A moist, rich cake soaked in three types of milk (tres leches), topped with whipped cream and often fruit.
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk
For the Tres Leches Mixture:
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can heavy cream or whole milk
For the Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Optional: fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peaches) for garnish
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar until pale yellow. Stir in the vanilla extract and milk.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the dry ingredients. Then, gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, using a fork or skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake.
2. Prepare the Tres Leches Mixture:
- In a large bowl or pitcher, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream (or whole milk).
3. Soak the Cake:
- Slowly pour the tres leches mixture evenly over the cooled cake, allowing it to soak into the holes. It will seem like a lot of liquid, but the cake will absorb it.
- Let the cake soak for at least 1 hour, or preferably several hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator.
4. Prepare the Topping:
- In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
5. Assemble and Serve:
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the soaked cake.
- Garnish with fresh fruit, if desired.
- Cut into squares and serve chilled.
Tips and Variations:
- For a richer flavor, use whole milk instead of heavy cream in the tres leches mixture.
- You can add a splash of rum or brandy to the tres leches mixture for an extra layer of flavor.
- For a chocolate version, add cocoa powder to the dry ingredients or drizzle chocolate syrup over the finished cake.
- Make sure the egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks, this will make a nice light cake.
- Chilling the bowl and beaters will help the heavy cream whip faster.
Enjoy your delicious Tres Leches Cake!