Description
Tres leches cake brings pure joy to your dessert table with its creamy, milk-soaked goodness. Smooth, sweet, and totally irresistible, this classic Latin American treat will make your taste buds dance with delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 5 large eggs
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 0.33 cup milk
Garnish and Seasonings:
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup powdered sugar
- Ground cinnamon or cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare your oven at 350F and coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with grease and flour.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, setting the mixture aside.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks into two distinct clean bowls.
- Whip the egg whites using an electric mixer until soft peaks develop, then gradually incorporate ¾ cup sugar until glossy peaks form.
- Beat the egg yolks with the remaining ¾ cup sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and thickens, which takes 3-5 minutes.
- Blend the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture, alternating with ⅓ cup milk, and mix until just combined. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in three gentle additions.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then create multiple holes across the surface using a fork.
- Whisk 12 ounces evaporated milk, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, and 1 cup heavy cream together in a large pitcher.
- Pour the milk mixture slowly and uniformly over the cake, ensuring complete saturation. Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours.
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Beat 2 cups heavy cream in the chilled bowl until soft peaks form.
- Add ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, continuing to beat until stiff peaks develop.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly across the soaked cake.
- Optional: Dust the top with ground cinnamon or cocoa powder.
- Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set the whipped cream.
- Slice into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- Always separate eggs carefully to ensure clean, stiff egg whites that will give your cake a light, airy texture.
- Work gently when folding egg whites into the batter to maintain the delicate volume and prevent deflating the mixture.
- Let the cake soak thoroughly in the three milks mixture, allowing it to absorb completely for the signature ultra-moist texture.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to make the cake accessible to more people.
- Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 418 kcal
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 155 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg