Description
Sweet Mexican magic unfolds with this tres leches cake, a heavenly dessert that marries rich milk-soaked sponge with delicate cream. Silky layers melt on your palate, promising a culinary journey through traditional Latin American comfort and indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients (Cake Base):
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons / 113 grams) unsalted butter
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Milk Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 (14-ounce / 400 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce / 340 grams) can evaporated milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish thoroughly with butter.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, whisking until uniform.
- Using an electric mixer, cream sugar and eggs until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, ensuring minimal mixing, then incorporate melted butter.
- Transfer batter into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the surface evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the cake turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Create the milk glaze by blending sweetened condensed milk with ground cinnamon, then incorporating evaporated milk, half-and-half, and vanilla extract.
- Pierce the warm cake extensively with a wooden skewer, creating multiple channels for the glaze.
- Slowly drench the cake with the prepared milk mixture, allowing each pour to absorb completely.
- Refrigerate the soaked cake for 4-6 hours to ensure thorough absorption and chilling.
- Whip heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly across the chilled cake surface.
- Dust the top with ground cinnamon just before serving.
Notes
- Select high-quality whole milk for the most authentic and rich flavor profile in your tres leches cake.
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation and a smoother cake batter texture.
- Poke plenty of holes in the cake to help the milk mixture absorb evenly, creating a supremely moist dessert.
- For a gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with almond or coconut flour, adjusting liquid ratios slightly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 331
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 91 mg