New Year!

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Pistacchio Crusted Mango Rose Cake

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Servings: 1 loaf

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup mango juice
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon rosewater
• 1 cup dessicated coconut
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon preserved rose torn by hand if there are large pieces that are stuck together.
• 1/3 cup shelled pistacchios
• Glaze Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir to combine.
• In a small bowl, combine mango juice, oil, eggs and rosewater. Add to dry ingredients. Mix to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in coconut and 1/4 cup of the rose.
• Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour.
• Cool for 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar and coconut milk in a small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.
• Chop the pistacchios until finely chopped. Add rose and chop until all is finely chopped.
• Pour glaze over cake. Put pistacchio rose topping on top and press into the cake with your hand. Leave for 10 minutes before slicing.

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