Mango Cardamom Lassi Bread
A fragrant quick bread inspired by the Indian mango cardamom lassi. Tangy yogurt and smooth mango puree create a tender crumb, while warm cardamom and a touch of turmeric add depth. The result is a naturally sweet, moist loaf that's wonderful on its own, with a cup of tea, or topped with whipped yogurt.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 1 loaf (10–12 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the center
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal
- Have all ingredients at room temperature for even mixing
- Use room-temperature mango puree (thawed if frozen); cold puree may not incorporate smoothly
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (220 g), baking powder (1.5 tsp), baking soda (0.5 tsp), ground cardamom (1.25 tsp), ground turmeric (0.25 tsp), and fine sea salt (0.5 tsp).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: mixture is evenly combined with no streaks
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients ensures the cardamom and turmeric distribute evenly throughout the loaf, avoiding pockets of strong flavor.
Cream butter and sugars
- In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (85 g) with the granulated sugar (150 g) and light brown sugar (55 g) on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently.
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Ready when: mixture is noticeably lighter in color and texture, almost mousse-like
Tip: Proper creaming aerates the batter, creating a tender crumb. If your butter is too cold, the mixture will be grainy and dense.
Add eggs one at a time
- Add the room-temperature large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition for about 30 seconds.
- The mixture should be glossy and well blended.
- If it looks slightly curdled, that's normal; the mango and yogurt will smooth it out.
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Ready when: each egg is fully incorporated and mixture remains smooth and glossy
Tip: Cold eggs can cause the batter to break. Room temperature is essential for emulsification.
Stir in mango and yogurt
- Add the mango puree (240 ml) and vanilla extract (1 tsp).
- Stir gently with a rubber spatula until combined, about 20–30 seconds.
- Then fold in the plain yogurt (120 ml) until just incorporated.
- A few streaks are okay; do not overmix.
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Ready when: mango, yogurt, and egg mixture are mostly blended with a few visible streaks remaining
Tip: Overmixing at this stage activates gluten and makes the loaf tough. Gentle folding preserves the tender crumb.
Fold in lemon zest (optional)
- If using lemon zest, gently fold it into the batter now with just a few strokes of the spatula.
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Ready when: zest is distributed throughout
Tip: The bright, sharp note of lemon zest complements the tropical mango and warm spice beautifully.
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each addition.
- Fold until just combined; a few streaks of flour are fine.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: flour streaks are nearly gone and batter is uniformly combined but still tender-looking
Tip: Folding in stages prevents dense pockets of flour and keeps the crumb light. Stop as soon as you don't see white streaks.
Transfer and smooth
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently smooth the top into an even layer.
- Tap the pan lightly on the counter 2–3 times to release any large air bubbles.
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Ready when: batter is level and surface is smooth
Tip: Gentle tapping releases air pockets but don't overdo it—you want some air to remain for a tender crumb.
Bake the loafOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 50–55 minutes.
- The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- The top should be golden brown and feel slightly firm to a gentle touch.
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Ready when: toothpick has no wet batter on it (a few moist crumbs are okay); top is golden brown
Tip: Oven temperatures vary—start checking at 48 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the final 10 minutes.
Cool briefly in pan
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
- This allows the structure to set and makes removal easier.
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Ready when: loaf has shrunk slightly from the sides of the pan
Tip: Turning the loaf out too early can cause it to fall apart; patience here prevents a broken loaf.
Turn out and cool completely
- Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack (the parchment lining will help).
- Carefully peel away the parchment paper.
- Let the loaf cool completely on the rack, about 10 minutes, before slicing.
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Ready when: loaf is no longer warm to the touch and is completely cooled
Tip: Cooling on a rack prevents condensation from making the bottom soggy. Slice only once fully cool for neat slices.
Good to know
Tips
- This bread is best served at room temperature and pairs beautifully with a cup of strong chai or black tea. You can also serve it slightly warm with a dollop of whipped Greek yogurt or a light dusting of additional ground cardamom.
- If your mango is very tart or you want extra sweetness, add up to 2 tablespoons of honey to the wet ingredients before folding in the dry ingredients.
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of cayenne pepper (⅛ tsp) to the dry ingredients for a subtle heat that complements the cardamom and mango.
- The loaf improves a day after baking as the flavors meld and the crumb continues to set. It's equally good fresh, but the cardamom flavor becomes more pronounced the next day.
Make ahead
You can make the loaf up to 2 days ahead. Store it wrapped tightly at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also freeze the wrapped loaf for up to 3 months.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (tightly wrapped or in an airtight container): up to 2 days. Refrigerator: up to 4 days, wrapped tightly. Freezer: up to 3 months, wrapped well and placed in a freezer bag. To reheat, let thaw at room temperature and warm gently in a low oven if desired.
Substitutions
- mango puree → Use high-quality frozen mango puree or blend fresh mango flesh (about 1 large or 2 medium mangoes, thawed if previously frozen). Avoid overly fibrous or stringy mango varieties; Ataulfo or Honey mangoes work well. Canned mango puree (unsweetened) also works if fresh is unavailable.
- plain Greek yogurt or full-fat yogurt → Use sour cream, crème fraîche, or buttermilk in the same quantity. All add tanginess and tenderness. Buttermilk works especially well and will slightly increase the moist crumb.
- ground cardamom → If using whole green cardamom pods, grind them fresh: about 8–10 pods will yield 1.25 tsp ground cardamom. Fresh-ground cardamom has more aromatic potency than pre-ground. Reduce to 1 tsp if using freshly ground whole pods.
- packed light brown sugar → Omit the brown sugar and use 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar total. You'll lose some molasses depth and slight moisture, but the loaf will still be tender and delicious.
