Tres Leches Cake
Updated: Nov 8, 2023
Tres leches cake or three milk cake is heavenly. When put a spoonful in the mouth, you will feel the mixture of three different types of milk – evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. Being a sponge cake, it is full of bubbles and the spongy softness is unforgettable. Once I have started to make this cake for family and friends couple of years back, the tres leches cake has become one of our party favorites!
Although very popular in Central and South America, North America, many parts of Caribbean, and many parts of Europe, Tres leches cake is traditionally Latin American cake.
Here are the step by step directions of how we can make the Best Tres Leches Cake!
Biscuit:
120 ml milk
5 eggs L
200 g all-purpose flour
150 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
Lemon zest
Tres leches sauce:
250 ml condensed milk
250 ml evaporated milk
250 ml whipping cream (35%)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chantilly:
250 ml whipping cream (35%)
40 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
We separate the whites from the yolks and begin to beat into soft peaks, when they are half-done we add a couple of tablespoons of the sugar and the rest we keep for later and continue to beat the egg whites, once they are firm we cover and keep it aside.
In another bowl, beat the yolks, when the texture is creamy, add the sugar and continue mixing until we get a whiter texture and increase its volume, then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.
Continue beating to distribute the flavors well and add the milk.
Now the egg whites are added with a spatula and enveloping movements.
With a strainer we add the flour and the baking powder, continue with the enveloping movements until everything is integrated.
Now the mixture is taken to the oven with a greased container and with the oven preheated to 180C (356F) and cook for about 45 minutes.
Once done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before unmolding it.
We unmold it and let it cool, then we put plastic wrap in the same mold and put the cake back inside, we make holes in it with a knife and prepare the tres leches sauce.
For the sauce we mix all the ingredients and move with some hand whisk. Now we cover the cake with the sauce using at least half of the sauce and leave it in the fridge overnight so that it will absorb all the tres leches sauce.
Then it is removed from the mold and put a little more sauce on top and it is almost ready to eat.
The Chantilly is prepared to decorate it; whip the cream and halfway through the process add the icing sugar with a strainer and continue beating until ready. It is placed on top of the cake and it is distributed well on top with the help of a spatula, then it can be sprinkled with a little cocoa or cinnamon and ready to taste.
