“Tres leches” literally means “three milks” from Spanish, and this is because the cake is soaked in three different types of milk – sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and regular milk.

Bake a classic Mexican tres leches cake, sometimes called a milk cake, for an afternoon treat or coffee morning – it gets its name from the three types of milk. The cake is ridiculously moist, beautifully sweet, utterly tender, and melts in your mouth. if you’ve never eaten tres leches cake, you’re in for a treat!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk, room temperature, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 6 large eggs, separated, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with flour.
  • In a bowl, beat together the baking powder, flour and salt. Combine 1/2 cup milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla in a glass measuring cup.
  • Alongside, whisk egg whites on a medium high speed with an electric mixer.
  • Transfer the egg whites to a medium bowl and keep them in the fridge.
  • In the same bowl you used to beat the egg whites, add 1/2 cup butter and beat until smooth, scraped-out edges. Add 1 cup sugar and whisk until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, turning sides in half. Add 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla and beat well.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Leave the cake in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, then cover the knife around. Poke holes in the surface with a skewer, then pour in half the milk mixture. After about 5 minutes, most of it should be soaked into the cake. Leave it for another 5 minutes, then take it out on a plate and pour the remaining milk over it until it starts leaking a little. Leave to cool.

For whipped cream topping

  • Pour heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until thick and spreadable.
  • Add confectioners’ sugar and beat to combine.
  • Spread whipped cream evenly over cake and optionally garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and any excess tres leches mixture to serve on the side. serve immediately.

Try this tres leches cake recipe at home and we are sure you will turn out to be the best chef. Happy baking!