Back to Pastel de Tres Leches All Reviews for Pastel de Tres Leches - of Reviews Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Gallery Pastel de Tres Leches Credit: Anna Williams Recipe Summary Servings: 12

Ingredients Ingredient Checklist 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), melted and cooled, plus more for pans 6 large eggs, separated 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk One 12-ounce can evaporated milk One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk One fresh coconut 2 cups heavy cream Assorted tropical fruits, such as pineapple, star fruit, mango, and pepino, for garnish

Cook’s Notes The most time-consuming step is making the coconut curls; in a pinch you can use store-bought shaved coconut.

Gallery Pastel de Tres Leches Credit: Anna Williams

Recipe Summary Servings: 12

Pastel de Tres Leches      Credit: Anna Williams

Pastel de Tres Leches

Credit: Anna Williams

Pastel de Tres Leches

Recipe Summary Servings: 12

Recipe Summary

Servings: 12

Servings: 12

12

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), melted and cooled, plus more for pans 6 large eggs, separated 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk One 12-ounce can evaporated milk One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk One fresh coconut 2 cups heavy cream Assorted tropical fruits, such as pineapple, star fruit, mango, and pepino, for garnish

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine egg whites, baking soda, and salt, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add yolks to the whites, and beat until completely combined. With the mixer running slowly, add sugar until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in butter.

Sift 1/4 cup flour on top of the mixture, and fold in to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour, folding in 1/4 cup at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack.

About 5 minutes before the cake is done, whisk together the three milks, and set aside. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, pour the milk mixture over the entire cake. The cake should absorb all the liquid within 3 to 5 minutes. Set cake aside, and let stand until cool. Cover cake well, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, at least 5 hours or overnight.

Before serving, heat oven to 450 degrees. Place whole coconut in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and using an awl or a screwdriver, pierce the three “eyes” of the coconut. Turn over, and drain the liquid. Using a hammer, break open coconut. To remove the meat from the shell, insert a small spatula or a grapefruit knife between the flesh and the shell to pry the meat out in large pieces. Using a vegetable peeler, shave off thin curls of coconut. Transfer curls to a baking sheet, and let stand uncovered for 30 minutes. Place in oven, and bake until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside until cool. These curls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for future use.

When ready to serve the cake, whip cream to soft peaks. Slice cake into twelve servings, top with whipped cream, and serve with the fruits and toasted coconut curls.

Cook’s Notes The most time-consuming step is making the coconut curls; in a pinch you can use store-bought shaved coconut.

Cook’s Notes

The most time-consuming step is making the coconut curls; in a pinch you can use store-bought shaved coconut.

Reviews (10)

 Add Rating & Review     21 Ratings   5 star values:        4    4 star values:        9    3 star values:        7    2 star values:        1    1 star values:        0

Load More Reviews

Reviews (10)

Add Rating & Review     21 Ratings   5 star values:        4    4 star values:        9    3 star values:        7    2 star values:        1    1 star values:        0

Add Rating & Review

21 Ratings 5 star values: 4 4 star values: 9 3 star values: 7 2 star values: 1 1 star values: 0

21 Ratings 5 star values: 4 4 star values: 9 3 star values: 7 2 star values: 1 1 star values: 0

21 Ratings 5 star values: 4 4 star values: 9 3 star values: 7 2 star values: 1 1 star values: 0

  • 5 star values: 4 4 star values: 9 3 star values: 7 2 star values: 1 1 star values: 0

