Less Guilt Dessert: Coconut-Lime Tres Leches Cake

Written by Liz -

When Chris tells me she’s made a dessert with less calories, less butter or less fat, I know it’s gonna be good! And that means I get to enjoy more of it. She showed up one day with a whole plate of milky, moist, coconutty goodness for us to try, as she worked on some better-for-you desserts (chocolate brownies with zucchini? yes!).

With the end of summer heat kicking up and Hispanic heritage month (September) just around the corner, this makes this the perfect less-guilt dessert for Labor Day weekend’s cookouts and celebrations.

Coconut-Lime Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
• 3 limes
• 1 can (13.5 fluid ounces) light coconut milk
• 1 can (14 ounces) NESTLÉ LA LECHERA FAT FREE Sweetened Condensed Milk or NESTLÉ CARNATION Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2/3 cup (5 fluid-ounce can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
• 1/3 cup light rum (or to taste)
• 2 cups light whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
• 1/2 cup shredded or flaked coconut, lightly toasted (optional)

Directions:

PREPARE cake mix according to package directions using egg whites; fold in grated peel from 1 lime. Bake in 13 x 9-inch baking pan for duration listed on package. Meanwhile, prepare tres leches mixture.

COMBINE coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and grated peel from 1 lime in large bowl; stir well. When cake tests done, remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

POKE holes in cake with a long-tined fork every ½ inch. Carefully pour milk mixture over cake, spooning any pooled mixture along the sides over the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

CUT the cake; top with dollop of whipped topping. Grate peel from remaining lime over cake; sprinkle with toasted coconut (or to achieve look in picture, use round biscuit cutters to cut cake, transfer to serving plate, then add toppings).

Links:

• Coconut-Lime Tres Leches Cake
• Get a Carnation coupon

More summer dessert recipes:

Raspberry Soufflé

Watermelon Sorbet