HOW TO MAKE TRES LECHES CAKE
The texture of my Tres Leches Cake is meant to be light, and although it should be moist, it should not be soggy. It is created using a baked vanilla cake that is topped with whipped cream after being steeped in three different kinds of milk. You won’t believe how amazing this dish really tastes!
Tres leches cake, also known as “Three Milks” cake, should have a velvety texture, an abundance of moisture, and an intense taste. My recipe is perfect in every way: it consists of a light and airy vanilla sponge cake that is soaked in three different kinds of milk and then topped with whipped cream. The presence of all that liquid could lead one to believe that this cake would be gummy, but have no fear! This recipe has been tried and tested, and it has turned out to be precisely balanced and NOT gummy!
There is a great deal of confusion over where exactly this dessert was first made. Many Latin American countries have been named as possible places of origin, and some sources say that Nestle spread this milk-heavy recipe to sell more condensed and evaporated milk (a delicious marketing ploy, if you ask me).
This cake is traditionally prepared with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in the baking process. Because of this, in my recipe for tres leches cake, I replace heavy cream with whole milk because I’ve found that using whole milk tends to result in a cake that is slightly moister than is ideal.
THE INGREDIENTS LIST:
5 large eggs (separate the whites and yolks).
½ Cup.Of softened butter.
2 Cups.Of granulated sugar.
1 ½ Tsp.Of vanilla extract.
2 Cups.Of all-purpose flour.
2 Tsp.Of baking powder.
1 Tsp.Of salt.
1 Cup.Of milk.
FOR THE LECHES TOPPING; YOU’LL NEED:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk.
12 oz evaporated milk.
½ Cup.Of heavy cream.
½ Tsp.Of vanilla extract.
1½ Cups.Of heavy cream.
½ Cup.Of powdered sugar.
½ Tsp.Of vanilla extract.
Ground cinnamon.
PREPARATION:
Step 1:
Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with baking spray and heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Put aside.
Step 2:
Put egg whites in a large basin or bowl of a stand mixer and whip them with an electric mixer or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer until frothy.
Step 3:
Increase mixer speed to medium-high and gradually add 1 cup of sugar, roughly 2 Tablespoons at a time, waiting 10 seconds between additions. Raise the mixer speed to high and beat the egg white mixture until it is thick, glossy, and firm peaks form.
Step 4:
If you used a stand mixer, transfer the egg whites to a clean dish and put it aside before proceeding with the following step. Grab a new bowl if you used an electric hand mixer at this point.
Step 5:
In a bowl, combine the softened butter and the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat until smooth and thoroughly combined. After each addition, stir the egg yolks into the mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
Step 6:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Alternately add milk and flour mixture to your egg yolk mixture using a spatula and hand stirring.
Step 7:
Once milk and flour have been incorporated into the egg yolk mixture, take your egg white meringue from earlier and gently fold it into the batter using a spatula. If you overmix the batter or deflate the egg whites, your cake will be dense.
Step 8:
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) with the batter spread evenly in a 9-by-13-inch pan. After the cake is done baking, allow it to cool for 30 to 60 minutes.
FOR MAKING THE LECHES TOPPING; FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
Step 1:
To make it you need to whisk together condensed milk with the evaporated milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract after the cake has cooled.
Step 2:
Use a broad fork or wooden stick to pierce holes in the cake (poke down to the bottom of the cake pan). Pour the milk mixture over the cake gently and evenly. Cover and refrigerate the cake in the refrigerator for at least several hours or overnight.
Step 3:
Prepare whipped cream just before serving: mix heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until firm peaks form and the mixture has the consistency of Cool Whip.
Step 4:
If desired, spread whipped cream over tres leches cake and sprinkle with cinnamon powder. Cut and serve! Enjoy!
