Coconut Tres Leches Cake

I've seen several recipes for this cake lately, and I've been waiting for a chance to make it.  Lunch with my mom and sisters was the perfect occasion.  I hope they don't mind being my guinea pigs!  I kind of combined this recipe with this one here, and the final product was delicioso!  

Tres Leches is spanish for three milks.  The three milks in this cake are the heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk and cream of coconut (note:  this is NOT coconut milk.  It is called Cream of Coconut and I found it at the regular grocery store by the drink mixers on the soda pop isle).  The coconut flavor is very mild, so don't skip the coconut on top for a garnish!    

Coconut Tres Leches Cake
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Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 whole eggs
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk

Milk Syrup:
1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Garnishes:
sweetened cream (see instructions below)
banana slices
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake it at 350 degrees until golden brown)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 inch pan liberally until coated. 

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 

Separate eggs.  Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow.  Stir in milk and vanilla.  Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined. 

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form.  With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.  Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined.  Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (I baked mine about 32 minutes).  Place on a wire rack until completely cooled. 

To make the milk syrup: in a blender, combine the cream of coconut, evaporated milk, cream and vanilla and process until smooth.  (I didn't read these directions closely enough--when I made it I just wisked it together in a glass pouring dish and I completely forgot to put in the vanilla--it was still YUMMY though!)

Pierce the cooled cake all over with a fork.  The more pokes, the more the syrup will soak into the cake.  Slowly drizzle the milk syrup all over the cake, allowing the cake to absorb all the moisture.  When you have finished, not all of the syrup will be completely absorbed and might be pooling on the top but that's ok because it will absorb as it refrigerates.  Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I did mine overnight).  Serve cake topped with sweetened cream, toasted coconut and banana slices.

Sweetened Cream:  Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into a large (preferably chilled) glass bowl and beat it on high speed until stiff peaks are just about to form.  Stop the mixer and add 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.