Mango Buttercream Cake

1 24-ounce jar mango slices in light syrup

1 cup sugar

6 beaten egg yolks

3 Tbsp orange liqueur or apricot brandy (I used the light syrup from the mango slices)

2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened

2  9- or 10-inch layers white cake, cooled

36-50 cream-filled cylinder cookies (depending on size of cake)

mango slices for garnish (optional)

For mango buttercream, drain the mango slices, reserving a few slices for garnish.  Place in a blender, cover and process until smooth.  (You should have 1 1/2 cups puree). 

In a heavy saucepan, gently simmer mango puree over medium-low heat until it is reduced to 1 cup, about 25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.  Stir the sugar into mango puree in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks.

Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan.  Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.

Quickly cool the mixture by placing the saucepan into a bowl of ice water.  Stir in the liqueur/syrup.  Stir for 2 minutes.  Cover; chill for 1 hour.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Pour cooled mango mixture into beaten butter.  Beat until fluffy. 

Using a long, swerrated knife, split each cake layer in half horizontally.  Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Frost with about 1/3 cup of the buttercream.

Repeat with 2 more cake layers and 2/3 cup more of the buttercream.  Top with the last cake layer.  Spread remaining buttercream on top and sides of cake layers.

Lightly press cookies into buttercream, around sides of cake, cookie ends even with the bottom of cake and cookie tops extending sightly beyond height of cake.   Chill cake or serve immediately.  before serving, arrange mango slices in center of cake and garnish as desired.