Tres Leches Cake

So you all probably saw my last post announcing the coming of a little one into my family this February. I am super excited and happy, but the fatigue and food aversions have really taken a toll on my blog. I just haven’t been in the kitchen as much lately. Not to mention I did spend two weeks visiting my family across the country, where I didn’t do any cooking whatsoever. In addition, my husband and I have a little deal worked out. He cooks dinner and I sit in the rocking chair and read to him. It’s the only chance we have to read together and we are so deep into a book right now, that he begs to cook dinner so I’ll read to him. He will even do all the dishes afterwards so I will keep reading. It works out well, but I just don’t have as many posts as a result. So be patient with me, they will return.

I did manage to produce a birthday cake for my husband. Every year I ask him what birthday treat he wants and he always teeters between peach cobbler and Tres Leches Cake. The entire time we have been together, he has gone with peach cobbler. This year he asked for Tres Leches Cake. It was my first time making it and my first time tasting it. Tres Leches literally means three milk. This cake is soaked overnight in evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cream. The end result is a moist, somewhat soggy, sweet cake. My husband always puts his cake into a glass of milk, so I can see why he loves this cake. I will admit, I didn’t love the texture that was the result of soaking in milk. I liked it and still ate way to much, but it just wasn’t my favorite texture. If you like a big glass of milk with your cake, you will love this moist cake.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 C. cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 5 eggs, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 C. half-and-half
• 2 C. heavy cream
• 3 TBSP. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• maraschino cherries, strawberries, or any fresh fruit for topping

Directions:

1. Prepare a 13 by 9 inch metal cake pan by lightly oiling and flouring it. Set it aside. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Separate the eggs into separate containers. Beat the egg yolks and set aside. In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until fluffy and set aside in a different container. Rinse out the mixer and cream the butter. Add the sugar a little bit at a time.

4. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. Slowly mix in the egg whites. Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.

5. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. After baking let it cool for about a half an hour.

6. With a skewer, poke little holes all over the cake. Mix together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and half and half. Pour milk mixture over the cake. It will look as though it wont all fit, but it will. Use it all. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and you will see that a lot of the milk is already absorbed into the cake. Refrigerate the cake over night, or for 8 hours.

7. Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to make whipped cream. Spread it thick over the cake. Top the cake with fresh strawberries, maraschino cherries, or any kind of fresh fruit you want.

Recipe based on Alton Brown’s Recipe, but very much adapted by Edible Experiments.