White Tres Leches Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

2. Combine cake mix, flour, eggs, sugar, milk, canola oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and baking powder in a large bowl until thoroughly blended; pour into the prepared cake pans.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cakes in pans about 10 minutes, then remove from pans. Place on wire racks to cool completely.

4. Whisk evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, 6 tablespoons cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and coconut extract in a bowl until smooth; refrigerate tres leches mixture.

5. Beat 2 cups cream and pudding mix together in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes; refrigerate mousse filling.

6. Level cake by lightly cutting off a thin layer of each cake top using a long serrated knife. Place cakes, leveled-sides up, on pieces of waxed paper. Poke holes all over cakes with a skewer. Slowly pour tres leches mixture over cakes, about 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until mixture has soaked in before adding more. Wrap cake layers in plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.

7. Unwrap one cake layer; place onto a serving platter, leveled-side up. Top cake with mousse filling. Gently place second cake layer over filling, leveled-side down. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cook's Note:

Partially freezing the cake layers makes it easier to assemble a layered tres leches cake.

Tip:

Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy.