TRES LECHES CAKE CONES

Paper snow cones are needed for this recipe, or, if you'd prefer, they can be baked as cupcakes (yield 2 dozen). Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk in the sauce, not to be confused with evaporated milk.

INGREDIENTS

SPONGE CAKES
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TRES LECHES SAUCE
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TOPPING
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 red maraschino or glace cherries
Confetti sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Line each cavity of one (or two if you have them) muffin tin with crumpled aluminum foil.

Press paper cones down into the foil so they are securely standing upright. Set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat the egg whites in a separate large mixing bowl until soft peaks form.

With the mixer running add egg yolks one at a time; beat well after each addition.

Alternately beat in flour mixture with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Beat in the vanilla extract. Fill the cones with batter only halfway - if you overfill, later on in the recipe the tres leches sauce will overflow and make a big 'ol mess!

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the center.

Remove cakes from oven and let them cool in the pan.

Gently poke holes in the cakes with a wooden skewer - be careful to to avoid poking holes through the paper cones. 

For the sauce, whisk together all the milks in a 4 cup measure.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of sauce into each cone; let stand until liquid is soaked into the cakes.

Pour another 2-3 tablespoons of liquid into each cone. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.

For the topping, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form; gradually add the granulated sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla.

Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Pipe swirls of topping on each cake.

Garnish with a cherry and confetti sprinkles.