Coconut Tres Leches Cupcakes.
Clearly… this? Not ice cream. But it’s cool. It’s almost as good. Maybe better?
Depends on your mood. Are you in an omg-I’m-going-to-inhale-a-pint-or-two-of-ice-cream-after-this-hellish-day mood? Or are you in an I’m-so-happy-I-could-smash-my-face-into-a-cupcake mood?
You should figure it out. These things are very important when it comes to desserts.
I tend to be a frequent member of the face-smashing club. I adore how social and exciting food is, and it wouldn’t be a lie to say it’s the first thing I plan in time of celebrations. What I’m really trying to say is that regardless of the mood, I constantly eat my emotions. And they are so delicious!
Like last Tuesday, when I visited Ashley and we went to Jeni’s ice cream. I only had about, uh… 12? samples before cautiously choosing the tres leches cake (just look at those ingredients) and declaring it one of the best decisions of my life. Say it with me: coconut soaked cake, toasted coconut, vanilla ice cream, cherries…
You know where this is going. I haven’t been able to think about anything else. Seriously.
If you’ve ever made a tres leches cake, you know it’s all about baking the cake then pouring the combined three (hello… TRES) milks over top. And if you’ve never made tres leches cake… well it’s all about baking the cake and then pouring the combined three milks over top. Now you know.
And as you also probably already know… cupcake tops are not, um… flat. They are very not flat. Not like the top of a cake baked in a baking dish. They tend to be slightly puffy and round, unless you’ve experienced a minor disaster and slowly watched your cakes in a cup sink to their toes right before your weepy eyes.
It happens. (<— all the time.)
This.is.a.project.
Soooo what’s a pateince-less girl to do when you have a dozen cupcakes plus that need a few cups of milk slowly and carefully poured on top? I’m going to tell you.
1. Clear a lovely little area in your house… kitchen, dining room, family room floor to make your life more accessible to the shirtless men on Dancing with the Stars… whatever. Make it easy. Somewhere you can sit. Be comfy and what not.
2. Set out three glasses, then pour wine in all three. Place them in front of you in a cute little lineup. This will save you time. Instead of pouring wine, you can continue to tediously spoon thick and luscious (I sort of hate that word) milk on top of your baby cakes. All three shall be consumed. It’s a rule. Made up by me.
3. Blast Adam Levine something or other on your Pandora station. Loudly. Smile at Pandora. Adam just got dumped and surely he needs some love. And cupcakes. I’m totally delivering both to his doorstep ASAP.
4. Dump that stuff over the cupcakes, take a sip, smile at Adam… over and over and over again.
If you are the type of person who is fully behind the cupcake trend, no matter who says that it’s over, outrageous or ridiculous… if you are the type of person who loves adorable little cakes so much because they just scream “I’M CUTE – EAT ME!”… and if you are really the type of person who would rather make tres leches cupcakes… and spend forever and a day injecting cake with milk… so that they are pretty single serving desserts, but mostly because you have a complete mental block against actual cakes, especially layer cakes which are supposed to include things like crumb coats and icing jackets and frosting gloves and a bunch of other scary, complicated things… well these are for you. Also, you are probably my soul mate. Call me. We have some things to discuss.
If not… make this into a cake. Still as fab. Still as coconutty. No biggie.
These cupcakes graced our Easter Sunday and were a huge hit. Soft, soaked cake, a ginormously fat, fresh whipped cream, face-plant worthy hat and a sprinkle of toasted coconut garnished with a sweet and juicy cherry? I’m in. Every day of the freaking week.
Coconut Tres Leches Cupcakes
[slightly adapted from Alton Brown]
makes 12-14 cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon (6.75 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (8 ounces)
5 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
whipped cream: 2 cups whipping cream, cold +Â 3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
garnish: 2 cups toasted flaked coconut +Â maraschino cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners. Because you will be soaking the cake in liquid, I highly suggest using the double liners with foil. If you can’t find those, double the liners yourself. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add in sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed. With the mixer on low speed add in each egg one at a time, mixing to combine and again scraping down the sides. Add in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, mixing until combined. With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three increments, only mixing until just combined and no dry spots remain. Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, spoon the batter into the double-lined muffin tins. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the tops of cupcakes spring back to the touch. Let cool completely.
While cupcakes are cooling, whisk together coconut milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk. Set aside.
