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Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

Ending the week with a sweet cake just seemed like a really good idea, because man oh man was it a week. A great one, but a busy one. Somehow we are already into the last full week of April, and next week we’ll be moving into May. This means three things.

One, Cinco de Mayo is a week from Saturday. Which I am very excited about this, as if you couldn’t tell by all the tacos, queso, and margaritas I’ve been sharing over the last week. Oh, and the churros

Two, Mother’s Day is just two weeks from Sunday. I need to start plotting out what I’m going to do for my mom. I already pre-gifted her this fun basket, so I need some new ideas. Help! What are you all doing for your mom?

Three, summer is only about a month and half away. I hate to wish time away, but I am so ready for summer. Bring on warm days, long nights, heirloom tomatoes, and plenty of ice cream. Please.

With so much to look forward to and celebrate in the next few weeks I figured a cake was in order.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

And in comes this fun, yet different, bundt cake.

With Cinco de Mayo next week, and Mother’s Day immediately following, I wanted to share a cake that could work for both holidays. Enter this pretty Tres Leches Cake. It may be very Mexican, but it’s also perfect as a Mother’s Day brunch cake or dessert.

If you’re unfamiliar with tres leches cake, it’s a Mexican sponge cake that is soaked in a three milk glaze. I’m sharing my own updated version that includes coconut for an added flavor boost.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

Here is how this cake works.

The base of the cake is very similar to that of a really good vanilla cake, but it’s infused with some coconut flavor as well. What makes this cake special is the cream cheese and coconut swirl running through the center of the bundt cake, it’s unexpected and delicious.

The cake itself is super simple, not too sweet, and honestly nothing too fancy. This is a cake that truly needs a glaze, the glaze is what a tres leches cake is all about. Traditionally, a tres leches cake is made with a three milk glaze that consists of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. In my version, I am only using two milks, sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk. I’m also including a touch of cinnamon and rum, you know for good measure.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

Here’s what you might find odd about a tres leches cake. In order to allow the cake to soak up all that delicious glaze, you will need to poke holes in it. Yes, you are going to poke holes in your cake, and I promise all with be OK. The holes allow for the cake to evenly absorb all of the glaze.

Trust me, it’s the right thing to do. Soaking the cake in the glaze makes for an incredibly soft, and incredibly flavorful cake.

It. Is. SO. GOOD!

Especially when paired with the coconutty creamy cheese center. Again, so delicious.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

As I mentioned above, this cake is perfect for Cinco de Mayo or Mother’s Day, but it’s equally perfect for just about any other occasion as well. I’m planning to make this over the weekend for a family Saturday night dinner as my oldest brother, Creighton and my youngest brother, Red will both be in town. It will be the perfect time do an early Mother’s Day dinner, since we can’t all be together in two weeks for Mother’s Day.

Got to make the time while we have a good amount of the crew together. This should be the perfect cake to end dinner with. Already excited about it.

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

If you make this Tres Leches cake and love it, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love, love, love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this Tres Leches cake, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! I love looking at the photos of recipes you all have made. So fun!

Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories Per Serving: 383 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Coconut Glaze

  • 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk, plus more if needed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 pinch cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon coconut rum (optional) (optional)

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 inch bundt pan.
    2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and milk until fully incorporated. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low-speed until just combined, being sure the batter is completely mixed.
    3. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Gently dollop the softened cream cheese over the batter and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over top the cream cheese. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese, carefully spreading in an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 15  minutes. 
    4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and coconut rum, if using. If the glaze seems thick, add coconut milk to thin.
    5. Pierce holes in the top of the cake with a skewer, inserting about halfway through the cake. Slowly drizzle 1/4 of the glaze evenly over cake. Let stand 15 minutes. Invert onto a cake plate with edges and poke holes around the top of the cake. Drizzle with the remaining glaze. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or up to overnight. Before serving, drizzle any glaze sitting on the plate over the cake. Slice and serve. 
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Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #Mexican #recipes #spring

See you all tomorrow for a special Saturday Nine Favorite Things.

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Comments

  1. Hi there! This recipe looks divine and I really wish to try it. However, I do not like flaked coconut, just the flavor. If I leave of the coconut flakes, do I need to replace them with a similar-textured ingredient or add more flour in order to achieve the right consistency? Thank you!

  2. 3 stars
    I enjoyed this cake, however I used unsweetened coconut and I would not recommend this choice. My cake split at the coconut and cream cheese layer and despite the milk soaking was dry. I think using sweetened coconut and whipping the cream cheese would improve the results as another reviewer recommended.

  3. 4 stars
    I made this cake exactly as written, and it was delicious…..however there was one problem. The coconut in the center caused the cake to split into two bits when cut into slices. It split right where the coconut & cream cheese was. The coconut I used was completely dry, not like the sweetened coconut which is moist. Would you suggest whipping up an egg white & coating the coconut with it before putting it in the batter? Aside from that issue, the cake was huge hit, thank you.

