Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches cakes are made of a delicate sponge cake soaked in three milks (evaporated milk, sweet condensed milk, and heavy cream), and topped with whipped cream. So delicious, rich, and easy!
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Milk Mixture
- 12 oz evaporated milk (1 can)
- 14 oz condensed milk (1 can)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 pint heavy cream (2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Strawberries, sliced
- Ground cinnamon for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Sponge Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grab a 9x13 glass pan and set aside. Do NOT grease the pan.
- Dry ingredients: Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into another bowl. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of milk, and mix.
- In another bowl, on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until you get stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Add to the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Then, fold in the whipped egg whites into the batter until just combined. Do not overmix or the whipped egg whites will deflate.
- Pour batter into the UNGREASED 9x13 glass baking pan until evenly distributed. Bake in the middle rack for about 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once ready, remove from oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
Milk mixture
- Prepare the milk mixture: in a medium bowl, whisk the evaporated milk, heavy cream, and condensed milk. Set aside.
- Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a fork. Gradually and slowly, pour the milk mixture over the cake until absorbed. Chill for 3 hours at least.
Assembly
- Make the whipped cream: after the cake has chilled, in a large bowl, combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a mixer, beat until soft peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream over the chilled cake. Top with strawberry slices and dust carefully with cinnamon if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Equipment: electric or stand mixer, 9x13 glass baking pan.
- Baking pan: use a 9x13 glass baking pan for best results, and do not grease the pan. The sponge cake batter uses whipped egg whites for lift, and needs to "cling" onto the pan as it rises. If you grease it, the cake will pull away from the pan and shrink while cooling.
- Whipped egg whites: whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overdo it.
- Storage: Store in the fridge for 3 days, covered with plastic wrap. If storing, do not dust with cinnamon until ready to serve.