The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe
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4.9
186 reviews
Excellent
The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe
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The Best Tres Leches Cake is a moist sponge cake made with whipped egg whites and a buttery batter, baked until light and fluffy. After baking, it is soaked with a rich combination of coconut milk, coco crema, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk, giving it its signature milk-soaked texture. Topped with a whipped cream frosting flavored with almond extract and garnished with strawberries, the cake balances sweetness and creaminess with a delicate crumb.
Description
This Tres Leches Cake begins with separating eggs and whipping the whites to stiff peaks, which contributes to a light, airy texture. The yolks are beaten with butter, sugar, and vanilla, then combined alternately with dry ingredients and whipped egg whites to form a tender batter. Baked in a 9x13-inch pan, the sponge cake rises and develops a fine crumb.
While the cake cools, a milky soaking mixture is prepared by blending coconut milk, coco crema, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk, infusing the cake with moisture and a complex creamy flavor. The cake is pierced and soaked thoroughly to absorb the milk blend.
The cake is finished with a whipped cream topping sweetened with powdered sugar and scented with almond extract, then garnished with strawberries. The result is a rich yet delicate dessert with balanced sweetness and a creamy texture enhanced by tropical coconut notes.
If coco crema is not available, you can substitute by using canned coconut cream, sweetened and warmed until smooth before mixing with the other milks. This adjustment maintains the creamy consistency critical to the cake's character.
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Ingredients
For the cake
- 5 egg divided
- 1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 & 1/2 cups flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For the milk
- 1 (13.6-oz) can coconut milk full-fat
- 2 cups coco crema about 1 (15-oz) can
- 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
For the whipped cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- strawberries to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 5 egg whites. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
- Beat the egg whites about 2-4 minutes, until stiff peaks form. See photos.
- Scrape the egg whites into a medium bowl and store in the fridge.
- In the same bowl that you beat the egg whites, add 1/2 cup butter and beat until smooth, scraping edges. Add 1 cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping sides halfway through. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and beat well.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
- Get the beaten egg whites out of the fridge. Now you are going to add the flour mixture and the beaten egg whites into the butter/sugar mixture in alternating batches. (Add about half the flour to the butter mixture, stir. Then add half the beaten egg whites to the butter mixture, stir, etc, until it's all added.) Do not over mix. Once it is combined, stop.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread out with a spatula.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the cake pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no batter on it. Don't make a grocery store trip in this 25 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, make in a very large glass measuring cup or bowl, add 1 can coconut milk. Stick it in the microwave for 30-60 second and stir until all the lumps have disappeared. Add 2 cups Coco Crema*, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, and 1 can evaporated milk. Stir together until combined.
- When the cake is baked, remove from the oven, turn off the oven, and set a timer for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, use a chopstick to poke holes in the cake. In Laura's words: "Use a chopstick for bigger holes - you want a LOT of holes, to the point where it almost feels like you're going to ruin or smash the cake but don't actually ruin or smash the cake."
- Once you have holes all over the cake, take 3-5 minutes to SLOWLY pour the milk mixture all over the cake. If you pour too quickly, the top of your cake will not absorb the liquid. Yes, pour all of the liquid on the cake. It seems like too much. It's not!
- Once all the milk has been added, put the cake back in the oven that has been turned OFF and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the cake from the oven and let cool for a few minutes on the counter. Cover well and transfer to the fridge to cool completely, and to let the liquid absorb into the cake. This will take at least 4-6 hours.
- Once the cake is completely chilled and you are ready to serve, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 2 cups cream on high for 2-4 minutes until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat well, scraping sides and bottom.
- Spread the whipped cream over the cake.
- Garnish with strawberries that have either been hulled and chopped, or you could just slice each one in half and scatter over the cake. Top the whole cake with strawberries if you think you'll eat the whole cake that day. If you don't, then serve with cut strawberries, but spoon them on top of each serving. Fresh strawberries work better than strawberry sauce or sugared berries since the cake is so rich and has its own liquids already.
Notes
- If coco crema is unavailable, substitute coconut cream by scooping solid cream from canned coconut cream and sweetening with sugar before heating smooth.
- Use the soaked cake as directed for authentic flavor, and note leftover coconut cream can be saved for other recipes.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
652kcal
(33%)
Carbohydrates
59g
(20%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
42g
(65%)
Saturated Fat
24g
(120%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
183mg
(61%)
Potassium
355mg
(8%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
44g
(88%)
Vitamin A
1252IU
(25%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
297mg
(30%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 652 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 652kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 183mg | 61% |
| Potassium | 355mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 44g | 88% |
| Vitamin A | 1252IU | 25% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 297mg | 30% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
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Overall Rating
4.9
186 reviews
Excellent
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