Temblecocho

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Temblecocho is a Puerto Rican holiday dessert that combines creamy coconut tembleque with cake, perfect for making ahead and sharing during the holidays.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Equipment

11-inch tart pan or 2 8-inch cake pans

Ingredients

Cake

pineapple cake box mix plus all ingredients on box to make cake

Tembleque

2 cans 13.5 oz each coconut milk
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
ground cinnamon very light sprinkle

Spiced Tea

4 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
10 cloves
1½ cups water

Pineapple Glaze Topping

1 20 oz can pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple reserve the juice
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

Prepare the Cake

Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the back of the cake box. Tip: Make sure to grease your cake pan before adding cake batter. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes.
Pan Size Tip: Use a large cake pan for this recipe. A tart pan 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 with the cake batter so there’s enough room for the tembleque.
Using a cake leveler or a long serrated knife, carefully level the top of the cake. Flip the cake upside down onto a large serving platter. Set aside to continue cooling while you prepare the spiced tea for the tembleque.

Prepare the Spiced Tea

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

Prepare the Tembleque

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

Prepare the Pineapple Glaze

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the reserved pineapple juice (without the chunks), sugar, and cornstarch. Stir until smooth.
Bring to a gentle boil, then add the pineapple chunks. Stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and allow the glaze to cool for about 5 minutes.
Spoon the glaze over the tembleque layer. Lightly sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon and garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired.
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: It is very important to 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.

Notes

Recipe Notes

Cake: Although I am using pineapple cake mix, you can also use vanilla or coconut cake mix.

Pan Size Tip:
Use a large cake pan for this recipe. A tart pan works perfect 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.

Tip: It is very important to chill overnight, do not skip this step. 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.

Nutrition