My favorite Cuban Dessert Recipes
There is nothing quite like Cuban desserts. From the richness of a decadent tres- or quatro- leches cake, to the airy flakiness of a freshly baked pastelito, Cuban desserts are unique, delicious, and quite simple to put together. One of my favorite desserts consists of only 3 ingredients, and there is no cooking required- guava and cheese crackers. If you are looking for a new and delicious dessert for your next potluck or dinner party, look no further than these delicious Cuban desserts. Or, what better and more delicious way is there to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month?
Most Cuban desserts that I grew up eating are very simple to make. There are only a few ingredients that are combined in different ways to create a wonderful array of sweet delicacies. Even our buttercream cake frosting is a bit different than American buttercream, and no birthday party is complete without it. Check out some of my favorite and easy-to-make Cuban desserts.
1. Classic Cuban Desserts: Flan
I have been told that flan is similar to custard. The main difference to me is that I have never eaten custard. All that is needed to make a flan is a can of evaporated milk, a can of sweetened condensed milk, regular milk, eggs, and sugar. Everything except the sugar is combined and mixed in the blender then added to a pot with the sugar melted and spread across the bottom of the pan.
This is put in the oven inside another pot with water (bain-marie, or as my abuela called it, Bano maria) and cooked for few hours, It is done once all the liquid has hardened almost like jello. Cool down and carefully flip it onto a plate and serve.
The recipe that I linked used a loaf pan inside of a 9×13 pan, which is absolutely genius! This recipe also includes cinnamon which I have never used, but I’m sure would be delicious. If you are not a big fan of cinnamon (like me) simply leave it out.
2. Traditional Cuban Dessert: Tres Leches
The name of this cake is derived from the fact that the entire cake is drenched in 3 types of milk. This is one of my favorite Cuban desserts, and frankly, no other cake can compare for me. The cake is a simple yellow cake that is baked, cooled, and then poked with a fork. This is done so that the milk can soak inside the cake once it has been poured over. This is topped with whipped cream and cherries.
Apparently, the original Cuban tres leches are topped with a light meringue instead of whipped cream. This technically makes this a four-milk cake instead of three-milks with the addition of heavy cream on top. However, this is how I have always made it in my family.
3. Cream Cheese And Guava On Crackers Easy 3-Ingredient Cuban Dessert
This was a weeknight staple in my house. All that is needed is some Cuban crackers, cream cheese, and guava paste. My grandfather would cut slices of the guava and cream cheese, delicately assemble them and give us one or two for dessert. This dessert is simple, delicious and the guava paste transports you to tropical bliss.
Guava is a fruit that we buy as a paste. You can use either the block of cream cheese or the one that comes in the tub. Doesn’t matter. If you cannot get your hands on Cuban crackers I have also seen recipes that use Ritz crackers instead.
If guava is a bit too adventurous for you, you can also try this with raspberry or strawberry jam, technically, although guava is delicious. If you have never tried it, this is a perfect introduction to this delicious fruit!
And what’s better than a simple dessert that you don’t have to cook?
I also love guava and cheese pastelitos which are pastries. I have never made these though, I always buy pastelitos from the bakery. This sounds like a great recipe to try and write about. I will keep you updated once I try to make these.
In the meantime, guava, cheese, and crackers are a perfect way to hold you over till the next time you can hit a bakery in Miami.
4. Quatro Leches Dessert With Dulce De Leche
This cake is similar to the tres leches cake, which is topped with whipped cream. In this case, the cake is topped with a caramel sauce made from sweetened condensed milk. The rest of the cake is pretty much the same, including being soaked in the delicious three kinds of milk before being topped.
The fourth milk is the dulce de leche made from sweetened condensed milk. This version of the cake is definitely more decadent than the tres leches. The dulce de leche takes this dessert to a whole new level, although you might not be able to eat more than a few bites from how rich it can be.
5. Two Cuban Desserts In One: Turning Sweetened Condensed Milk Into Dulce De leche
Ok so this isn’t technically a dessert, I know, but we loved eating this stuff right out of the can as kids. As an adult, I learned that you can also make a delicious caramel sauce that we call dulce de leche. This translates to the sweetness of milk or milk candy.
All you have to do to make this delicious dessert is take a whole can of sweetened condensed milk and place it inside a slow cooker with some water. Leave that guy in there on low for 4-8 hours.
When you open the can you will have fresh dulce de leche which you can enjoy as a fruit dip, right out of the can, or even as the topping on the cuatro leches cake. Yep, this is how you can make your cake topping for the quatro-leches cake.
6. Cuban Rice Pudding AKA Arroz Con Leche
Oh man, just thinking about Arroz con Leche brings back amazing memories! I remember coming home from school in the afternoons to my bis-Abuela’s house. On some days, the sweet delicious smell of cream and cinnamon would permeate the whole neighborhood and we knew as soon we got off the bus that it was Arroz con Leche day. Not only did this mean that we would get to enjoy this delicious treat, but it also meant that we were going to get to see our whole family when they came by to pick up their bowl!
Like I mentioned at the beginning of the post, a lot of our desserts have very similar ingredients. For Arroz con Leche you will need your three kinds of milk and some short-grain rice. My Abuela always used Valencia rice, but any short-grain rice should work. Don’t forget the lemon zest as it helps balance out the flavors and gives it that tiny Caribbean burst of flavor.
7. Cuban Dessert Classics: Merenguitos
I remember how excited my brother and I used to get when we were allowed to have one of these little bits of heaven. Merengue is made from egg whites that are whipped with sugar until it’s solid. They are soft and sweet and melt in your mouth. This is a light and fluffy treat that can also be used to top or decorate other cakes or desserts.
8. Cuban Rum Cake
This is one of those desserts that I just didn’t understand as a kid, but my family would go nut for. A simple and delicious way to spice up your next dinner party. The sweet sponginess of the cake and the sharp flavor of the rum combine perfectly in this grown-up dessert.
9. Comforting Twist On A Cuban Dessert Classic: Chocolate Flan
The flan is a perfect canvas for all kinds of wonderful flavors. One easy way to switch up a plain flan is to make is chocolate! I remember my different aunts (and neighbors we called aunts) bringing different varieties of flan to potlucks or dinner parties. This one was a staple. I have never served it with strawberries as showing in the picture, but that sounds like the perfect compliment to this rich and creamy dessert.
10. A Taste of The Carribean Coconut Flan
Another amazing variation of flan, this one featuring the ever tropical coconut! To create this delicious and tropical twist on this already incredible dessert, switch out the evaporated milk with a can of coconut milk. You can also sprinkle the top of this with coconut flakes for added flavor and texture.
This was another party favorite when I was growing up. My family brought different flans instead of different desserts.
11. Traditional Cuban Dessert Natilla
Natilla is an egg-based dessert that is rich and decadent and is perfect for warmer weather. I wasn’t a fan of this as a kid, but it’s one of that food that I have definitely grown fonder of over the years.
12. Chocoflan: A Cuban Dessert that combines the best of two worlds, flan and cake!
Not going to lie, I didn’t know about this until I was looking for my recipes for this article. I must say that I am intrigued! Apparently, this dessert is half flan, half chocolate cake, all delicious! I will definitely post an update when I get a chance to make this!
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