Coconut Tres Leches Skillet Cake with Whipped Icing
During my sophomore year in college, I moved to Beaufort, a small town on the coast of North Carolina. I lived there for a few months before traveling for a month down the Eastern seaboard to study marine zoogeography. That semester changed my life, and I’ve continued to process the memories over the years. Periodically I’ll share stories here on Willow Bird Baking from that time.
One of the stops on our trip south was Sapelo Island, Georgia. It’s not a place most people get to go — you have to get your name on an approved list to get on the ferry over to the island. Because of our work cataloging invertebrates — work that often amounted to crawling through the ocean on all fours hunting for critters and then poring over dichotomous keys to discover their identity — we were granted passage to the University of Georgia Marine Institute on the island.
As a result, I found myself on a ferry whose wake catapulted unlucky fish into the mouths of waiting seagulls. My classmates and I eagerly watched off the sides of the boat, all but ignoring the beautiful Georgia lowlands sunset in hopes of catching a glimpse of dolphins. When we arrived on the island, we walked through a fairy tale of trees weeping with Spanish moss, which my more-Southern friends warned me not to touch. “It’s full of all kinds of creepy-crawlies,” they noted, careful to use the scientific terminology we were painstakingly learning. We were welcomed into Hogg Hummock, a Gullah-Geechee community that has been on the island for generations, and treated to what is still one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in my life.
After a few days of getting to know the island’s octopods, snails, and clams, it was Sunday and time for a day of rest. We put on as close to our Sunday best as we had been able to pack in our tiny suitcases and made our way to St. Luke Baptist Church. The sermon was beautiful and the people were so generous to welcome a motley crew of students. But what was really special to me was one of the hymns we sang. You might know it yourself. Part of it goes: And we will tell the story of how we’ve overcome. We’ll understand it better by and by. Singing that song, I had one of those moments — I call them airplane moments — when I knew God was clearly speaking to me.
At the time, I thought that God was telling me to hold on for more understanding of my time in Beaufort. It was unusual for a sophomore to be accepted on the trip at all, and I had never been this far away from home. I had prayed fervently before the beginning of the trip for God to only send me if he had a use for me there. It probably sounds silly to some people, but packing up my car and driving 6 hours away from home was my first giant step out into faith. And it’s true: as the trip went on and I got to know a beautiful classmate whose life God was in the process of saving, I did understand my role there more clearly. But as usual, I had underestimated the scope of the work God was doing.
He knew the broader mystery unfolding in my life. He knew I would eventually find myself unable to eat without a confusion of guilt and hatred coursing through my body. He knew about the summer I would find myself in a gown and socks that weren’t mine, watching Ice Age in the waiting room of the emergency room, hoping they would let me go. He knew about the blurred lane lines, the broken nose, the blood, the hazy days spent looking through funny pictures to keep myself alive. That day in church, I had no idea about the plot twists waiting for me, but He did. And He planted a message deep in my heart to remember: you’ll understand it better by and by.
I’m more aware now than I was on Sapelo Island not because I’ve reached the “understanding” part yet, but more because I now know I haven’t. I expect there will be more twists, and I won’t even kid myself about being prepared for them. Instead, I’ll just hold on tight to the promise He whispered to me in that church and watch the horizon for dolphins.
* * * 
This easy coconut cake is the answer to the near-constant coconut craving I’ve had lately. It whips up quickly and is moist, fluffy, and drowned in three milks and the absolute BEST whipped frosting I’ve ever found. Coconut fans, rejoice!
One year ago: Paleo Scallion Pancake
Two years ago: Insane Chili Cheese Dip
Three years ago: White Sheet Cake with Fluffy Whipped Icing
Four years ago: Red Velvet Cheesecake-Stuffed Cake Balls
Five years ago: Magnificent Cream of Mushroom Soup with Crispy Leeks
Six years ago: Ugly as Sin Coconut Cake
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/8 cups cake flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- about 1 cup shredded coconut (for topping)
- To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare a 10-inch oven-safe skillet sprayed with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter and water to a boil. In the meantime, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt before whisking in the egg, sour cream, coconut extract, vanilla extract. Mix to combine. While mixing, slowly pour in the boiling butter and water mixture. Mix to combine completely. Your batter will be very runny. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several places comes out with a few moist crumbs. When the cake is still hot, poke it all over with a fork to create a porous surface.
- To make the tres leches: Mix the three milks together well and pour evenly over the surface of the cake while it's still hot. Place the cake in the fridge to cool completely and soak up all the milk mixture (I waited about 2 hours).
