Think of this as a cool, sticky cousin of tres leches. A light sponge is split, drenched in sweet coconut milk, sandwiched with cooked condensed milk and coconut cream, then buried in flakes. It needs a night in the fridge, which makes entertaining easy.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Resting
- 5 hours
- Total
- 6 hr 25 min
- Serves
- 12 servings
You will need 24 cm springform tin · electric mixer · mixing bowls · sieve · saucepan · wooden spoon · jug · whisk · long serrated knife · offset spatula · wire rack
Ingredients
Sponge
Coconut filling
Coconut milk syrup
Topping
Method
Bake the sponge
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 24 cm springform tin, line the base with baking paper and dust the sides with flour.
Beat the eggs, castor sugar, butter and vanilla with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until thick, pale and fluffy.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together. On low speed, add the flour mixture and milk in alternate batches, starting and ending with flour, and mix only until no dry streaks remain.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Make the filling
Put the tin of condensed milk, the butter and the desiccated coconut in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick enough to pull away from the base of the pan.
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the cream until smooth, then leave to cool to room temperature.
Make the syrup
Whisk the coconut milk, cold milk and half tin of condensed milk together in a jug until smooth. Do not heat it.
Assemble and chill
Slice the cooled sponge horizontally into two even layers with a long serrated knife. Clip the clean springform ring onto a serving plate and set the bottom layer inside it.
Spoon half the syrup slowly over the bottom layer, letting it soak in, then spread the cooled filling over it right to the edges.
Place the second layer on top, prick it all over with a fork and spoon over the remaining syrup, working from the centre to the edges.
Scatter the coconut flakes thickly over the top, cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Release the ring and serve cold in slices.
Tips
- No springform tin? Bake in a 20 x 30 cm tin for 35 to 40 minutes and assemble the cake in the same tin, serving it in squares.
- Leftovers keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days and taste even better on day two.
- Use the leftover half tin of condensed milk from the filling tin's partner for the syrup, so you need two tins in total.
- Toast the coconut flakes in a dry pan for a nutty, golden finish if you prefer.
Chilled Creamy Coconut Cake: your questions answered
Why must the cake chill overnight?
Chilling lets the sponge absorb the syrup fully and sets the filling, so the slices hold their shape. Four hours is the minimum, but overnight gives the best texture.
Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk in the syrup?
Yes, but thin 200 ml coconut cream with a little extra milk so the syrup stays pourable and soaks in evenly.
Should the syrup be warm when I pour it over?
No, keep it cold and unheated; a cold syrup soaks into the sponge without making it fall apart.
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