Tres leches cake, which means “three milks,” is a favorite in Latin America. It’s essentially the original poke cake—a light cake made of a sponge that is soaked in a milk concoction for at least an hour. Use our recipe for tres leches cake to master this delectable delicacy. It’s the ideal light and fluffy treat to enjoy throughout the summer.
How are tres leches cakes made?
This cake looks more complicated than others at first, but it’s actually rather easy to put together. A sponge cake is used to make a traditional tres leches. That’s what you want with this cake soaked in milk: it’s considerably lighter and less thick than a typical cake. The egg whites are the key to this. Make sure to thoroughly whip them into firm peaks before gently folding them into the cake batter. The idea is to keep them from deflating during folding so that the cake bakes up tall and full of lift!
In a tres leches cake, which three milks are present?
We utilize full milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. While some recipes substitute heavy cream for whole milk, we believe the addition of milk balances the already rich concoction. Furthermore, since we use heavy cream as the topping, it still finds its way in. 😉
serving
It’s recommended to serve tres leches chilled. Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of one hour after adding the milk mixture to allow the cake to absorb all of the milk. This cake is topped with strawberries, cinnamon-sugar, and sweetened whipped cream rather than the more common buttercream icing. It results in a dessert that is lighter and much simpler to frost.
Can I prepare something ahead of time?
Indeed! The cake may be made the day before, then it can be stored firmly wrapped at room temperature after being pierced with holes. The cake absorbs the milk best when left in the fridge for at least an hour, but it can stay there overnight before icing and serving. The cake gets better and better the longer it sits and absorbs.
Keepsake.
This cake keeps well in the fridge for about three days, covered with plastic wrap or a lid.
Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 5 large eggs separated
- 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar divided
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. milk
- 4 tbsp. butter melted and cooled
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- 2 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
FOR SERVING
- 1/4 c. cinnamon-sugar
- sliced strawberries for serving
Instructions
Step 1
- Prepare the cake: Grease a 9″ by 13″ baking pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350°. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large basin.
Step 2
- Using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and one cup of sugar in a separate large dish until stiff ribbons appear behind the beaters. Beat in the vanilla and put aside.
Step 3
- Wash the egg whites in a third large bowl using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until firm peaks form.
Step 4
- Beat together after adding the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat in melted butter and milk until well blended. Add egg whites and fold gently until just blended. Fill the prepared pan with batter, and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Step 5
- In the meantime, prepare the filling by whisking the milk, vanilla, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk together in a medium-sized bowl. Make holes all over the cake with a fork, then evenly cover the cake with the milk mixture. After the mixture has been absorbed completely, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Step 6
- Before serving, prepare the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Cake is frosted with whipped cream and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Serve with fresh fruit, such as strawberries.
