This year, I’ve been asked multiple times to share the recipe for the tres leches cake that we all love so much in Mexico. It’s one of those homemade cakes that we truly relish, and for celebrating a birthday, it’s often among the top choices.
Interestingly, it happens to be my husband’s favorite cake, and his birthday was this month. So, I indulged his preference and baked it. We enjoyed it so much! and it disappeared very quickly. Of course, I took advantage of the opportunity to snap some photos, ensure the recipe’s quality, and share it with all of you.
- - 1½ cups of flour
- - 1 tablespoon of baking powder (royal)
- - ¼ teaspoon of salt
- - 4 egg whites
- - 4 egg yolks
- - ¾ cup of sugar
- - ½ cup of milk
- - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- - 1 can of condensed milk
- - 300 ml of evaporated milk
- - 1 can of 225 ml of media crema (table cream)
- - ¼ cup of rum
- - 3 cups of cold whipping cream
- - ½ cup of powdered sugar
- - ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- - Canned peaches in syrup
- - Fresh strawberries
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a round baking pan with a diameter of 20 to 23 cm (8 to 9 inches), greasing it with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of melted butter and a tablespoon of flour.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they reach a soft peak stage, then gradually add half of the sugar while continuing to beat until it thickens.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the vanilla extract for 4 to 6 minutes, until they double in size and change color.
- Combine the egg yolk mixture with the egg whites and continue beating until well integrated.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk, mixing until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the circular pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to split it in half to form two layers.
- While the cake is cooling, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, media crema, and rum in a container. Use a whisk to mix until you achieve a homogeneous mixture.
- In a bowl that has been placed in the freezer for half an hour, place the cold whipping cream. Beat at medium speed until soft peaks start to form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Cut the peaches into slices and halve the strawberries.
- Place the bottom half of the cake on a serving platter and poke it with a fork. Use a piping bag to create a circle of whipped cream on the upper and lower edges of the cake. This will help contain the milk mixture.
- Slowly and carefully pour half of the three milks mixture over the cake, allowing it to absorb between each addition.
- Next, cover the top with a layer of whipped cream, followed by a layer of peach slices and a lighter layer of whipped cream.
- Invert the other half of the cake so that the cut side is facing up. Poke it with a fork and place it on top of the cake. Repeat the previous steps: surround with whipped cream, add the three milks mixture, wait for absorption, and add a layer of whipped cream.
- Finally, cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream, decorate to your liking, and arrange the strawberry halves and peach slices on top.
I was reminiscing about last year when I also attempted to make it. Although it wasn’t planned and the ingredients weren’t the finest, it was a very close approximation but not the best.
However, this year, I took my time to find a recipe that would truly satisfy our tastes. For the success of this tres leches cake, the sponge needs to be porous enough to absorb all the milk. I must say, the sponge in the recipe I’m sharing today was so porous! it absorbed the milk mixture very well and quickly.
The outcome was a tres leches cake that was incredibly moist, with a subtle hint of rum that only enhanced its sweetness. What’s more, it retained its texture without drying out over the three days it took the two of us to finish it.
We personally love a peach filling, but there are many who prefer filling this tres leches cake using solely strawberries, and even some who incorporate chopped walnuts. That choice is completely up to you.
Bon appétit!
Esta entrada también está disponible en: Spanish
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