Tres leches cake is a traditional dessert popular in Latin American countries. It has been gaining popularity in the United States for its moist texture and sweet flavor. This tres leches cake is a simple yet delicious dessert that can be enjoyed by all. It is moist, sweet, and refreshing to finish up a barbeque or gathering of friends and family.
What Is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches cake is a traditional Latin American dessert made with three types of milk: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. The cake is made with a sponge or butter cake that has been soaked in the mixture of the three milks. This is how it gets its signature name tres leches, which translates to “three milks.”
After soaking, the cake is frosted with meringue or whipped cream and topped with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. It’s super moist and creamy texture makes for an unforgettable taste experience.
Tres leches cake is popular throughout Latin America, but you can also find them in certain bakeries in the United States. If you’d like to try making tres leches cake at home, you can find all the necessary ingredients in your local grocery store.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Tres Leches Cake
For the cake:
- Eggs
- White sugar
- White flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter
For the milk glaze:
- Heavy cream
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
For the topping:
- Heavy whipping cream
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sliced strawberries
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Mix the white flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- In a different bowl, mix the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until a soft cream is achieved.
- Add the vanilla extract and one of the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well. Add the remaining eggs one at a time, mixing well between each one.
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Stop from time to time to scrape the edges of the bowl. This will ensure that all the flour is evenly incorporated and there are no lumps.
- Grease the baking dish with butter and sprinkle with flour to prevent the cake from sticking to the dish.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish. Cook in the center of the oven for 20 minutes with the heat on the top and bottom.
- While the cake is in the oven, combine the heavy cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and set aside in the fridge.
- When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Poke the cake all over with a fork. Let it reach room temperature.
- Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, pour the milk glaze slowly over the top. Make sure the holes are absorbing the glaze. Spread the milk glaze around the dish to help it distribute evenly.
- Once the cake absorbs all the milk glaze, chill the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours. It’s best if it chills overnight.
- To make the topping, whip the heavy whipping cream with the sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
- Wash and slice the strawberries and set them aside.
- Cover the cake with a thick layer of the whipped cream and add the sliced strawberries on top.
Tips and Variations for the Best Tres Leches Cake
When baking a tres leches cake, there are several tips that can help ensure the best possible outcome.
- Add more sweetened condensed milk if you prefer a sweeter cake. The recipe uses less sweetened condensed milk than a traditional tres leches cake.
- Use full-fat canned evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy whipping cream to make the milk glaze.
- If you want to add more flavor to your tres leches cake, experiment with different extracts, such as almond or coconut extract. You can add it to the milk glaze or the whipped topping.
- For an extra special presentation, serve your tres leches cake in individual cups or glasses instead of a traditional cake pan. This will give it an elegant look and make it easier for everyone to eat.
- If you are feeling adventurous, try adding different fruits or nuts for extra flavor and texture.
Tres Leches Cake FAQs
How is tres leches cake served?
Tres leches cake is served cold. To complement its flavor, serve tres leche cake with a cup of strong coffee or espresso. Other drinks that go well with tres leche cake are horchata, Mexican hot chocolate, or any light fruit juice like mango or passionfruit.
What can I substitute for the sponge cake base?
You can use different kinds of cake instead of the sponge cake base. Pound cake or angel food cake are good substitutions.
How do I store leftovers of tres leches cake?
You can keep leftovers of this tres leches cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other Dessert Recipes
- Death by Chocolate Cheesecake
- The Best Lemon Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Cake
- Carrot Cake Trifle Dessert
Bottom Line
This tres leches cake recipe makes a delicious, moist, and creamy cake that will be the highlight of any gathering. With its easy-to-follow instructions and helpful tips and variations, you can make this tres leches cake recipe in no time.
Tres leches cake
Insanely good Tres leches cake, moist, refreshing, sweet, and oh so nice to finish up a summer BBQ or gathering of friends and family
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup white flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter
For the milk glaze:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup condensed milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F /175 C
- Prep the cake batter: for this, you are going to mix first the white flour, the salt, and the baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- In a different bowl put the butter and the sugar. Mix with the blender until a soft cream is achieved.
- Add to the sugar and butter cream the vanilla extract and one of the eggs. Mix well. Keep mixing the eggs one by one.
- Once all the eggs have been incorporated to the butter and sugar, mix some of the flour and baking powder in it. Work in batches making sure to scrape the edges of the bowl to ensure all the flour is evenly incorporated and there are no lumps.
- Prep the baking dish with some butter and a sprinkle of flour to prevent the cake from sticking to it.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and cook in the oven for 20 minutes in the center of the oven with the heat on top and the bottom.
- While the cake is in the oven prep the milk glaze: In a bowl combine the heavy cream condensed milk and the evaporated milk. Mix well and set aside in the fridge covered.
- Once the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Poke it with a fork evenly all over. Let it reach room temperature.
- Once the cake has achieved room temperature, pour the milk glaze slowly, making sure the holes get to absorb it. You can move around the dish to help the glaze move and distribute evenly.
- Once all the glaze has been poured and absorbed let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or best overnight.
- Once the cake is chilled, prep the topping: Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla extract to form soft peaks. Wash and slice the strawberries, and set them aside.
- Cover the cake with a thick layer of whipped cream and add the sliced strawberries on top.
Notes
This cake is deliciously moist and fresh, light and sweet. We’ve used less condensed milk than the traditional, if you would like to have it sweeter add according to your taste.
Leftovers are well kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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