Classic Mango Float

Mango float is one of the most easiest and popular Filipino deserts. It’s incredibly fresh from the slices of mangoes all in between layers of graham crackers and sweet whipped cream.

Watch the Mango Float Recipe Video Below!

This was the dessert of my childhood. My mom made mango float in the Philippines almost once a month on especially hot days. The dessert itself didn’t last long, since our family would devour it in a matter of 1-2 days.

I truly think my mom made the best mango float, she put a lot of love into it, and always made the process to make it enjoyable. My brother and I would always help with stacking the graham crackers, whipping the cream, and getting to eat the leftovers from the bowl.

What is Mango Float?

Mango float is a Filipino icebox cake made by layering together graham crackers, sweetened whipped cream, and slices or chunks of mangoes.

It’s typically chilled overnight prior to serving to allow the crackers to soften and to give the cream a soft, ice-cream-like texture.

It’s known by many names, but my Filipino family always called it “ref cake” growing up (short for “refrigerator cake”). You may also call this Mango Graham Float or Mango Royale!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Cream: The foundation for any good mango float is cream. In the Philippines, we would normally use what is known as “all-purpose cream”, which is a thick, versatile cream typically more accessible and affordable for the everyday cook. You can find this in most Filipino or Asian groceries.

• Substitutions: In the West, most standard groceries will most likely only carry heavy cream. This is another option you can use if you cannot find all-purpose cream.

Both will work fine, though it will result with two different textures:

• All-purpose cream: Go for this one if you’re looking for that authentic Filipino mango float taste and texture. The resulting cake is much denser, and soft, similar to a very soft icing.
• Heavy cream: When whipped to stiff peaks, the resulting cake becomes light and more airy. It’s the perfect texture to be sliced into without worrying about it hardening into a frozen mass.

Condensed milk: This will give our dessert that extra needed sweetness and a rich, milky taste. Feel free to add more or less, depending on your preference.

• Substitutions: You can replace condensed milk with sugar, or any other sweetener of your preference. The cream won’t be as creamy in texture or as milky in taste, however.

Vanilla extract: While most traditional recipes won’t actually include vanilla, I personally think it tastes great and it adds something a little extra special to the dessert (you could also experiment with other extracts if you’d like).

Salt: A pinch of salt helps to balance out all those rich and sweet flavors of the dessert.

Mangoes: You’ll need to go for yellow mangoes such as Autolfo, Champagne, Philippine, Carabao, or Indian mangoes. These mangoes are already naturally sweet with a very silky and soft texture.

If you’re off-season, you can try looking for frozen Philippine mangoes as well. While they may not be as tasty as the fresh varieties, I still think it’s a great option.

• Substitutions: In a pinch, you could use the green and red varieties of mangoes, but they tend to be more fibrous, tougher in texture, and slightly more tangy than sweet. Otherwise, mango can be replaced entirely with any other fruit of your preference, such as peaches or strawberries, to name a couple.

Graham crackers: The common crackers typically used for this dessert are honey graham crackers, which have a characteristic flavor of, you guessed it, honey. Go for the Filipino brand favorite, which is M.Y San.

• Substitutions: Apart from graham crackers, I have seen many icebox cakes being done with other cookies and crackers, such as Biscoff, chocolate wafers, or even Oreos!

Instructions

Prepare the mangoes by slicing around two mangoes into thin strips. There should be enough strips to cover the top of your cake.

Chop the remaining mangoes into small chunks, which should be enough for filling the individual layers. Set both of these aside.

Prepare the cream mixture by whipping the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold in the condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

To begin layering, spread a layer of the whipped cream mixture onto the bottom of your glass dish.

Place a layer of graham crackers on top, followed by whipped cream, then diced mangoes.

Continue repeating this layer of graham crackers, cream, and diced mangoes, until your desired height is reached (I like going for around 3-4 layers).

For the final layer, spread the remaining cream mixture on top. Then place the sliced mangoes over the cream in any design/pattern you prefer.

Finish with a light sprinkle of crushed graham crackers all over.

Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours to allow the graham crackers to soften up and to let the flavors set. Enjoy!

Tips

Freeze your mango float: For that show-stopping cross-section, you can freeze the cake for a few hours prior to serving. Once you’re almost ready to serve, place it in the fridge to soften slightly to make it easier to cut.

Play around with the design: A classic mango float design is simply layering the mango slices on top of each other like above. You could also try experimenting with other designs such as a rose pattern. Here’s one that I recently did for my annual Friendsmas potluck!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I freeze this?

You definitely can! Freezing this can help if you want a firmer/cleaner cut to your cake. It’s also great if you’re preparing the cake to be served in a couple hours and you have to account for when it’s not refrigerated (e.g., long drives).

Do note that the whipped cream does have a tendency to separate when thawed, however. So be sure not to let the cake sit out at room temperature too long or it may turn into a watery mess. I’d suggest placing it in the fridge as soon as you can when not yet consuming.

Can I use other crackers?

While graham crackers are the typical ingredients for a traditional Mango Float, you may also use any kind of cookie or crackers that you’d want to experiment with!

You can use ladyfingers, biscoff cookies, or even chocolate wafers.

Can I use other fruits?

Yes! One of my favorite variations of this is adding sliced peaches to make a Peach-Mango Float (absolutely delicious).

Feel free to use your favorite fruits for this recipe in place of the mangoes, such as strawberries, bananas, cherries, and more.

LOVE mangoes? Here’s a couple more from our mango series:

• Mango Sticky Rice
• Mango Sago
• Peach Mango Pocket Pies
• Mango Ensalada