Go Back Email Link
+ servings
A slice of almond flour gluten free tres leches cake with strawberry slices.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake

A paleo version of the classic Mexican Tres Leches Cake. A fluffy vanilla almond flour cake is soaked in sweetened coconut milk, and then topped with a creamy coconut whipped cream.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 617kcal

Ingredients

Almond Flour Cake

  • 2 cups almond flour blanched
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 eggs separated
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup honey or sub date syrup
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk unsweetened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla *or scraped vanilla bean, for Paleo
  • 1 cup coconut milk full fat (from can)
  • 2 tablespoons honey or sub date syrup
  • strawberries for serving, optional

Coconut Whipped Cream

  • 2 cans coconut cream full fat, *see notes
  • 2 tablespoons honey light in color, or sub date syrup

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8 or similar size baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
  • Prepare the cake by combining the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium size mixing bowl, and whisking to combine.
  • In a smaller bowl, add the egg yolks, coconut oil, honey (or date syrup), almond milk and vanilla, and whisk until well mixed.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until just combined, without over mixing.
  • Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, and then add the whipped egg whites to the cake batter. Use a spatula to gently fold in the egg whites until the two are mixed, being careful not to stir too much of the air out of the batter.
  • Add the mixture to the baking dish, smoothing out the top.
  • Bake the cake in the Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven on Bake/Reheat at 325º F for 32 minutes.
  • If using a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 325º F, and bake the cake for 50-55 minutes, until the cake is fully cooked in the center.
  • Allow the cake to completely cool.
  • Whisk together 1 cup of coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of honey (or date syrup).
  • Once the cake is cooled, remove the cake from the pan, take the parchment off the cake, and "flip" the cake upside down back into the cake pan.
  • Use a fork to cover the bottom of the cake with holes, and then drizzle the coconut milk mixture over the cake. Refrigerate and allow the milk to soak into the cake.
  • Top the cake with a thick layer of coconut whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Coconut Whipped Cream

  • Add a heavy mixing bowl (or bowl from stand mixer) to the freezer to chill.
  • Refrigerate cans of full fat coconut cream overnight. Before opening, "shake" cans to see if you can hear the liquid sloshing. If you don't hear the sound, your coconut cream has separated.
  • Flip the can upside down, and open the can from the bottom. The liquid will have settled to the bottom, and you need to pour off the liquid in order to separate the cream.
  • Add the solid coconut cream to chilled mixing bowl, and then use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to whip the coconut cream. Add sweetener of choice, and continue whipping until the cream has stiffened.

Video

Notes

*Whole Foods 365 brand, and Native Forest are brands I recommend. Other brands might not separate and therefore won't work.

Nutrition

Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3.8mg