    1. HI! So sorry you cake split. I have never mixed an egg white with coconut so I am not sure how that works exactly. If it moisten the coconut then I am sure that would be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?

  4. 5 stars
    Made this yesterday along with your chipotle chicken nachos for a perfect Mexican dinner & dessert! It was fantastic- I loved the density of the cake and it’s subtle yet smooth vanilla and coconut flavor. Love a pound cake texture of any sort! And with all that coconut & coconut milk, very, very healthy too!? A keeper!!!

    1. Je suis tellement content que tu aimes ça! Vous pouvez ajouter votre email à la liste d’abonnement sur la page principale de mon site! S’il vous plaît laissez-moi savoir si vous avez des questions!

  5. 4 stars
    I made this cake couple days ago and the flavor was wonderful. I have some suggetions if anyone interested. I think whipping the cream cheese would help it to soften and it’s easier to spred. I used unsweetened coconut, next time I would use sweetended. I would triple the glaze and add more rum for more flavor. Just my take on this awesome recipe. Thanks Tiegan!

  6. Hi Teighan! I made this over the weekend, and I really enjoyed the coconut flavor (I’d probably have to do a better job of evening out my cream cheese layer though). I love all the fun things you come up with!

    I wanted to add to Tania’s comment about the recipe weight measures – it turns out, that cup measures can vary up to +/-10% in volume. So the one-cup measure that you have could actually be as much as 20% different than the one-cup measure I have, even if they both claim to be ‘one cup’. That’s why for precise baking, some people prefer weight. If you’re ever interested in posting weight measures, you would have to calibrate them by using YOUR one-cup measure.

    1. Hi Cece! I am so glad you loved this recipe and hope you love others on the blog! I personally am not familiar with weight measurements, so I tried to convert them online. Thank you for letting me know though! ?

  7. This looks amazing! I am hoping to make it for a Cinco De Mayo dinner party we’re having this weekend. I am curious if I could sub a gluten free flour for the regular flour. Also, could you make this the night before for a dinner party?

    1. I have not tried this with GF flour, so it’s really hard for me to say. If you are comfortable with GF baking then I say go for it! This is a great cake to make the night before a party. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂

  8. I do not have a bundt Pan, what size pan would this work best with instead? 🙂 I’m so excited to make this!

    1. I would bake this in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂

    1. Yes! This cake is a great cake to make the day before a party. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂

  9. 5 stars
    Hi Tieghan and everyone else! So I made this cake yesterday. It was so much fun. It’s half gone as my boyfriend eats up everything. The Garburator.. anyways, I only have a 7 inch bundt pan (fits my Instant Pot) so I halved the recipe and it seemed to work out. Plus it’s just the two of us so this pan size works great for us. My cream cheese center seems bigger than what I thought it should be but I did use half. I also used coconut sugar instead of white sugar so my cake is darker which is totally fine. I made it tres leches by using a sweetened coconut condensed milk (not because I needed to make it tres leches, I wanted to try this milk I had in my cupboard) Might be harder for others to find if you don’t live in a city. Plus it’s a bit pricey. I’m in Canada and it’s 5$ for a 6oz can. It’s organic and it has a higher fat content but very tasty. But i mixed the two condensed milks. I cooked my cake for 35 mins which was perfect. Did everything else the same. I kept spooning my glaze over the cake after I drizzled in order to seep it. I used a skewer to poke holes and I did tonnes of holes. I love the flavour of the cake as it’s not too sweet. Love the coconut parts. The center is quite a bit of coconut with the cream cheese. I’d like it to be more soaked in glaze next time. Maybe I’ll use a fork to poke more holes (might be thicker holes? Or not?) and add more glaze. Oh I added the rum too. I did spiced rum. And I did not use half. More like double HA! I love how the rum cuts the flavour so well. I’m sure this cake will be finished tonight ?

    I posted a pic on Instagram (I tried to copy the floral arrangement you created, as I had some flowers about to go so I thought hey! I’ll try the cake deco) and I tagged @halfbakedharvest and #halfbakedharvest. Not sure which i was suppose to do, maybe both? I hope you saw it. Everyone loves it. My cake looks very pretty ?

    1. Hi Anna! I am so glad you made this and it turned out so wonderful for you! Thank you so much! Also, I am looking at the photo on Instagram now, it is so beautiful!!

    1. Hi! Sticks of butter are just what the standard butter comes in in the US. It is equivalent to 8 fl ounces of butter. I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any other questions!

  10. 5 stars
    lovely new cake recipe for me, love that the glaze is not too sweet and coconut flavored, a very nice recipe for mother’s day, thank you