TRES LECHES CAKE

I’m not sure this recipe qualifies for my “Pantry Challenged” series, but in honor of Cinco de Mayo on May the 5th, I wanted to share with you my favorite Three-Milk-Cake!

---

Tres Leches Cake

Serves 10

Ingredients

For Cake:

Butter or spray to grease baking dish, plus 1 Tablespoon of flour for dusting

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large eggs, separated yokes and whites

1 cup sugar, divided in half

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup whole milk

For Icing:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional toppings : caramel or dulce de leche sauce, berries, peaches or other fruits.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and dust 1 Tablespoon of flour to lightly coat. Tap out excess flour.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium speed until pale yellow in color.

Beat in 1/2 the sugar (1/2 cup) until combined. Mix in 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Fold liquid mixture into flour mixture and mix gently just until combined.

Back to the electric mixer, beat egg whites until medium peaks form. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

Fold egg white mixture into flour/egg yolk batter and gently mix just until combined.

Pour into greased and floured pan and bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick come out clean in center of cake.

Remove cake from oven and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While cake is cooling, make the “Tres Leches” (Three Milks) by mixing in a medium bowl the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and 1 cup whole milk. Set aside.

Prepare icing by using the electric mixer with whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed the heavy cream, powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, just until thick enough to spread. Be careful not to over whip- it should look like thick whipped cream.

Once cake has cooled the full 30 minutes, pour the milk mixture evenly over the entire cake. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the cake to soak up the milk.

Remove cake from refrigerator and frost cake with whipped cream icing.

Cut and serve on it’s own or with optional toppings like the Dulce de Leche sauce (picured above.)