Mango Coconut Tres Leches

Mango Coconut Tres Leches

Fluffy cake soaked in a coconut milk blend, spread with mango whipped cream, and topped with fresh mango & toasted coconut.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 7 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine fusion

Servings 20 people

Ingredients

  

Cake:

• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar (divided)
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Milk Mixture:

• 13.5 oz. coconut milk (1 can)
• 14 oz. condensed milk (1 can)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (can be substituted with whole milk or half & half)

Toppings:

• 1 1/4 cup mango pulp (divided)
• 8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed (1 tub)
• 1/2 cup diced fresh mango
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

 

Cake:

• Separate the white and yolks of the eggs.
• To the yolks, add 3/4 cup sugar and beat well using a stand or hand mixer, until pale in color. Add whole milk and vanilla extract, and beat for an additional minute.
• Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed until incorporated, but don't overmix.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until it's thick, foamy, and soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar and beat for an additional minute. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter until incorporated and no streaks remain.
• Pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Using a toothpick or fork, prick holes all over the cake.

Milk Mixture:

• Combine coconut milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream, and stir well with a whisk (no need to blend). Pour the milk blend all over the hot cake. Within minutes, the cake will start to soak up the liquid.
• Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6 hours.

Toppings:

• Gently stir together 1 cup mango pulp and Cool Whip until no streaks remain. Spread mango whipped cream over the cake with a spatula.
• Drop dollops of remaining mango pulp onto the cake and cut through with a knife to create a swirled, marbled effect (optional).
• Top with diced fresh mango and toasted coconut flakes.
• Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes

• Alternatively, you can used a boxed cake mix. Choose a neutral flavor like white or vanilla.
• Don’t overbeat once you’ve added the flour to prevent a dense cake.
• When whipping the egg whites, be patient! The liquid WILL thicken!
• When folding in the whipped egg whites to the batter, be super gentle to trap air bubbles and achieve a soft, fluffy cake.
• If you don’t want to use Cool Whip or don’t have access to it, you can whip heavy cream and make your own whipped cream.
• If you can’t find toasted coconut flakes, you can easily toast them yourself. Stir around coconut flakes in a wide frying pan for a few seconds, until golden.

Keyword coconut, mango, tres leches

About Mango Coconut Tres Leches

Lookin for a “wow factor” dessert? This is by far my most popular recipe, with dozens of remakes! It is a huge crowd pleaser, so consider making it for big gatherings (or intimate hangouts–more for you!) I am proud to say that this cake has graced the tables of so many families and has been enjoyed over so many holidays. The flavors are universally liked, while still unique enough to truly impress.

What is Tres Leches?

“Tres leches” directly translates to “three milks” in Spanish. Traditionally, this Latin American dessert is a sponge cake that’s been soaked in a mixture of three types of milks: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. Then it’s topped with whipped cream and often garnished with strawberries.

The Twist

So one thing about me: I am obsessed with mango desserts. Go figure–my family is from Bangladesh, where the mango is hailed as the queen of all fruits. The national tree of Bangladesh is actually the mango tree! So naturally, I wanted to fusion up the classic tres leches with mango. It brightens up the sweetness with a pleasant tartness. And why the coconut? Because it gives it a beautiful depth of flavor. The combination of these ingredients results in an amazing flavor profile. It’s like a tropical party in your mouth!

The Steps, in a Nutshell

First, we bake a light, fluffy cake. This is done by whipping egg whites and then gently folding it into the batter. You will notice that there is no oil or butter in this recipe, which would weigh down the cake.

Then we poke holes into the cake like there’s no tomorrow. The holey-er (?) the better. Don’t forget around the edges!

Then we make a delectable milk mixture, with coconut milk being the star ingredient. Try to get good quality coconut milk, as this will make a difference in how the coconut flavor comes through. The mixture then gets poured into the cake with the million holes. One of my favorite parts of this process is watching the cake soak up the milk mixture, which starts to happen within minutes. It might feel like there is way too much liquid for the cake to soak up completely, but just trust the process. When the cake has cooled, cover and keep in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, make your mango whipped cream, which is literally just combining mango pulp and Cool Whip (easy peasy). Spread it over your cake (which should now have fully absorbed the milk mixture). Then I do a cool thing where I drop dollops of mango pulp on top and cut through with a knife to create a swirled, marbled effect. Totally optional, but looks pretty. Finish off with chunks of fresh mango on top and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes and voila! Your Mango Coconut Tres Leches is ready to be devoured.

And Finally…

If there is one recipe from this blog to try, it’s this one. And I don’t say that lightly. I know you will love it! If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below. And pop on over to my Instagram to say hi!

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