Coconut Tres Leches Cake with Toasted Coconut and Passion Fruit
Classic tres leches is already one of the most indulgent cakes on the planet, but this tropical version takes it somewhere entirely new. The three milks here swap in rich coconut milk and sweetened cream of coconut alongside the traditional condensed and evaporated milk, creating a cake that's soaked through with an impossibly lush, coconut-perfumed custard that stays miraculously light.
What sets this apart is the bright, tart passion fruit drizzle on top. It cuts through all that creamy sweetness with a vibrant tropical acidity that wakes up your palate and keeps you coming back for another forkful. A crown of softly whipped cream and a generous shower of toasted coconut flakes add texture and visual drama.
Serve this chilled on a warm evening — it's the kind of dessert that transports you straight to a beach somewhere, even if you're eating it at your kitchen table on a Tuesday. Make it a day ahead; it only gets better as it soaks.
Ingredients
- ● 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ● 5 pieces large eggs
- ● 1 cup granulated sugar
- ● 1/3 cup whole milk
- ● 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ● 1 tsp baking powder
- ● 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- ● 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ● 1/2 cup cream of coconut
- ● 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ● 1/2 cup passion fruit pulp
- ● 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- ● 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ● 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- 1Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the coconut flakes on a separate baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden. Set aside and watch carefully — they burn fast.
- 2Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Stir in the whole milk and vanilla.
- 3In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- 4Fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites in three additions, taking care not to deflate the batter.
- 5Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
- 6Whisk together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cream of coconut until smooth. Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a fork or skewer — be generous, the more holes the better. Pour the three-milk mixture slowly and evenly over the entire cake.
- 7Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results. The cake should absorb nearly all of the milk mixture.
- 8When ready to serve, whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar until it holds firm peaks. Spread it over the top of the chilled cake in swirls.
- 9Drizzle the passion fruit pulp over the whipped cream, scatter the toasted coconut flakes generously on top, and serve cold. Slice into squares and use a spatula to lift each piece — some of the milk will pool at the bottom, which is exactly right.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 380 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7g |
| Carbohydrates | 45g |
| Fat | 20g |
