Desserts

Tres Leches Cake

by Spoorthy
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TRES LECHES

Tres Leches Cake

  • Author: Spoorthy
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
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Description

” Tres Leches Cake” translates to three types of milk cake in Spanish. It is a sponge cake soaked with three different types of milk. Tres Leches Cake is a famous cake in Mexico. It is also one of the most widely served and popular desserts in Central, South, and North America. This recipe for Tres Leches Cake is from one of the best Mexican restaurants in North America.

The discovery of this cake dates back to the 19th century. The soaking cakes also date back to the 1930’s similar to Tiramisu from Italy and Trifle and rum cake from Europe.

The recipe of Tres Leches is not only easy to make but also tastes as good as one at the restaurants.

Ingredients

Eggs- 4 (separated)

Sugar- 1 1/4 cup (3/4 cup + 1/2 cup)

Vanilla extract- 2 tsp

Buttermilk- 1/2 cup

Canola oil- 1/2 cup

All-purpose flour- 1 1/2 cups

Baking powder- 3/4 tsp

Baking soda- 1/2 tsp

 Soaking the cake:

Sweetened condensed milk- 1/2 cup

Evaporated milk- 1/2 cup

Half and Half- 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract-1 tsp

Frosting:

Heavy whipping creme- 3 cups

Powdered sugar- 1/4 cup

Garnish

Fresh strawberries

Cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Separate four large eggs into two bowls. Add 3/4 cup sugar to yolks, and beat the yolks and sugar until creamy and light. The eggs will start to look pale and will become double in volume.

2. Add 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 cup canola oil to the beaten yolk and sugar mixture. Blend everything well for about a minute.

3. Now take the bowl with egg whites and add 1/2 cup sugar to it. Beat the egg whites and sugar for about 2 minutes at high speed. Keep this bowl aside.

4. Now in a dry bowl, sift 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

5. Add yolk mixture to the sifted flour bowl and blend it well. Make sure that everything is mixed well with no lumps.

6. Now, fold in the egg whites gently to the prepared batter. This step should be done with a spatula and not with a blender. Do not over mix at this step as the air will be released, and the cake will become flat when it is in the oven.

7. Transfer to a greased 8-inch pan and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

8. Preparing three types of milk to soak the cake: In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup half and half, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix everything well with a spoon. Set this aside to soak the cake layers when the cake cools down.

9. When the cake baked, let it cool completely and cut it into two layers. Poke holes in the cake layers so that the cake layers can absorb the prepared soaking liquid well.

10. Transfer each poked cake layer to a separate plate. Divide the soaking liquid equally and spoon it onto each layer. Cover each cake layer with a cling wrap and refrigerate for about 6 hours. Cake layers should be refrigerated as this will make the cake moist with the liquids not running out of the cake. If the cake layers are not refrigerated, the cake will turn out to be soggy.

11. Prepare the frosting by whipping 3 cups of heavy whipping creme with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whip the creme in a low to medium speed until soft peaks form. This process should take about 15 minutes. Whipping the creme on high speed will make the creme less stiff, and can collapse while assembling the cake.

12. Transfer the whipped creme to a pastry bag. Assemble the cake by layering the soaked cake layers and creme. Filling the creme in a pastry bag helps to keep the cold temperature of the creme and maintain the stability of the creme until assembly is complete.

13. Frost the cake on the sides and smooth it out with a pastry knife by removing any excess creme.

14. Garnish with cocoa powder and fresh strawberries.

Notes

1. There are several variations to this recipe. The sponge cake can be made either with oil or butter. Cakes baked with butter are less airy for soaking compared to cakes made with oil.

2. The three types of milk (sweetened condensed, evaporated, half and half) used in various recipes can differ. If Half and half is not available, whole milk will work. Some recipes use heavy whipping creme to soak, but this will make the cake heavier.

3. If lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, Some of the replacement milk to soak are almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk.

  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 480 K cal
  • Sugar: 38.74 g
  • Sodium: 185 mg
  • Fat: 23.94 g
  • Saturated Fat: 8.553 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3.445 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.04 g
  • Carbohydrates: 58.87 g
  • Fiber: 0.7 g
  • Protein: 7.93 g
  • Cholesterol: 247 mg

Keywords: Tres Leches, Milk Cake, Mexican Milk Cake, Mexican Delicacy,

Separate four large eggs into two bowls.
Add 3/4 cup sugar to yolks.
Beat the yolks and sugar until creamy and light. The eggs will start to look pale and will become double in volume.
Add 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 cup canola oil to the beaten yolk and sugar mixture. Blend everything well for about a minute.
Now take the bowl with egg whites and add 1/2 cup sugar to it.
Beat the egg whites and sugar for about 2 minutes at high speed. Keep this bowl aside.
Now in a dry bowl, sift 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Add yolk mixture to the sifted flour bowl and blend it well.
Make sure that everything is mixed well with no lumps.
Now, fold in the egg whites gently to the prepared batter. This step should be done with a spatula and not with a blender. Do not over mix at this step as the air will be released, and the cake will become flat when it is in the oven.
Transfer to a greased 8-inch pan.
Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.
Preparing three types of milk to soak the cake: In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup half and half, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix everything well with a spoon. Set this aside to soak the cake layers when the cake cools down.
When the cake baked, let it cool completely and cut it into two layers. 
Poke holes in the cake layers so that the cake layers can absorb the prepared soaking liquid well.
Transfer each poked cake layer to a separate plate. 
Divide the soaking liquid equally and spoon it onto each layer. 
Cover each cake layer with a cling wrap and refrigerate for about 6 hours. Cake layers should be refrigerated as this will make the cake moist with the liquids not running out of the cake. If the cake layers are not refrigerated, the cake will turn out to be soggy.
 Prepare the frosting by whipping 3 cups of heavy whipping creme with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whip the creme in a low to medium speed until soft peaks form. This process should take about 15 minutes.
Whipping the creme on high speed will make the creme less stiff, and can collapse while assembling the cake.
Transfer the whipped creme to a pastry bag.
Assemble the cake by layering the soaked cake layers and creme.
Assemble the cake by layering the soaked cake layers and creme.
Filling the creme in a pastry bag helps to keep the cold temperature of the creme and maintain the stability of the creme until assembly is complete.
frost the cake on the sides and smooth it out with a pastry knife by removing any excess creme.
Garnish with cocoa powder and fresh strawberries.
Garnish with cocoa powder and fresh strawberries.