Mango Bread
Robynne Maii is the chef and co-owner of Fête and Mille Fête in Hawai‘i. This easy mango bread recipe is adapted from her maternal grandmother’s neighbor, Mrs. Furusho. As neighbors, they shared a flowering hedge and a fondness for fresh mangoes, of which there are plenty in Hawai‘i. Think of mango bread as the island cousin to banana bread, with the same tender, moist crumb of the familiar quick bread, but golden on the inside, and with a bright, floral perfume.
Mango season is fleeting, and proper mango bread is made with ultra-ripe fruit that is almost too soft. Some of the juiciest, sweetest mangoes in Hawai‘i are the highly coveted silky and virtually fiberless Pirie variety. For nonlocals, frozen mango is a reliable substitute—and a good way to make sweet mango bread year-round, but if you have a bevy of ripe mangoes, feel free to use them here.
While Maii prefers her mango bread without any add-ins, the addition of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut, or raisins would be perfectly natural. Regular white sugar best preserves the sunny hue of this delicious mango bread, but you could swap in an equal amount of light brown sugar for a more caramelly sweetness. If you love mango in any form, do yourself a favor and make this one immediately.
Head this way for more of our favorite mango recipes →
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Bread
Glaze and Assembly
Preparation
Bread
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325°. Lightly coat a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Whisk 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. baking soda, and ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg in a medium bowl to combine. Set aside.
Step 2
Blend 8 oz. frozen mango chunks, thawed (about 1½ cups), including any juices, in a blender until very smooth. Transfer 1 Tbsp. mango purée to a medium bowl and set aside for making the glaze.
Step 3
Add 3 large eggs, zest of 1 lime, 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, ¼ cup vegetable oil, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract to remaining purée in blender; blend until smooth. Pour into bowl with reserved dry ingredients and stir gently with a whisk or rubber spatula until no large dry streaks of flour remain (some small lumps are okay). Scrape batter into prepared pan and place on a small rimmed baking sheet.
Step 4
Bake bread until golden brown and top springs back when gently pressed in the center, 40–50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; let bread cool in pan 20 minutes. Turn bread out onto rack; peel away parchment and discard. Let cool completely.
Glaze and Assembly
Step 5
Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and a large pinch of kosher salt to bowl with reserved mango purée; whisk to combine. Sift 1½ cups (165 g) powdered sugar over and whisk until a thick glaze forms (it should thickly coat a spoon; if runny, add more sifted powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. at a time until you reach desired consistency).
Step 6
Pour glaze over bread (for a flat finish, glaze bottom of loaf), letting it run down sides. Scatter thin strips of lime zest, if using, over glaze while still wet. Let sit until glaze is set, at least 45 minutes.
Step 7
Do Ahead: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store covered at room temperature.
Recipe notes
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