Tres Leches Cake

I decided to have tres leches cake as my birthday cake this year for a number of reasons:

First: I hate dry cake. I'd rather pass on the cake and just have a bowl of ice cream if the cake is dry and crumbly.  Tres leches cake is never dry: a sponge cake is soaked with a mixture of three milks which makes every bite taste like cake and custard at the same time.

Secondly: I love whipped cream. Icing is delicious and obviously traditional topping for cakes but secretly I would choose whipped cream over icing any day. Especially if its freshly whipped with good vanilla extract in it.

Third: It's fun soaking the cake with the milk mixture. You don't have to be careful or precise, you just soak the cake in milky deliciousness and banish any dry-cake worries you might have.

 

It all starts with a sponge cake.  You bake the sponge and then turn it out onto a tray to prepare it to be soaked with milk(s).  This preparation consists of poking it with a fork all over so that the milks can soak in.

 

 
Then  a can of condensed milk, a can of evaporated milk, and some cream are mixed together and drizzled all over the cake.

If you've baked with condensed milk, or have eaten desserts made with condensed milk before you should  already know why this cake is so freaking delicious. If you haven't, you probably shouldn't wait too much longer.

 

It's ok to really soak the cake with the milk mixture. Sponge cake holds liquid beautifully without being soggy or breaking down into mush. I soaked the cake before brunch started and used all but one cup of the milk mixture. It needs some time to soak up the milk so plan for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

The cake will drink up all the deliciousness and will be ready to be crowned with  clouds of whipped cream.

 

 

Mmm... whipped cream...

 

It doesn't need to be smoothed over perfectly or piped out all fancy. Just cover it with whipped cream and be done with it.

 

It's moist, milky, and not overly sweet or heavy. Even after a gigantic meal we were able to eat two slices each.

 

 

Tres Leches Cake

(from Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ⅓ cups Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• ¼ cups whipping cream (heavy cream)

For the Topping

• 1 pint whipping cream
• powdered sugar to taste (I use less than 1/3 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 pan

2. Separate the eggs with the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another

3. In a third bowl (a large one),  combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  

4. Beat the 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.

5. 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 and glossy but not dry

6. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter  until just combined.  The pour into your prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

7. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto tray or other rimmed platter and let cool completely.  I've only had trouble getting the cake out of the pan once but don't worry if it doesn't come out perfectly. Whipped cream hides everything

8. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. pierce the cake's surface with a fork all over.   Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture making sure to also soak the edges of the cake

9.Let the cake sit and soak in the milk mixture for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until thick and fluffy.

10. Cover the cake with whipped cream and serve. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.

 

Comments

[Laurrrenn]

Yummmmmy! I'm going to try this over the weekend. :) :) :)

[DK]

Omnomnom. Hey have you heard about making caramel via boiling sweetened condensed milk? I could probably eat a bowl of whipped cream all by myself, with no cake underneath it...

[Mylifeunderthebus]

...you had me at "condensed milk" hell I'd drink it out of the can.....have you ever made carmel by boiling it in the can? OMG HEAVEN........If I made this I would eat the whole thing.

[Miami lasik suregery]

I bet if I eat this cake I'll feel like in heaven, looks so yummy, sure the taste is the same. I surely try it as soon as possible.

[Clockwork Lemon]

I am going to be making the condensed milk caramel (or dulce de leche) soon! I want to put it in some ice cream. mmmmmm Thanks for reminding me

[Nadia]

What would you recommend if I wanted to try making it with two layers? Cutting it, soaking it in the milk, and then assembling it? Or soaking it first?

[Nadia]

What would you recommend if I wanted to try making it with two layers? Cutting it, soaking it in the milk, and then assembling it? Or soaking it first?

[Clockwork Lemon]

Nadia: It might be difficult making this cake two layers. The milk makes the cake quite heavy and it would probably squish out any filling your put between the layers. If you aren't going to put filling I would cut first, soak, and then layer but over all its not really a cake suitable for layering

[Tula]

I made this the other night and it was wonderful, but I was puzzled by one item in teh instructions. The instructions say: "Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. pierce the cake's surface with a fork all over. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture making sure to also soak the edges of the cake."

So, what happens to this 1 cup of milk mixture that you say to hold aside at this point? It's never mentioned again.

[Clockwork Lemon]

Tula: Sadly, nothing gets done with that extra cup of the milk mixture. You can try and get your cake to absorb a bit more but its more likely to just be tossed. If there were smaller cans of condensed milk and evaporated milk then it would be easier to make the cake with no leftovers. However, with the current can sizes it just makes too much mixture for the cake to absorb.

[Cat]

I think I might gain three hundred pounds reading your blog! These all sound delish so far- definitely a few I'm going to try!

[Julia]

I LOVE this recipe. I have been using it for over a year from PW and my family loves it! I must say I prefer this cake over the tres leches cakes made at our local Mexican pastry shops. I have to make at least 2 cakes at a time for family get togethers because we're used to this cake being Mexican American family and we have been eating this cake for more then 10 years at weddings, birthdays, baby showers, etc. This recipe has saved my pocket book and made me popular at birthday parties. LOL.

[Renee Quinn]

Excellent recipe, I made it and added salted caramel drizzled on top, as if this isn't decadent enough! Thank you...enjoy trying your recipes...they come out perfect every time.

[mamaof2]

for the topping is it whipped cream or is it heavy whipping cream???

[Heidi]

I love Tres Leches cake so I think I'm going to attempt this tonight. The only thing I plan to change is I plan to add some dark rum to my milk mixture! Rum tres leches is AMAZING!!!

[Judy]

How far in advanced can this be made? I want to serve it tomorrow night but would have to make it tonight.

[Lisa F. DeLaFuente Ramirez]

I got my cake to soak up every last drop of the milks. Went over well on Easter.