Coconut Tres Leches Cake

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
One (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
One (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream (cold)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lime
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (toasted)

Prep Time40mins
Cook Time30mins
Servings24

Instructions

Make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition (don't worry if the mixture starts to look curdled; it will come together as you add more ingredients).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large spouted measuring cup, whisk together the milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut extract.

Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing on low speed after each addition, then mix just until a smooth batter comes together.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly to the corners with a large offset spatula. Bake until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Make the drizzle

In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, condensed milk, and whole milk.

Use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes all over the warm cake, then slowly pour the drizzle over the top. It's important to go slowly here to allow the cake to soak up the drizzle; it will seem like too much, but don't panic! (Some will be absorbed, and some will create that delicious little lake at the bottom when you slice the cake.)

Allow the cake to cool completely, about 20 minutes. The cake can be covered and stored in the fridge for several hours before frosting.

Make the frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the lime zest.

Spread the frosting generously over the cake. Top with the toasted coconut. Serve immediately, or store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.