How to Make Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches means "three milks," and refers to the 3 different kinds of milk the cake is soaked in. Tres leches cake is very popular in Latin America, especially in Mexico and Nicaragua. Make one yourself for your next special occasion following these easy steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 13 by 9-inch cake pan
• Fork
• Butter or margarine for greasing the cake pan
• Flour for dusting the cake pan
• Oven
• White cake mix
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup cooking oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup whole milk
• 14 oz. can evaporated milk
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
• Butter knife
• Platter with raised sides large enough to hold the cake

1. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch cake pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine the cake mix, flour, 1 cup sugar, eggs, oil, 1 tsp. vanilla, baking powder and whole milk into a bowl. Blend on medium speed for 1 minute, scrape the bowl and blend on high speed for an additional minute.

3. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a butter knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

4. Cool the cake completely and turn out onto a large platter with raised sides. Poke the cake all over with the fork.

5. Mix together evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and half and half. Gently pour over the cake until it will not absorb any more liquid. You may be left with a third of the liquid mixture, but that is okay.

6. Allow the cake to chill at least 4 hours in a refrigerator. Overnight is better if possible.

7. Beat the whipping cream with the sugar and remaining teaspoon of vanilla until it forms peaks. Frost the cake and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• Garnish the top of the cake with coconut, thinly sliced tropical fruit like mango or papaya or with maraschino cherries if desired.
• For a slightly different flavor, add 1 Tbsp. of rum to the milk mixture before pouring it over the cake.
• Do like they do in the Caribbean and substitute cream of coconut for the condensed milk.
• The "Southern" variation of this cake adds 1/3 cup peach schnapps to the milk mixture, and garnishes the top with sliced peaches.
• Do not refrigerate the milk mixture before pouring it over the cake. It will absorb better at room temperature.

Resources

• Find a recipe for tres leches cake and more desserts at this site.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.

[princes77]

on 5/4/2008 I loved it!!!