COOK`S CORNER : MANGO CAKE BRINGS TROPICAL-FRUIT FRESHNESS TO TABLE.

Byline: Marge Powers

Lilian Garcia of Canoga Park had been making a fresh mango cake for the past 20 years but lost her prized recipe and asked readers for help in replacing it.

Ruth Nebron sent along a recipe from a cookbook she found on the Internet.

For spring and summer, this fresh cake will be a welcome delight.

MIAMI MANGO CAKE

(Shared by Ruth Nebron, Van Nuys)

CAKE:

2 1/2 cups diced mangoes

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup chopped nuts

ICING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

Powdered sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

For Cake, marinate mangoes in lemon juice. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat together eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Add mangoes.

Sift dry ingredients together. Mix in lightly and quickly. Gently stir in raisins and 3/4 cup chopped nuts.

Turn into a greased 13x9 inch cake pan.

Bake in preheated 325-degree oven 45 to 60 minutes. Cool cake before icing.

Meanwhile make Icing. For Icing, cream butter. Beat in enough powdered sugar to make stiff. Add egg, beat and add more powdered sugar. Add milk and vanilla. Spread Icing on top of cake. Top with 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Makes 1 cake.

From ``The Orange Bowl Cookbook,'' 1983.

Cabbage salad

A while back, M.V.S. of Woodland Hills was looking for a cabbage salad recipe with an oil and vinegar dressing that she originally got from the Jackie Olden radio program.

Cathy Gibbons shares a recipe from ``Jackie's Kitchen Magic'' by Jackie Olden.

At barbecues, this refreshing slaw is a great accompaniment.

CABBAGE SLAW

(Shared by Cathy Gibbons, Woodland Hills)

SLAW:

1 large head cabbage, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

1 onion, sliced

3/4 cup sugar

DRESSING:

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon dry mustard

For Slaw, place cabbage in a bowl and top with green pepper and sliced onion. Sprinkle sugar over top. Cover and refrigerate.

For Dressing, in a saucepan combine all dressing ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir. Pour over cabbage and cover. Return to refrigerator immediately. Chill 4 hours. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Can you help

If you have recipes that can help this reader, please send them along to us at the address below to share in a future column.

There was a restaurant called the Red Barn in Panorama City that made a lobster thermidor that was to die for. I've tried to duplicate it with no luck. If anyone can help - SOS.

Also, I would like a recipe for a salad dressing like the one served at Damon's in Glendale.

- Connie McNamara

West Hills