Coconut Tres Leches Cake

5 from 1 vote

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

This coconut tres leches cake has a fluffy vanilla sponge cake that gets soaked in a variety of coconut-flavored milks and topped with silky whipped cream and crunchy toasted coconut flakes.

Prep Time1

Cook Time25

Rest time6

Total Time7 25

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Latin American

Servings:

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

9x13" baking pan
Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
Rubber spatula

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5 large eggs separated
1 cup granulated sugar divided
⅓ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Milk Mixture

12 oz evaporated milk
14 oz sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed coconut milk
15 oz coconut milk canned version
2-3 teaspoons coconut extract

Whipped Topping

1 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
1 pint heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract optional, for extra coconut flavor

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sponge Cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9x13" pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
In two separate bowls, separate the egg yolks from the whites, being sure not to let any yolks get into the whites or else they won't whip properly.
5 large eggs
Add the egg whites to a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add ¼ cup (50g) sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
1 cup granulated sugar
Transfer the egg whites to another bowl, scraping out as much as possible (no need to wash it).
Add ¾ cup (150g) sugar and the egg yolks to a stand mixer bowl and beat on medium-high speed (using the paddle attachment) until the yolks are very pale yellow (about 3-4 minutes).
Scrape down the sides, then add the milk and vanilla and mix on low to combine.
⅓ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Add the flour mixture to the whipped yolks and fold it together until smooth.
Fold the egg whites into the batter in two batches until just combined, careful not to stir and deflate the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly with a spatula. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes until completely set. The cake will have pulled away from the edges of the pan and be slightly browned. Allow the cake to cool slightly on a wire rack.

Soaking

Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut milk (shake the coconut milk vigorously in the can before opening to help it combine), and coconut extract in a bowl and whisk until it comes together.
12 oz evaporated milk, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 15 oz coconut milk, 2-3 teaspoons coconut extract
Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake and slowly pour the milk mixture over the entire cake.
Note: Be sure to pour slowly into the center of the cake, focusing attention there so the middle gets very saturated. The liquid will naturally fall to the sides of the cake. Allow it to absorb in batches.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but 12-24 hours is best. This allows the cake to absorb the milk mixture fully.

Whipped Topping

In a large pan over medium heat, toast the coconut flakes, stirring every 20-30 seconds, until lightly golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool.
1 cup coconut flakes
Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and coconut extract to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on medium speed until it starts to thicken, then increase the speed until lightly stiff peaks form.
1 pint heavy whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
Smooth the whipped cream over the entire cake, then top with the toasted coconut.

Notes

It's best to start making this cake one day in advance of when you plan to serve it. For example, make the cake the night before and add the milks. Soak the cake overnight, then finish with the whipped cream and toasted coconut 1-4 hours prior to serving.

Be sure to poke lots of holes in the cake, and get the edges, too! Do a fork prick about every square inch of the cake.

Prior to making the whipped cream topping, put your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes - this will help your cream whip up nicely.

Store fully covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that the whipped cream will begin to weep after about 2-3 days, but will still taste great.

Nutrition