Sturdy Tres Leches Cake

The structure of a Tres Leches cake can vary, which impacts how you serve the cake. This three milk cake is not as sweet as other versions and is for one layer made in a spring-form pan. This cake is soaked in milks that stiffens in the fridge. This recipe needs to be made at least 6 hrs before serving but is actually best if made a day in advance.

Ingredients

  • Cake
    • 2.25 cups flour
    • 1 cup + 2 TBL sugar
    • 6 Eggs – separated and at room temperature
    • 4 oz Milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp Cream of tartar
    • 0.75 tsp Salt
    • 2.25 tsp baking powder
  • Milk mixture
    • 12 oz Heavy Cream
    • 14 oz Sweetened condensed milk
    • 12 oz Evaporated milk
    • 8 oz Whole milk
  • Frosting
    • 12 oz. heavy cream
    • 1 TBL Confectionery sugar
    • Decorations – strawberries, blue berries, etc.

Process

  1. Mise en place – measure and prepare ingredients prior to starting.
  2. Make Cake:
    1. Make batter
      1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
      2. Mix egg yolks with 0.5 cup sugar on high speed for ~3 mins.
      3. Add 4 oz milk while mixer remains on high.
      4. Lower speed to low and stir in flour mixture
      5. In separate mixing bowl, that is completely dry,
        • Whip egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (~1 min).
        • Gradually add remaining sugar until peaks stiffen.
  4. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Do not stir, want a fluffy batter.
    • Use a spatula to fold without deflating the egg whites.
  5. Pour batter into pan and bake ~30 mins.
  6. Let cake cool for at least 10 mins.
  7. Use a knife to cut along the sides of the spring-form pan, then remove the side wall and let cake finish cooling down. Rest 1 hr or until cold.
  8. Make Milk Mixture (tres leches)
    1. Combine milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla.
    2. Pierce entire cake surface with a small skewer spacing holes 0.5″ apart.
    3. Put spring-form pan’s side back on
    4. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over cake in 1 cup intervals waiting 5 mins between pours for the cake to absorb the leches.
    5. Put cake in fridge over night to stiffen.
  9. Make Frosting:
    1. Whip the cream with the sugar on high speed until stiff.
    2. Remove cake pan side wall.
    3. Spread frosting evenly over the top and sides of the soaked cake and decorate.
  10. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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