Tres Leches Cake
User Reviews
4.9
Tres Leches Cake
Description
Tres Leches Cake involves baking a thin, pale cake using cake flour to achieve a tender crumb. After baking and cooling, the cake is pierced with a fork to allow the milk mixture of whole milk, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk to saturate the cake, infusing it with moisture and rich flavor. The soaking step is critical to obtaining the cake's signature moist and dense texture.
The dessert is finished with a whipped topping made from heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla, providing a light contrast to the soaked cake base. Fresh strawberries add visual appeal and a touch of fruity brightness against the creamy topping.
This cake is typically served chilled and can be sliced into moderate portions due to its richness. It is best allowed several hours, at least six, for the milk mixture to fully absorb before serving to ensure proper moistness.
Cake flour is recommended for the best texture, but a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch can be used as a substitute. Reducing the sugar in the cake batter is an option for a less sweet result.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) cake flour scoop and level to measure
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter unsalted, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 5 egg at room temperature, large
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Milk mixture
- 1 1/4 cups (295ml) milk (anything but skim)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
Topping
- 2 cups (473ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- strawberries for garnish, fresh, sliced or cinnamon
Instructions
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 by 9-inch or 12 by 8-inch baking dish, set aside.
- Sift cake flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add in baking powder and salt and whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy.
- Mix in eggs one at a time, blending until well combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
- Add in flour in 3 additions mixing just until combined after each addition. Remove mixing bowl from stand mixer and scape down sides and bottom of bowl and fold until evenly incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer (it will seem like a thin layer).
- Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 24 - 28 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack, about 45 minutes. Once cool pierce cake many times all over with a long-pronged fork.
- For the milk mixture: In a large mixing bowl whisk together milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, the sweetened condensed milk and the evaporated milk until blended.
- Pour evenly over cake then cover and chill at least 6 hours*** or up to 3 days.
- For the topping: In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or using the stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment) whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add in sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread over chilled cake.
- Cut cake into slices and serve cold garnished with strawberries or dust with cinnamon if desired. Store cake in refrigerator.
Notes
- Use cake flour for a tender crumb; alternatively, combine all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
- Allow at least six hours for the milk mixture to fully soak into the cake for optimal moisture.
- You may reduce the sugar in the cake batter to 2/3 cup for a less sweet flavor.
- Quickly bring eggs to room temperature by covering them in warm tap water for five minutes before mixing.
- This recipe produces a shorter cake slice, suitable given the richness of the dessert.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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