Cake: Tres Leches Cake

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Recipes & Menus | recipes

Tres Leches Cake
Cakes soaked in a sauce are designed so they can be made a day ahead. This classic Latin American version is as moist as promised.

16 servings

Recipe by Alma in Dallas

Photograph by Matt Duckor

July 2012

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (for pan)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour bottom and sides of cake pan. Set aside.

Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until firm peaks form, 7-8 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in 2 tsp. vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into pan; smooth top.

Bake cake for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°; continue baking until cake is golden brown and middle springs back when pressed, 20-25 minutes more. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. vanilla, evaporated milk, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Poke holes all over top of cake with a skewer. Slowly drizzle half of sauce over cake, letting liquid soak in before adding more. Let cake sit for 10 minutes.

Invert a plate on top of cake. Lift rack and gently invert cake onto plate. Drizzle remaining sauce over. Spoon any liquid collected on sheet over cake.