Temblecocho

Temblecocho is a Puerto Rican holiday dessert that combines creamy coconut tembleque with cake, perfect for making ahead and absolutely delicious!

If you come over to my house during the holidays, you already know there's going to be dessert, and more than one. You'll usually find tembleque de coco, flan de coco, budín de pan, arroz con dulce, and Puerto Rican flancocho somewhere on the table. Flancocho is known for combining cake and flan, and temblecocho is made with that same idea in mind. This dessert brings together creamy coconut tembleque and a soft cake in one pan. It's the kind of dessert I always make the day before because it tastes best the day after, once it's fully set and chilled. It’s perfect for the holidays!

Jump to:

• An Easy Shortcut that Just Works
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Cathy’s Expert Tips
• FAQ’s
• Other Latin Desserts You Will Love
• 📖 Recipe

An Easy Shortcut that Just Works

This temblecocho is much easier to make than it looks, thanks to a boxed cake mix. You can use any white cake mix you like, whatever you already have works just fine. I personally love using pineapple cake mix because it pairs perfectly with the pineapple glaze on top, but that part is totally up to you. This is also one of those desserts that needs to be made the day before. Once it has time to fully chill and set, the layers come together and the flavor is so much better the next day, making it perfect for holiday prep and stress-free hosting.

Ingredients

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Instructions

Prepare the Cake

1. Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the back of the cake box (Image 1-4). Tip: Make sure to grease your cake pan before adding cake batter.
2. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes. Using a cake leveler or a long serrated knife, carefully level the top of the cake (Image 5 & 6).
3. Flip the cake upside down onto a large serving platter. Set aside to continue cooling while you prepare the tembleque (Image 7).

Pan Size Tip:
Use a large cake pan for this recipe. A tart pan (Image 3) works perfectly since it's wide and deep enough to hold the tembleque layer without overflowing. If you don't have a large pan, you can also use two 8-inch cake pans. Just be sure to fill them only halfway so there's enough room for the tembleque.

Prepare the Spiced Tea

1. In a saucepan, add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and water. Heat over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (Image 1).
2. Strain the tea and discard the spices. Set the tea aside to cool slightly (Image 2).

Prepare the Tembleque

1. In a mixing bowl, add one can of coconut milk and whisk well until completely smooth. Whisk in the cornstarch until fully dissolved (Images 3 & 4). Set aside.
2. In a separate saucepan, add the remaining can of milk, the strained tea, sugar, and vanilla extract (Image 5). Whisk to combine.
3. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. As the mixture warms, whisk again to keep everything smooth (Image 6).
4. Slowly add the coconut milk and cornstarch mixture to the saucepan, whisking continuously.
5. Continue whisking without stopping until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency (Image 7).
6. Remove from heat and immediately pour the tembleque evenly over the prepared cake (Image 8). Allow the tembleque to cool for 30 minutes before starting the pineapple glaze.

Prepare the Pineapple Glaze

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the reserved pineapple juice (without the chunks), sugar, and cornstarch (Image 1). Stir until smooth.
2. Bring to a gentle boil, then add the pineapple chunks. Stir constantly until thickened (Image 2 & 3).
3. Remove from heat and allow the glaze to cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Spoon the glaze over the tembleque layer (Image 4). Lightly sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon and garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired.
5. Chill and Serve: Lightly cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The cake is ready to serve the next day, once fully chilled and set. Serve chilled not room temperature.

Tip: Chill overnight. This isn't just about the tembleque setting up. Letting the cake, tembleque, and pineapple topping chill fully overnight brings the flavors together in a way you can't rush. Every bite tastes richer, sweeter, and more balanced, and this dessert should always be served cold for the best results.

Chill, slice and serve! Enjoy!

Cathy’s Expert Tips

• Pour the tembleque while it's hot. Don't let it sit in the pot, pouring it hot helps it spread evenly and settle smoothly over the cake.

• Chill overnight, do not rush it. This dessert truly needs time. The tembleque firms up, the cake absorbs flavor, and the whole thing slices clean the next day. Most importantly the flavors really need time to develop, it will not taste the same if rushed.

• Let the pineapple glaze cool slightly before adding. If it’s too hot, it can sink into the tembleque; a few minutes of cooling keeps the layers distinct.

• Cover lightly, not tightly. Use loose plastic wrap so condensation doesn't drip onto the surface and create extra moisture.

• Slice with a clean. Wipe the knife between cuts for neat, bakery-style slices.

FAQ’s

Other Latin Desserts You Will Love

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