Pastel de Tres Leches en Fiji

Tolu Sucu Keke or Pastel de Tres Leches Fiji Style

Ingredients
1 cup normal flour plus extra for flouring the baking dish
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter (about 115 grams), melted and cooled
1 cup Fiji sugar
5 eggs

Tres Leches milk mixture to pour over the cooled cake
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12 fluid ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1/3 cup Fiji Rum Co. rum (optional)

Whipped Cream topping
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch (23 x 20 x 3 cm) baking pan.

Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.

Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form; gradually beat in sugar until mixture is glossy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, combining each yolk before adding the next; beat in the melted butter and vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the flour/baking powder mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to the bowl, beating continuously. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Pierce cake several times with a fork.

Combine the coconut milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. Pour over the top of the cooled cake, refrigerate overnight or at least one hour to allow the tres leches to absorb into the cake.

Just before serving, whip the whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Cut in squares and top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and some sliced seasonal fruit.