I can’t remember where I got this recipe but I think it might have been a TV cooking show with Nora Daza. Oh well, it doesn’t matter how I got the recipe. This recipe is one of the family favorites. The basic shortcake recipe is good for other fillings like Strawberry Shortcake.

If there is no mango available, try canned peaches.

SHORTCAKE:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsps. sugar
3 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter (1/2 bar)
1 beaten egg
2/3 cup full cream evaporated milk
1 tbsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Sift into bowl: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Note: I would put the dry ingredients in a plastic bag and swirl the mixture until blended. Neat short cut, ha!

2. Cut in butter into the sifted mixture (using a fork) until the mixture looks like pea-sized pieces (like what we do with pie crusts).

3. Beat one egg. Add the 2/3 cup milk gradually into the beaten egg, mixing it as you keep adding the milk. Add the vanilla and blend well.

4. Put wax paper in your baking pan. Then, Grease this pan with butter, at the sides and at the papered bottom. I believe I used a 10 x 13 pan, something like this. Or use a round pan. See what works for you.

5. Pour mixture onto the baking pan.

6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the cake tests done. Use the toothpick test.

MANGO-BANANA FILLING:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsps. cornstarch
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tbsp. calamansi juice (or 1 tbsp. lemon juice)
3 large carabao mangoes, peeled and sliced diagonally (like diamonds)
2 medium bananas (lacatan, not saba), sliced (add a little calamansi juice to prevent the bananas from browning)
1/2 cup Nestle’s Cream, chilled and whipped (whipped in a mixer)
1 recipe of the shortcake

Prepare your fruits. Slice the mangoes and marinate sliced bananas in calamansi juice. Mix these two fruits in a glass bowl and set aside.

Slice the shortcake lengthwise since you’ll be putting the filling in the middle and on top of the cake. Separate these layers. Set aside the bottom part of the cake in its serving platter or dish.

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch in your saucepan or pot (quart-sized or larger).

2. Add 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice and blend thoroughly.

3. Stir this mixture over a flame. Cook until thickened. You’ll know it’s cook because the mixture will feel thick to the touch and will look transparent. When it starts getting transparent, stir (always in the same direction) for an additional one to two minutes so that the cornstarch is fully-cooked.

4. Add the fruit mixture to the thickened pineapple juice mixture. Stir in the same direction you started with.

5. Cool the mixture.

For a faster cool-down, set the pot over a bowl filled with ice. Stir once every few minutes.

6. Divide the mixture into two portions.

7. For the whipping cream: Chill bowl. Pour one can of cream and beat/whip. Add a drop or two of calamansi juice to make the mixture slightly thicker.

8. Put the filling into the bottom layer. Pour 1/2 of the thickened cream on top of the fruit mixture on the bottom layer.

9. Put the upper half of the cake over the bottom layer. Pour the other half of the fruit mixtrue and top with the remaining cream.

10. Chill this mixture in your refrigerator.