Everyone has their definition of comfort food and sometimes it’s cake. This Coconut Tres Leches Cake recipe is the perfect amount of sweetness with none of the dairy.
I love coconut flavors in anything baked. It gives me a tropical vibe that warms my soul. I also avoid dairy for the health benefits and that is why I love this recipe. I chose to make a yellow cake from scratch for this recipe because I wanted the best possible result. If you’re going to put in the effort you might as well go all-in. Your tastebuds will thank you.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t be shy when poking holes in the top of the cake. The more the better because you want all of that syrup to be able to work its way down to the bottom. This does get a little more difficult with coconut-based ingredients because the syrup will harden on top when refrigerated so it may take a little bit of finessing.
Be careful when toasting your coconut for the topping because this can get away from you very quickly. Make sure you have a single layer and check it often. Flaked coconut can go from zero to burnt in a hurry.
Now let’s talk whipped topping. I highly recommend Silk dairy-free heavy whipping cream. I usually find it at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Publix. Coconut-based creams, while delicious, do not whip easily. For garnish, I used a thin slice of fresh pineapple and dehydrated it in the oven. It took a long time to make but the final product was stunning.
If you like this Coconut Tres Leches Cake be sure to check out all of our recipes on Honey + Havana and tag us on your social posts on Instagram and Pinterest. We would love to hear your feedback!
Coconut Tres Leches
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temp
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Coconut Milk Syrup
- 1 can cream of coconut 15 oz
- 1 can evaporated coconut milk 12 oz
- 1 cup coconut heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1 cup Silk dairy-free heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Yellow Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 162°C. Line a 9×13-inch (quarter sheet) pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Beat on a medium-high speed using a whisk attachment for 2 minutes. The mixture should become lighter in color.2 sticks unsalted butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Mix in the eggs on a low speed, two at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.4 large eggs
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.3 cups cake flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- Add half the dry ingredients into the butter/egg mixture and mix on a low speed until combined.
- Then mix in buttermilk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract on a low speed.1 cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup coconut oil, 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Add in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until the ingredients are just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bang the pan on your counter to remove any air bubbles, then bake for 35-40 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cake bake evenly.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Coconut Milk Syrup
- In a blender, combine the cream of coconut, evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla and process until smooth.1 can cream of coconut, 1 can evaporated coconut milk, 1 cup coconut heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Assembly
- Use a fork or wooden skewer to poke the cooled cake all over the top. The more pokes, the more the syrup will soak into the cake. Using a large spoon or ladle, spoon some of the milk syrup over the cake. Let the syrup soak into the cake, then continue spooning the syrup on top until all of it has been used up. When you have finished, not all of the syrup will be completely absorbed and might be pooling on the top but that’s ok. Let it rest at room temperature for a while to allow the syrup to soak in. The coconut ingredients will harden once refrigerated and won't soak in if they're sitting on the top.
- Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to let the syrup settle.
- Set the oven to 350℉ and place coconut flakes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until golden brown, about 4 minutes. If you need more time check every minute to make sure that it does not burn.1 cup flaked coconut
- Make your whipped topping by pouring the whipping cream into a stand mixer or mixing bowl and whip on high speed until it thickens, about 1.5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes longer.1 cup Silk dairy-free heavy whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Spread the whipped topping on top of the cake, sprinkle toasted coconut, slice, and serve cold.
