CakesLatin AmericanMedium

Pastel de Tres Leches with Passion Fruit Cream

Name: Pastel de Tres Leches with Passion Fruit Cream
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 5 large eggs, separated (room temperature); 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk; ¾ cup (200 ml) sweetened condensed milk; ¾ cup (185 ml) evaporated milk; ½ cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well-stirred; 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature; 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold; ¾ cup (180 ml) passion fruit puree or fresh pulp, strained through fine-mesh sieve; ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract; ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (optional); 2 fresh passion fruit seeds (pulp) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A luscious Latin American sponge cake soaked in three different milks—condensed, evaporated, and coconut—then topped with a silky passion fruit cream. Light, moist, and intensely tropical with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 3 hr 5 min
Makes: 1 cake (12 slices)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the sponge cake
1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
5 large eggs, separated (room temperature)
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
For the milk mixture
¾ cup (200 ml) sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup (185 ml) evaporated milk
½ cup (120 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well-stirred
For the passion fruit cream
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
¾ cup (180 ml) passion fruit puree or fresh pulp, strained through fine-mesh sieve
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
For garnish
¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (optional)
2 fresh passion fruit seeds (pulp) (optional)

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Two medium bowls
Fine-mesh sieve or strainer
Whisk
Offset spatula or rubber scraper
Toothpick
Shallow bowl or baking dish (for soaking the cake)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the middle
Separate eggs 1 hour ahead and allow them to reach room temperature
Have all ingredients measured and ready before mixing the batter
Use fresh passion fruit if available; frozen puree works but may need straining

1
Mix dry ingredients
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Ingredients are fully combined and no lumps remain
Tip: Sifting aerates the flour and prevents lumps in the delicate sponge cake
2
Whip egg whites
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the 5 egg whites on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4–5 minutes.
- Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside without washing the mixer bowl.
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Ready when: Whites are glossy, thick, and hold stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted
Tip: Any trace of egg yolk or grease will prevent the whites from reaching full volume; even one drop of oil matters
3
Beat egg yolks with sugar
- In the stand mixer bowl, beat the 5 egg yolks with the granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes until pale, fluffy, and almost white in color.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
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Ready when: The mixture has tripled in volume and is pale cream-colored
Tip: Don't rush this step; thorough beating incorporates air that keeps the cake light and tender
4
Fold in dry mix and milk
- Reduce the mixer speed to low.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the milk, then another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining milk, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients.
- Mix only until just combined after each addition—do not overmix.
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Ready when: The batter is smooth with no visible streaks of flour
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough; mix just until you don't see dry flour
5
Fold in egg whites
- Using an offset spatula or rubber scraper, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in two additions, folding just until no white streaks are visible.
- Work carefully to preserve the airiness.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of white remain; the batter is uniform and billowy
Tip: Folding gently is the secret to a light, airy crumb; if you stir, you'll deflate the whites and end up with a dense cake
6
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan, spreading it level.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: Cake is golden-brown on top, springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick comes out clean
Tip: Don't open the oven door in the first 25 minutes; any sudden temperature drop can cause the cake to fall
7
Cool briefly
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- The cake will still be warm—this is ideal for soaking.
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Ready when: The cake is warm to the touch but no longer piping hot
Tip: Soaking a warm cake helps it absorb the milk mixture more efficiently than a completely cool cake
8
Prepare milk mixture
- While the cake cools, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and coconut milk in a bowl.
- Taste and adjust sweetness if desired—the mixture should be quite sweet but balanced.
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Ready when: Milks are fully combined and uniform in color
Tip: Stir the coconut milk thoroughly before mixing to incorporate the cream and liquid evenly
9
Soak the cake
- Using a fork, pierce the entire surface of the warm cake all over—make dozens of tiny holes.
- Slowly and evenly pour the milk mixture over the cake, letting it soak in gradually.
- You may not use every drop if the cake is saturated; use what the cake will absorb without pooling on the surface.
- Let the cake rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
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Ready when: Cake is thoroughly chilled and the milk is fully absorbed
Tip: Don't skip the chilling step—a cold cake is much easier to frost and holds the topping better
10
Make passion fruit cream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute.
- Pour in the strained passion fruit puree and beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Cream cheese is smooth and light, and passion fruit is evenly distributed
Tip: If the puree looks too thin or watery, add an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar to thicken
11
Whip heavy cream
- In a separate bowl (or clean stand mixer bowl), whip the cold heavy cream on high speed until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
- The cream should hold its shape but still look slightly fluffy, not grainy.
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Ready when: Cream forms soft, rounded peaks that hold their shape
Tip: Stop before reaching stiff peaks; overmixing turns cream into butter
12
Fold together topping
- Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the passion fruit cream cheese mixture in two additions, folding just until no white streaks remain.
- The topping should be light, fluffy, and mousse-like.
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Ready when: The mixture is uniform in color with no visible cream streaks
Tip: Fold gently to maintain the lightness of the whipped cream
13
Frost and chill
- Spread or pipe the passion fruit cream evenly over the chilled cake using an offset spatula, creating a smooth or textured finish as desired.
- Sprinkle with toasted coconut and scatter passion fruit seeds on top if using.
- Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the frosting to firm up slightly.
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Ready when: Frosting is evenly applied and cake is chilled through
Tip: If the frosting seems too soft, chill it for 15 minutes before spreading, or chill the cake for 30 minutes before serving

Good to know

Tips

For the best sponge cake, make sure your egg whites and yolks are truly at room temperature—cold eggs won't incorporate air efficiently, and the resulting cake will be dense.
If you're using fresh passion fruit, cut them in half and scoop the pulp and seeds into a fine-mesh sieve held over a bowl. Push gently with the back of a spoon to extract the juice and pulp; discard the seeds. Frozen passion fruit puree (available in Latin markets or online) is a convenient alternative.
The three-milk soak is what makes this cake special—don't skip piercing the cake thoroughly. The holes allow the milk to penetrate evenly and create that signature moist, custardy texture.
This cake is best served cold, so refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before cutting. Use a hot, damp knife (wipe it between cuts) to slice cleanly without tearing the delicate frosting.

Make ahead

Up to 24 hours ahead: bake and soak the cake, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The frosting can be made up to 8 hours ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container; let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before frosting if it's too stiff.

Storage & reheating

Store the finished cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cake is best served cold, straight from the fridge. Do not freeze the frosted cake, as the texture of the whipped cream will suffer; however, you can freeze the unfrosted, soaked cake for up to 1 month, then thaw, and frost just before serving.

Substitutions

passion fruit puree or fresh pulp → Mango puree or fresh passion fruit juice (strained). Use the same amount. If using juice alone, reduce the volume to 1/2 cup and add 2 tablespoons of passion fruit pulp (if available) for more flavor and texture; alternatively, add a tablespoon of lime juice for tartness.
full-fat coconut milk → Whole milk or additional evaporated milk. Use 1/2 cup whole milk or evaporated milk instead. You'll lose some tropical flavor and richness, but the cake will still be delicious.
heavy whipping cream → Crème fraîche or sour cream. Use the same amount. The topping will be slightly tangier and less fluffy; fold it more gently and do not whip it.
cream cheese → Mascarpone cheese. Use 8 oz (225 g). The topping will be richer and slightly less tart; reduce the powdered sugar by 1 tablespoon.