- To make the frosting: Heat the milk, flour, and granulated sugar together over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once it starts to boil, continue whisking and heating it for around 7 minutes or until it’s very thick, like cake batter consistency. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the coconut and vanilla extract. Remove the mixture to a shallow pan and let the mixture cool completely (after a bit, I stuck mine in the fridge to hurry it along). Once the mixture is completely cool, beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add the completely cooled mixture and beat on high until you have fluffy frosting the consistency of stiff whipped cream (this takes 2-4 minutes, so be patient). Dollop most of the frosting out onto your cake and spread it out evenly. Top with coconut and serve!
heidi
February 7, 2016 at 11:13 pm (9 years ago)i SO enjoy reading your posts.you have an amazing awareness. faith is a lifelong process, constantly changing and adapting to what’s currently in your life.you have been given a gift to teach,in many ways, some more obvious than others.a wise person once told me that we teach in different ways, sometimes by example.i am very happy to begin to “know” you.
Melanie
February 8, 2016 at 6:35 am (9 years ago)What an insightful post. Continue with growing in understanding and listening for those “God” moments. We just moved from 4 miles due west of Sapelo Island to South Carolina’s Upstate, and, oh how I miss those salt marshes. And, for next time, Spanish moss only has red bugs (chiggers) in it after it falls to the ground.
erin
February 8, 2016 at 6:40 am (9 years ago)I loved this post Julie. It brought tears to my eyes but I couldn’t even say why. With quick brushstrokes, you painted such a vivid picture of that church, those dear old people. You didn’t even specifically say what the meal was, but in my mind’s eye I can picture it, taste it. And moreover, I can feel the love of God in all of it. Thank you for writing such a beautiful post and for reminding me that there is a plan. And that we’ll come to understand it all in the by and by.
erin
February 8, 2016 at 6:40 am (9 years ago)And the cake looks great!! I love a good Tres Leches!!
Amber Harding
February 8, 2016 at 6:51 am (9 years ago)Such a lovely story! The cake is amazing!
Stephanie
February 8, 2016 at 9:54 am (9 years ago)Sounds like you have an amazing story of faith to tell, thank you for sharing a piece of that with us. Also, I wish you could share a piece of this cake with me! Looks so yummy!
Rosemaryandthegoat
February 8, 2016 at 11:36 am (9 years ago)I love reading your stories, especially this one. Back in the 50’s my mother made this whipped cream frosting but not with the coconut extract. I will have to try your version. One thing I do remember that was important that the first beating of the butter and sugar took 8 minutes, any less and the texture might be gritty and then after adding the paste mixture beat another 4 minutes. I love coconut so may try to make this for my craft circle soon.
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life
February 8, 2016 at 4:10 pm (9 years ago)What an incredible faith story! God is good all the time. It is always so neat to look back and see the steps that He ordered to get us where we are today! Thank you for sharing! And coconut cake…heck yeah! This looks amazing!
Judith
February 10, 2016 at 6:33 pm (9 years ago)This recipe sounds Devine…Will make very soon…But I can tell by looking at the recipe it’s good????. My husband is retired now but he is/was a Marine Biologist and his field was invertebrates..much appreciate this recipe. Is there a southern girl who doesn’t love coconut anything….I think it’s in our DNA..
The-FoodTrotter
February 13, 2016 at 5:58 pm (9 years ago)I love tres leches cake, so with coconut I can say it’s probably simply insane 🙂
Joanna
February 19, 2016 at 7:06 pm (9 years ago)Because we have no coconut extract here, but we do have fresh coconuts, my sixteen-year-old daughter tweaked your delicious cake and just won a baking contest. Thanks, Julie!
Rosemaryandthegoat
February 25, 2016 at 9:56 am (9 years ago)Did you use sweetened coconut or the unsweeten type that is large flakes/or small shredded.
Julie Ruble
February 25, 2016 at 12:14 pm (9 years ago)I am using the small shredded coconut that comes sweet.
Rosemaryandthegoat
February 26, 2016 at 9:42 am (9 years ago)I will give that a try. Also, I just noticed that you cook the sugar. I am anxious to try that because for 46 years I have done it the way my mother did and she beat the sugar 8 minutes with the flour mixture after that had cooled. If it wasn’t beaten 8 minutes then it would have a sugary taste, and your way that would not happen. Hope everyone enjoys it this weekend.
Rosemaryandthegoat
February 26, 2016 at 3:29 pm (9 years ago)Forgot to ask you if you refrigerate your cake since the frosting has butter in it.
Julie Ruble
February 26, 2016 at 5:34 pm (9 years ago)Yes, I do. But then I let a piece sit out at room temp for 30-45 minutes or so before eating so the frosting will be soft.
Rosemaryandthegoat
February 26, 2016 at 9:05 pm (9 years ago)Also, have you tried using Coco Lopez instead of coconut milk?
Coco in the Kitchen
March 15, 2016 at 4:41 pm (9 years ago)This cake is on my agenda!
restaurantthatdeliversnearme.website
July 3, 2022 at 6:05 pm (2 years ago)It is a nice recipe. Thx
http://food.co.rw