Once cupcakes have cooled, you have many options on how to soak them. You can poke holes in the cake (make sure the hole goes to the almost-bottom) with a toothpick, skewer or fork, then slowly spoon the milk mixture over top. If you have a turkey baster or meat injector, you can inject the cupcakes with the milk. I also tried using a piping bag, placing the tip in the cupcake, then pouring the milk in the bag and holding it until it absorbs. Either way, it will be a tedious process. I found the slow spooning method to work best, but beware: it will still be messy. Once cupcakes are soaking in milk, refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
To frost: In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat whipping cream until peaks for and it is stiff enough to frost cupcakes, then mix in the rest of the vanilla and coconut extracts, and powdered sugar. Place in the fridge until ready to use. Once ready to frost, spoon a large 1/4 cup of whipped cream on top of cupcake and smooth with a spatula. Roll the tops in toasted coconut then garnish with a cherry. These are best when refrigerated, but are fine when sitting out for a few hours at a party, etc.
Note: the cupcakes are tedious – if you find it easier, make the cake in a 9×13 dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, poke holes, then pour milk over top.
Definitely worthy of face-smashing.
138 Comments on “Coconut Tres Leches Cupcakes.”
There needs to be more bakeries that give out this many samples. I am a coconut queen so this is my kind of face smashing. And I am fully on board with the cupcake movement (it is a movement). They will never go out of style. Thank you for posting these. Really.
yum this!
You know I’d probably marry a layer cake if I could, BUT I would smash my face into these in about 3 seconds. Invite me over, I dare you – it’s be messy.
At least a face smashing. I want to live inside that cupcake.
I could pour a glass of coconut milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk and be really happy…and then combine it with cake, omg.
Gorgeous photos! And that cherry is just the perfect touch!
WOW!! Amazing photos! Amazing cupcakes!
Gorgeous and probably delicious. But no, no patience for that! Instead I waste 3 hours perusing pinterest and reading blogs. ;)
You are a freakin food genius. I adore coconut, and tres leches. Can’t wait to try these!
You are on a coconut kick lately – and i LOVE it! :)
Wow, these look amazing. I was curious what made the cupcakes look so much higher in your picture so as I was reading through your instructions and saw that it was whip cream that you used…..seriously….my mouth was watering. I LOVE cake items with whip cream….or anything with whip cream.
Yes yes… it is whipped cream. I beat the cream until it was thick and then used a spatula and spooned huge mounds on top of the cupcakes, then smoothed it along the sides to create a big… lump, if you will. Then gently rolled it in the coconut. It’s basically just a big ball of whipped cream on there!
Goodness, girl. These sound decadent and wonderful and definitely like something I need to get my hands on soon. Thanks for sharing!
Yum. I’m loving all the coconut focus lately on your blog. It definitely feels appropriate once things start warming up though the weather here in Chicago would never be described as tropical. I ended up making some chocolate coconut cookies myself recently as inspired by your recipe, though I don’t keep coconut oil so mine are a little different.
That’s awesome girl – can’t wait to see!
Good Lord these look amazing.
this looks divine. i love tres leches.. i’ve eaten them at cuban restaurants, never baked them.. looks so yummy!
I tried tres leches cake at my favorite local Mexican restaurant and it was…yuck! It was so soupy I have never had the nerve to try it again. This recipe may make me change my mind! :-)
Oh my gosh… really Kim?! I would definitely try it again. I think you should try a homemade version but do the cake first – before cupcakes. I am not a huge cake fan and I can never get enough of it. PW also has a really good recipe. The cake should just be super moist – not soupy.
Ok…you convinced me to give it a try! I’ll look up PW’s recipe and try it. Then, if I like it, I’ll try your cupcake recipe. You have yet to let me down, Jessica! :-)
I just made the cupcakes! They came up super high and domed… Yours look like they have a nice flat top, almost like a sprinkles cupcake. Also, (I’ve never had this kind of cake before) They smell a little eggy if that makes sense?… almost like a sweet soufflé. Normal? Or should I start over?
Oh yay! Nope – you are correct, Alton’s recipe does have a lot of eggs and do sort of smell eggy when out of the oven, almost like a sponge cake. They don’t taste eggy though once they have been soaked in the milk, and just make sure the holes in your cupcakes go almost to the bottom! Since yours are more domed (my cakes might have just had less batter in the liners than yours) you might have more success injecting or using the baster to get the milks in the cake… I would think if you do the pour/spoon method most of it will run off? Keep me posted!
