Coconut Cake with Berries and Cream

74 Ratings
  • 5 16
  • 4 26
  • 3 23
  • 2 7
  • 1 2

A riff on tres leches, this coconut-spiked spongecake is soaked in condensed milk, heavy cream, and -- in place of the usual evaporated milk -- coconut milk. Serve it with mixed berries and whipped cream.

Martha Stewart Living, July 2012

Gallery

Credit: Johnny Miller

Recipe Summary

prep:
30 mins
total:
11 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
14
Advertisement

Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan. Whisk together egg whites, baking soda, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment on medium speed, until soft peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes.

    Advertisement

  • Add egg yolks to egg-white mixture, and whisk until completely combined. Gradually add sugar, and whisk until combined. Fold in butter and coconut with a rubber spatula.

  • Sift 1/4 cup flour onto mixture; fold to combine. Repeat with remaining flour, folding in 1/4 cup at a time. Pour batter into pan; bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, whisk together 1 cup heavy cream, the coconut milk, and condensed milk. As soon as cake is removed from oven, pour cream mixture over cake. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover cake with plastic wrap, and refrigerator at least 5 hours and up to 8 hours.

  • Just before serving, whisk remaining cup heavy cream until soft peaks form, and spread over cake. Serve with mixed berries.

Advertisement

Reviews (7)

74 Ratings
  • 5 16
  • 4 26
  • 3 23
  • 2 7
  • 1 2
Martha Stewart Member
04/01/2013
this was delicious. I made a few minor modifications: used sweetened coconut, toasted about 3/4 extra coconut as a topping, and added about 1 tbs to whipping cream. Made it for Easter and everyone loved it. Deliciious.
Martha Stewart Member
01/14/2013
The cake came out perfect 3 times, the 4th time I made it I let the kids help me, but as they have trouble "folding in" the cake came out deflated and I ended up having the pool of milk at the bottom. This is my husbands favorite cake and is always was a big hit with everyone each time I made it. Even the people who said they didn't like coconut raved about the cake and had second helpings. Its very light and not very sweet.
Martha Stewart Member
07/14/2012
I am very disappointed with this recipe!! Followed it exactly - am an accomplished cook and baker. The recipe did not say to poke holes in it (most tres leches cake recipes do), so I didn't, but there is a huge pool of sweetened milk surrounding the cake, and the cake shrunk! at least an inch on each sides once the sweetened milk mixture was poured over the cake!! It's covered and in the refrigerator for about 2 hours and no change. Was to bring this to event tomorrow! Frustrated!
Advertisement
Martha Stewart Member
07/14/2012
I am very disappointed with this recipe!! Followed it exactly - am an accomplished cook and baker. The recipe did not say to poke holes in it (most tres leches cake recipes do), so I didn't, but there is a huge pool of sweetened milk surrounding the cake, and the cake shrunk! at least an inch on each sides once the sweetened milk mixture was poured over the cake!! It's covered and in the refrigerator for about 2 hours and no change. Was to bring this to event tomorrow! Frustrated!
Martha Stewart Member
07/05/2012
The gooey mess is the glory of this recipe. It was amazing, the hit of the party; moist and delicious. I actually printed this recipe to go into my "go to" list of recipes for special occasions.
Martha Stewart Member
07/05/2012
I was scared for a minute that the cream mixture wouldn't be absorbed, and I only let it set for 5 hours before serving. However, even with the extra cream, it was completely delicious and a big hit with everyone.
Advertisement
Martha Stewart Member
07/04/2012
What a colossal waste! All of that milk mixture could not be absorbed. No, I didn't add the 2 cups of heavy cream. I tasted the mess the next morning. It was congealed coconut goo at the bottom with saturated cake on top and in a pool of milk. Baked the cake which may not have been quite as high as the photo but still a sponge cake.
© Copyright 2022 Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com 06/29/2022