    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5.0 stars       01/09/2020   Excellent recipe! I skip the coconut and heavy cream.  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 5 stars       10/08/2013   My husband adores this cake.  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       08/02/2010   This cake is terrific for a summertime dessert. I get many requests to make it for family get-togethers. Tip; use packaged, shredded coconut and toast it. No difference in taste compared to labor-intensive doing the coconut from scratch. Also two cups of heavy cream is too much. Use one cup whipped for topping. Make sure you let melted butter cool before adding to eggs.  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       05/05/2010   After tasting straight out of the oven, it did taste very eggy, so I was worried, but after soaking up the milk and a little refridgeration, it was delicious!  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       04/30/2010   3. you will know if the cake is a sucess when you add the milk. the cake should immediately absorb all of the milk(which equals about 4 cups) 4. traditionally this cake is served room temp. pull it out of the fridge at least an hour prior to serving. this step really enhances the flavor and texture of the cake  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       04/30/2010   i've used this recipe about 6 or 7 times and it works great. i plan on making it for cinco de mayo this wednesday. a few tips for people having trouble with the recipe or method 1. you need to have all ingredients for the batter prepared and ready for mixing before you even start the process 2. GENTLY fold the flour mix into the batter 1/4 CUP AT A TIME. if you add too much flour the batter will fall and the cake WILL NOT rise in the oven  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       01/04/2010   excellent cake but just need some help crossing the finishing line...close to perfection but requires a finishing touch. once the cake is done, pour one can sweetened condensed milk over the top. NOW taste absolute perfection.  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       06/25/2008   This is literally the most delicious cake I have ever eaten. I found this recipe in the magazine a few years ago and loved it! I lost the recipe and have been looking for it ever since! I found it today and I am gonna make it right now! It is moist and delicious, and has almost a pudding like quality. It is very rich. You must try it at least once!  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       03/20/2008   I thought this was awful. The cake came out eggy and greasy. While making I thought that something was not right. It went from the oven to the garbage. Also the milk amounts seemed way too much. I'm going to try the other tres leches cake with, hopefully, better results!  

Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       12/12/2007   this is a fabulous cake. If you absolutely must- it works well with a quality white cake mix, too.

    Martha Stewart Member

    Rating: 5.0 stars 01/09/2020

Excellent recipe! I skip the coconut and heavy cream.

Rating: 5.0 stars

Rating: 5 stars 10/08/2013

My husband adores this cake.

Rating: 5 stars

Rating: Unrated 08/02/2010

This cake is terrific for a summertime dessert. I get many requests to make it for family get-togethers. Tip; use packaged, shredded coconut and toast it. No difference in taste compared to labor-intensive doing the coconut from scratch. Also two cups of heavy cream is too much. Use one cup whipped for topping. Make sure you let melted butter cool before adding to eggs.

Rating: Unrated

Rating: Unrated 05/05/2010

After tasting straight out of the oven, it did taste very eggy, so I was worried, but after soaking up the milk and a little refridgeration, it was delicious!

Rating: Unrated 04/30/2010

  1. you will know if the cake is a sucess when you add the milk. the cake should immediately absorb all of the milk(which equals about 4 cups) 4. traditionally this cake is served room temp. pull it out of the fridge at least an hour prior to serving. this step really enhances the flavor and texture of the cake

i’ve used this recipe about 6 or 7 times and it works great. i plan on making it for cinco de mayo this wednesday. a few tips for people having trouble with the recipe or method 1. you need to have all ingredients for the batter prepared and ready for mixing before you even start the process 2. GENTLY fold the flour mix into the batter 1/4 CUP AT A TIME. if you add too much flour the batter will fall and the cake WILL NOT rise in the oven

Rating: Unrated 01/04/2010

excellent cake but just need some help crossing the finishing line…close to perfection but requires a finishing touch. once the cake is done, pour one can sweetened condensed milk over the top. NOW taste absolute perfection.

Rating: Unrated 06/25/2008

This is literally the most delicious cake I have ever eaten. I found this recipe in the magazine a few years ago and loved it! I lost the recipe and have been looking for it ever since! I found it today and I am gonna make it right now! It is moist and delicious, and has almost a pudding like quality. It is very rich. You must try it at least once!

Rating: Unrated 03/20/2008

I thought this was awful. The cake came out eggy and greasy. While making I thought that something was not right. It went from the oven to the garbage. Also the milk amounts seemed way too much. I’m going to try the other tres leches cake with, hopefully, better results!

Rating: Unrated 12/12/2007

this is a fabulous cake. If you absolutely must- it works well with a quality white cake mix, too.

All Reviews for Pastel de Tres Leches

  • of Reviews Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

All Reviews for Pastel de Tres Leches

  • of Reviews

    Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful     Most Positive     Least Positive     Newest