This No-Bake Filipino Mango Float Puts Other Desserts To Shame

There are many, many types of cake out there, from chiffon cakes to ice cream cakes to chocolate tortes to floats. This particular float is not to be mistaken for an ice cream and soda concoction, but instead falls more into the category of an icebox cake, and one with a distinctly Filipino influence. Featuring layers of graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk-infused whipped cream, and fresh mangoes, this mango float recipe from developer Jessica Morone is just the dessert to keep in mind when you don't feel like turning on the oven. 

Morone happens to be a big fan of the no-oven aspect of this recipe, along with the fact that it's just a generally airy, refreshing treat. "I love how this is such a light dessert, and the fact that it involves no baking is also really great," she says, adding, "It ends up being really easy to make and will be perfect in the warmer months when you don't want to turn on the oven." Though you don't have to bake this cake, you do have to give it plenty of time to chill in the fridge, as you do with most icebox cakes. In total, the mango float needs to chill for at least 6 hours, but this means that it's a great make-ahead recipe that you can easily prepare the morning or night before you plan to serve.

To make a mango float, you'll only need a handful of ingredients: ripe mangoes, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and graham crackers.

Peel the mangoes, then cut the fruit into thin strips. Set aside.

Add the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form.

Place a layer of graham crackers into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Spread ⅓ of the whipped cream mixture over the graham crackers.

Top the whipped cream with ⅓ of the mangoes. Repeat the process 2 times until you've used all the graham crackers, whipped cream, and mangoes.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Cut and serve the mango float dessert.

For those who have never had mango float before, it may be hard to picture how the flavors of graham crackers and mangoes work together (spoiler alert, they work together very well). "A mango float is a no-bake Filipino dessert made with layers of graham crackers, sweetened whipped cream, and fresh mangoes," Morone explains, adding that it's very similar to an icebox cake. And, of course, an icebox cake is unique because it features the perfect combination of layers of cookies and some sort of cream. In this recipe, graham crackers fill in for cookies, soaking up the cream and creating a soft yet slightly crunchy layer that is perfect with the sweet juicy mango.

As for the flavor of this mango float, picture a dessert that has just the right amount of sweetness and is not bogged down by excess sugar or heavy frosting. Morone explains that a mango float "has a creamy, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor with a soft, pudding-like texture," and adds that "the graham crackers absorb moisture from the cream, making them cake-like." The graham crackers soften up considerably once they sit in the fridge for a while, making for a delightfully simple yet texturally interesting dessert.

This mango float recipe requires very few ingredients and not a whole lot of fuss or planning (other than providing ample refrigeration time), which makes sense given the light, airy nature of the treat itself. The mangoes really stand alone in providing some sweet-tangy, juicy flavor, and Morone does note that fresh is best. That said, if fresh mangoes aren't available to you or the ones you have aren't ripe in time, you can either use well-drained canned mangoes or frozen mango slices in their place (just make sure you thaw the frozen slices before layering them into the dessert).

You aren't limited to just mangoes, either. "You can also swap out the mangos, or add additional fruit like strawberries, peaches, or banana slices for extra flavor," Morone suggests. Also, if you aren't keen on the graham cracker portion of the dessert, there is room to swap them out for other ingredients. "You can also substitute the graham crackers with ladyfingers, vanilla wafers, or even thin sponge cake layers," Morone says, which would transform this dessert into a more typical icebox cake.