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A cake in a casserole dish with strawberries around it.
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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres Leches cake is a soft dry cake which is baked and then soaked in a generous milk mixture. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any day of the year!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 hour 1 minute
Servings 12 servings
Calories 436kcal
Author Nina

Equipment

  • one 9x13" cake pan

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 large eggs separated
  • 1 cup granulated sugar divided
  • cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Three Milk Topping

  • 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 10 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream cold
  • 2-3 tablespoons rum optional

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • fresh fruit for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13" baking pan with oil.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • Separate the eggs whites and yolks into two separate bowls. Egg whites in one, yolks in another.
  • Add ¾ cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until the egg yolks are pale yellow.
  • Add milk and vanilla to the egg yolks and stir to combine.
  • Whip the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar as you whip. Whip until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
  • Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Add the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold to combine. You do not want the deflate the egg whites.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently spread it evenly.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely at room temperature. The cake will deflate a bit as it cools.
  • To make the three milk topping, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, heavy whipping cream and rum (if using) in a medium bowl.
  • Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a toothpick.
  • Pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, making sure you get all corners and sides as well.
  • Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour or overnight to let the milks soak into the cake.
  • To make the topping, add heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread whipped topping evenly over the top of the cake and garnish with fresh fruit.

Notes

  • Bake the cake in a ceramic or glass baking dish as the cake will rise better.
  • Do not over mix the egg whites into the batter. You want to fold them in gently so they don't deflate.
  • You can use any type of milk, however the less fat content in the milk, means a less rich cake. I would stick to whole milk or 2% milk.
  • The rum adds a tiny bit of flavour to the cake. You can leave it out if you would like, and the cake will still taste amazing.
  • Store the cake in the the refrigerator. This cake tastes best served cold.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 12g | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 906IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 1mg