Mango Float Recipe

What Is A Mango Float?

Mango icebox cake, mango royale, or mango float is a Filipino dessert. Made with cream, fruit, and graham crackers, the no-bake mango dessert can trace its origins back to the Philippines.

Loved for its refreshing and fruity flavors, the graham cake is believed to have been influenced by Western-style icebox cakes, which typically consist of layers of cookies or crackers and whipped cream, refrigerated until the ingredients meld together into a cake-like texture.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

Cookies: The cookie layer is the spine of mango float recipes. Typically, it is made with Graham crackers.

If you don’t want to make the traditional mango graham cake, use ladyfingers ( like I did), Marie biscuits, digestives, or even homemade rusks! Pick what’s in the pantry, I say.

I like textural play in my desserts. That hide-and-seek of creamy and crunchy, so I really didn’t feel the need for sugar syrup to soften the ladyfingers. If you prefer a softer cookie base, feel free to drizzle some over the cookies you use before adding the whipped cream layer.

Mango: Use fresh, ripe mangoes, whatever is easily available to you. 

Cream: Heavy whipping cream is the best for this recipe. Please make sure it's chilled for the best results.

Sweetened condensed milk: This adds sweetness and richness to the dessert. You can easily swap with a vegan condensed milk, if you wish.

Please see the recipe card below for full information about ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Mango Float?

Step 1: Whip your chilled cream to a soft peak consistency. 

Step 2: Whisk in the condensed milk, folding it gently into the whipped cream until well combined.

Step 3: Peel and cube your mangoes into small pieces.

Step 4: Find a freezer-friendly dish and then start assembling the mango icebox cake in three steps:

1. Line the bottom with ladyfingers.
2. Layer half of your whipped cream on top of the biscuits.
3. Top with chopped mangoes.
4. Add another layer of cookies, then the remaining half of the cream

Step 5: Decorate with mango puree swirls and chopped mangoes.

Step 6: Stash the whole concoction in the fridge or freezer, preferably overnight. I prefer to freeze this every time.

Pro Tips

• The trick to getting voluminous, airy whipped cream is to chill it before whisking. Also, use cold condensed milk.
• I like to chill the cream, condensed milk, the mixing bowl, and the beaters in the refrigerator for a few hours or even overnight for whipping the cream easily.
• Beat well. Strive for that soft, fluffy, and light consistency. The more air your heavy cream has, the better it will freeze.
• Cut the biscuits to make them fit more neatly into the dish.
• You can serve this mango icebox cake cold or frozen. I prefer the frozen version!

How To Serve The Filipino Mango Float

This no-bake dessert really doesn't need much in terms of decoration. A few swirls of mango puree and chopped mango on top were good for us. You can decorate with crushed cookies, too, like I did for my Biscoff icebox cake.

We love this mango icebox cake frozen, like an ice cream! You can just chill it well in your refrigerator for a few hours and then serve.

Store in the refrigerator or freezer in the pan you made it in.

More No-Bake Desserts

Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this mango float recipe as much as we do!