Pineapple and Coconut Tres Leches Cake has wonderful Caribbean-inspired flavors infused into this delicious cake. Go ahead and try to stop yourself after just 1 piece!
2 14-ozcans coconut milk(full fat, not lite. And not cream of coconut, you want coconut milk)
1box yellow cake mix
3eggs
⅓cupvegetable oil
1.25cupwater
120-ozcan crushed pineapple(or pineapple tidbits) in pineapple juice
112-ozcan evaporated milk
114-ozcan condensed milk
1container cool whip, thawed
120-ozcan of pineapple chunks in pineapple juice, or fresh pineapple for decorating the cake
½cupcoconut flakes, sweetened or unsweetened
Optional: 1 shot of coconut rum
Instructions
Place 1 can of coconut milk in the fridge. Preheat oven to 350F.
Drain the crushed pineapple in a mesh strainer (collect the yummy pineapple juice and make yourself a cocktail while you bake the cake!). Use a spoon to squeeze the extra water out. This drained pineapple is going into the cake batter. It is OK if it is a little wet, since we will be soaking the cake in the milk mixture after the cake bakes, but you don't want extra pineapple juice going into the batter.
Prepare the cake batter. Combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water in a large bowl (add the shot of coconut rum if you like) and beat on the medium setting with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Add the drained crushed pineapple and mix for another minute on medium.
Pour the batter into a greased 13 x 9 cake pan and bake at 350F for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, prepare the three milks mixture: In a large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and 1 can of coconut milk. Whisk them together until you have a smooth mixture.
While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the cake with a fork. Don't forget all the parts of the cake close to the edges and the corners.
Pour the three milks mixture all over the cake. We used about ⅔ of the mixture, but you can add all of it. Place the cake in the fridge and let it cool down and absorb all the milky goodness.
Get the can of coconut that was in the fridge. Open it, and carefully pour the top creamy part into a large bowl. Don't get the watery part in there. Save the coconut water part to add to a smoothie or make yourself another cocktail.
Use a mixer to beat the coconut cream for a few minutes, until it fluffs up and almost doubles in size. Add the cool whip, and continue to mix for about 30 seconds, or until the coconut milk and the cool whip are combined.
Spread the cool whip/coconut mixture all over the cake.
Toast the coconut flakes in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they start to brown, stirring constantly so you don't burn them.
Decorate the cake with toasted coconut and pineapple chunks. Serve chilled or at room temperature.