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    Home » Sweet Treats » Coconut Tres Leches Cake

    April 3, 2019

    Coconut Tres Leches Cake

    A soft and moist cake that feels like a sponge soaked in condensed milk and coconut. Yes, this is my delicious and irresistible Coconut Tres Leches Cake.

    Cakes are a big thing in my house, specially if it is a birthday cake.

    This month we had a birthday here, and the rule is that the birthday person gets to choose the place where we'll go for dinner, and the cake they want to eat.

    100% of the time they pick my cakes instead of a store bought. That makes me happy, because although I know I'll have some extra work, at least I know that my cakes are good, right? 🙂

    But picking a cake is not always an easy task. My kids get so excited about all the different flavors and combinations they can make! The condensed milk and strawberry is always on the top of the list. Brigadeiro cake is also a great pick, but the soaking wet tres leches cake is always the first choice for my oldest son and my husband. So, this week we ate the delicious Coconut tres Leches cake, which we nicknamed as "bolo de coco molhadinho" (wet coconut cake).

    This cake is very easy to make. The recipe for the batter I got from my friend Elaine, who is an amazing baker. I just added some salt and vanilla to the original recipe to enhance the flavor. Then I transformed it into a tres leches cake, with a coconut twist on top. Delicious!

    Making the batter

    The batter is very simple to make. You start mixing all dry ingredients into a bowl and set it aside. Then, in a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. As you get the peaks add the yolks, one at a time, to make sure you keep it fluffy. After incorporating the yolks, with the mixer on low, slowly add the sugar. Last, but not least, incorporate the dry ingredients, alternatively with the milk (mixed with the vanilla extract). Start with the flour mix, then add the milk, and keep it going until it's all added.

    Bake it at 350ºF (180ºC) for approximately 30 minutes. To tell when the cake is done, it should have a golden color and spring back as you gently touch the center.

    Preparing the Tres Leches

    This is the most easy and delicious part, specially because after you're done, you can scrape the sweetened condensed milk can, and have a minute of pure pleasure!

    Really, the only thing you need to do is open 3 cans (sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and coconut milk) and blend everything together in a big pitcher. It's that simple!

    Assembling the Coconut Tres Leches Cake

    When the cake is done, poke the whole cake with a fork, all the way to the bottom.

    After poking the whole cake, slide a knife around the cake. This will allow the liquid to run around the cake, moistening the sides and bottom of the cake. Pour the condensed milk mixture all over it. You will see all that delicious liquid being absorbed by the cake, right before your eyes.

    Cover the cake with some shredded or flaked coconut and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

    Make sure you won't miss anything. Follow Simple Living Recipes on:

    vanilla cake moistened with condensed milk, evaporated milk and coconut milk
    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Coconut Tres Leches Cake

    This Coconut Tres Leches Cake is so soft and so moist! It's like a little sponge bursting with flavor! It will be love at first bite!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time1 hr 50 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Keyword: cake, Coconut, Tres Leches
    Servings: 15
    Author: Lilian Vallezi
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the Cake

    • 4 eggs
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 1½ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    To Moisten the cake

    • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • 1 can evaporated milk

    To top the Cake

    • 1 cup shredded or flaked coconut

    Instructions

    • For the cake
      Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray and flour bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch pan.
      In a bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder, and set it aside.
      With the help of a mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.
      Once you get the peaks, add the yolks, one by one, on low speed. Wait each one of them to be well incorporated before adding the next one.
      When done with the yolks, start adding the sugar, slowly.
      After the sugar, it is time for the remaining dry ingredients that were set aside and the milk mixed with the vanilla. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture alternatively with ½ of the milk, and keep doing it until everything has been added and incorporated, but don't over mix the batter.
      Pour into pan. Bake it for about 30 minutes or until you see it is golden brown and it springs back when touched on the center. (You can also test with the toothpick, if you prefer. It should come out clean).
      To Moisten the Cake
      Mix together, in a pitcher, the sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk and evaporated milk. Wait for the cake to be done. Poke holes in the cake with a fork, and run a knife around the edges of the cake, to make sure that the liquid will be able to be absorbed through the sides and bottom of the cake, and then pour the liquid all over the cake.
      Topping the Cake
      Wait for the liquid to be absorbed, and sprinkle coconut (shredded or flaked) all over the cake.
      Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
      Enjoy!!
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    All nutritional information above is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Nutritional content may vary according to brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, substitutions, optional ingredients, etc. Simple Living Recipes is not responsible for any miscalculation or misinformation in the nutrition label.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Magali says

      March 28, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      I’m starting prepare the tres leches cake!!! The photos look amazing!!! My fingers are crossed for baking it !

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        March 29, 2020 at 1:01 am

        That's great!! Let us know how it turned out for you! And thanks for your comment!!

        Reply
    2. Simone says

      May 05, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      We love Lilian and her recipes! This cake is no exception. Being served chilled, it’s a perfect dessert for summertime. So much flavor!

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        May 05, 2020 at 10:14 pm

        Awwww... Thank you for your sweet words, Simone!! I'm so glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    3. Julian says

      December 18, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      5 stars
      We tried this for the first time yesterday and it is amazingly delicious! In fact, my mother-in-law said the only troubling issue is that she couldn't stop eating it! Thank you, Lillian for such a great and easy-to-follow recipe.

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        December 19, 2020 at 3:54 am

        You're more than welcome, Julian! I'm so glad to know that you and your family enjoyed this cake!

        Reply
    4. Avril Migoni says

      December 18, 2020 at 8:42 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderfully delicious cake and easy recipe to make. My whole family even those that aren't fans of coconut.

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        December 19, 2020 at 3:52 am

        I'm so happy to hear that, Avril! My son who doesn't like coconut also enjoys this cake!

        Reply
    5. Charles says

      December 18, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      It’s sooo goood! Especially on the day after!

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        December 19, 2020 at 3:40 am

        Thanks Charles!! I agree! It gets better as it chills and soaks up all the good stuff!

        Reply
    6. Vanessa Pagan says

      September 19, 2021 at 1:22 pm

      My cake is just about done baking. Then I'll start the cooling process. It smells AMAZING, and I cannot wait for the final touches. I'm toasting the coconut, and adding cinnamon to the 3 milks before pouring it over the cooled cake. Cannot wait to try it!!

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        September 19, 2021 at 1:27 pm

        Wonderful!!! Let me know how you like it with the cinnamon. I think it'll taste amazing!!

        Reply
    7. Liz says

      April 07, 2022 at 7:36 am

      Hi im a little confused woth the amount of flour that goes in the cake is one half cup or one and a half cup
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Lilian Vallezi says

        April 07, 2022 at 8:20 am

        Hi Liz! It's one and a half cups of flour.🙂
        Hope you like the cake!

        Reply

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