So pretty! love the pictures!!!
Loving these! I want that last cupcake in the picture! Please :)
I love tres leches cakes and these cupcakes are an adorable spin on them! Great photos and I can’t wait to try them at home.
Tres leches cake is probably my favorite dessert ever. I’m not sure I could stop myself at one of these cupcakes.
I feel like I pin everything you post, everything you make looks so delicious! Keep it coming!
OMG! I can’t wait to try this. These look incredible.
I’m really glad you included the directions for the cake method as well. You just think of everything!
These sound delicious! Thanks!
I must try these really soon! :)
I just made a really ridiculous face when I saw these cupcakes — and I am definitely in public. Hope no one noticed, lol. Anyhoo, these look fantastic!! Definitely going on my to-bake list :D
These sound absolutely wonderful. I am a veritable coconut fiend–must have these now!!
love the screwdriver.
i totally do that too, so not gourmet of me. LOL
LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!! Why?! BECAUSE I LOOOOOOOVE COCONUT!!! Enough said ;)
I love making cupcakes … mostly because I love using the piping bag … :) you inspired me to make my Tres Leches Recipe in the cupcake form!!!
I have Jeni’s ice cream book and the tres leches ice cream is bookmarked to make…it might get sidelined now though for these gorgeous cupcakes…love!
Gurl. Everything about this post is UH-maze-ing! Gorgeous pictures, gorgeous food. You are incredible!!!
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These look heavenly. I don’t think I have ever even eaten any tres leche cake, let alone bake any. It looks like that is about to change! :) Excited to try this out!
I recently made my husbands favorite Tres Leches Cake and swapped out the regular milk for coconut milk. The flavor was so good, but it wasn’t very moist… weird, right?!?!
This seems so delicious, though! I will definitely have to give it a try… and soon!
(ps- I recently came across a Almond Milk/Coconut milk from Blue Diamond and SOOO can’t wait to try it! Thought you might appreciate that news)
Ah-may-zing! hehe, loving this recipe- I’ve never tried a tres leche cake- it’s now on my list! Check out my banana and blueberry oaty muffins- not as flamboyant as yours but still taste yummy :) http://misswheezy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/friday-13th.html
Keep up the great blog. Beki x
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Tres leches is so delicious!
gimme gimme gimme! I need I need! Haha. WOWZERS. SO scrumptious indeed. :)
how much milk mixture roughly are you using per cupcake? I dont wanna waste any yummy goodness ^_^
Love these.
Love Adam.
Love your blog!
;)
These are tempting enough that I forgot about my fear of tres leeches flavored desserts….
These look awesome! I must be a glutton for punishment because I want to try to make these after just making tres leches cupcakes last week. Wine and a chair would have definitely helped. I thought about doing a coconut version but I was going to sub it for the evaporated milk (since you need cream anyway for the whipped cream. I have to say I usually peruse blogs just for the recipe, but I enjoyed reading your story because I can totally relate! I’m lookin forward to readin future posts.
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I had thought of doing my Tres Leches cupcakes forever … after seeing your post I did! They came out fantastic, now I must try your coconut version … loved your post!
I made these today and they were delicious !!!! The only thing is cupcakes were not soft when they came out if the oven
Woman, your creativity is amazing!
Loooooove these!
Tempting although I’m not a fan of coconut! (I know, sorry!) :)
These look amazing! Might have to make these for my birthday.
Made these the other day and they turned out great. The whipped cream is delicious. I had trouble soaking them in the tres leches and ended up cutting a triangle shape in the middle of each cupcake and pouring it in there and then stuffing the piece back in before frosting them. It worked, but the cake was a little dry since the milk didn’t get soaked all the way through. Will have to figure something out if I make them again!
Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Ok so how about THIS: you make your heavy cream into chocolate coconut rum chocolate milk before you whip it into freshly whipped cream? What if you also traded the eggs and oil for the most amazing vanilla Greek yogurt? Yes it works! Yes I did this with my sister last night and it was pretty much to die for. Thanks for the great start!
What brand of coconut do you use? And is it sweetened or unsweetened?