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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres Leches Cake Recipe

2020-08-08
4.5 Stars (75 Voters)
...
Tres Leches cake – light and soft sponge cake soaked in sweet 3 milk mixture and topped wimped cream. The traslation of Tres Leches from Spanish is 3 milks (in Spanish: pastel de tres leches). Follow this easy recipe to learn how to make authentic Mexican tres leches cake.
DIFFICULTY
Easy
YIELDS
12
PREP TIME
1 Hour
WORK TIME
20 Minutes
RECIPE CUISINE
Mexican
INGREDIENTS FOR YIELDS

For the cake:

  • 1 cup (125g) All-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons Baking powder
  • 5 Eggs (separated) large
  • 1 cup (200g) Sugar, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) Milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt

For the syrup:

  • 7oz (200g) Sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
  • 1¼ cup (300ml) evaporated milk
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk

For the frosting:

  • 1½ cups (360ml) Heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tablespoons (40g) Icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
  1. Make the sponge cake: Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C), line a 9x13” (cm) pan with parchment paper, lightly grease it and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl place 3/4 cup (150g) sugar and egg yolks. Beat until the mixture is pale in color and doubled in volume. Add milk, vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  3. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined (don’t over mix). Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until foamy, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar (50g) and beat to stiff peaks.
  5. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into the batter, then pour the batter into egg whites and gently fold. Pour into prepared pan.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. release the cake from the pan and let to cool on a wire rack. While cake cools, make the tres leches syrup.
  7. Make the syrup: to a bowl add 3 milks, whisk until combined.
  8. Place the cake back into the pan, then using a fork or a toothpick poke/pierce holes in the cake. Slowly pour the tres leches syrup over the top of the cake letting it soak in as you go. Set the cake aside for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
  9. Make the frosting: in a large bowl place heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Whip to stiff peaks. Release the cake from the pan and spread the cream over the top of the cake.
  10. Trim the edges (optional), then cut into squares.
  11. Serve!
  12. If you make the cake, tell me in the comments how it turned out.

tres leches cake

What is tres leches cake?

Tres Leches cake (in Spanish: pastel de tres leches, torta de tres leches or bizcocho de tres leches) is a sponge cake soaked in 3 kinds of milk; whole milk, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk and the cake topped with whipped cream. The name of the cake comes from Spanish and translation is three milks. Tres leches cake is originally from Mexico and popular all over Latin America. 

The result is a light and airy cake that is sure to delight any sweet tooth. It's also relatively easy to make, with a simple recipe that requires only a few ingredients. To make tres leches cake, you'll need a sponge cake, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and a frosting of your choice. Bake the cake according to the recipe, then poke holes in it with a fork and pour the three milks over the cake. Refrigerate overnight, then top with the frosting. The finished cake will be a delicious combination of sponge cake, creamy milks, and sweet frosting. So if you're in the mood for something sweet, try making a tres leches cake - it's sure to be a hit!

Tres leches cake recipe

What can substitute with evaporated milk?

Traditionally tres leches cake is made with evaporated milk, but if you're looking for a way to make the delicious tres leches cake without using evaporated milk, you've come to the right place! There are a few easy substitutions you can make that will still give you the moist, creamy taste you love. There are a few easy substitutions you can make that will still give you the moist, creamy taste you love. First, you can use whole milk plus heavy cream for a creamier texture (half&half). You can also replace the evaporated milk with coconut milk, which will give the cake an extra hint of tropical flavor. You also can use just the same amount of whole milk.

No matter which substitution you choose, you'll get a delicious, moist tres leches cake that your guests won't be able to resist! So don't worry about the evaporated milk - with these tips, you can make a delicious tres leches cake no matter what.

How to Make The Best Tres Leches Cake?

If you're in the mood for something sweet, you can't go wrong with a tres leches cake. It's a classic Latin American dessert that's easy to make yet incredibly delicious. To get started, you'll need to prepare the cake base - this can be either a sponge cake or a butter cake (find the recipe above). Once the cake is ready, it's time to make the three milks. This is a combination of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Once everything is ready, you'll need to assemble the cake. Layer the cake with the three milks, and add some fresh fruit (optional) and some whipped cream. Finally, you'll need to refrigerate the cake for a few hours before serving. The result is a moist, creamy cake that's sure to satisfy any sweet tooth! With a few simple ingredients and a bit of patience, you can make the best tres leches cake around. So don't be intimidated - just try it and see how amazing it is!

Can I make tres laches cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can make tres leches cake few days (1-3) in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. I would recommend making the topping just before serving. 

Can I freeze tres leches cake?

You can bake the sponge cake, let it cool, then wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it (without soaking in milk mixture). After soaking the cake in milk mixture you can’t freeze the cake.

How Long Does it Keep?

You can keep tres leches cake in the refrigerator covered up to 3 days. Just pay attention that that after some time the whipped cream may be so stable and fluffy.

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COMMENTS (6)
  • A
    Ana
    8/21/2020

    Hi, I accidentally voted, but I just wanted to click on the stars to see reviews. I think I voted 3 stars but didn't mean that, how can I undo? I think you should change that part of your website, at least to ask you beforehand if you're trying to vote

    Reply
  • T
    Tina
    12/18/2022

    AMAZING cake! 10 out of 10! my family loved it.

    Reply
  • H
    Helton J Lopez
    3/20/2023

    I like your recipes, Do you know an alternative of heavy cream or how wan we made it?

    Reply
  • The Cooking Foodie logo
    The Cooking Foodie
    3/22/2023

    You can use any cream that you can get

    Reply
  • L
    Launa Welch
    6/12/2023

    Absolutely amazing cake! I’ve made it before and making it again, 10/10 recipe!

    Reply
  • S
    Soggy
    12/27/2023

    Made this for the first time on Christmas Eve for our Christmas Day dessert. It was a great success! We served it with fresh strawberries !!I will make it again and freeze half of it next time.

    Reply
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