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A moist slice of Tres Leches Cake with creamy topping and cinnamon, being served from a dish.

Tres Leches Cake (Milk Cake)

Jillian Mead Profile PicturesJillian Mead
Indulge in this classic Tres Leches Cake recipe! A light, fluffy sponge soaked in three sweet milks for a rich, creamy dessert that melts in your mouth.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling Time + Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Latin American
Servings 10
Calories 334 kcal

Ingredients
  

For The Cake:

  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar divided
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For The Milk Soak:

  • 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

For The Topping:

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Ground cinnamon for topping

Instructions
 

To Make The Cake:

  • Adjust the rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.
  • Separate the eggs and whisk ¾ cup sugar into the egg yolks until you have a smooth, pale yellow mixture. Add ⅓ cup of milk and the vanilla extract. Whisk well.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or hand whisk to beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. As they thicken, add the remaining sugar. This is an important part of getting the cake to be fluffy and able to absorb the milk mixture.
  • Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
  • Pour the batter into an ungreased baking dish and level out the top. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely (approximately 1 hour).

To Make The Milk Soak:

  • Mix the evaporated milk, whole milk, and condensed milk together. Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake, then pour the milk mixture over the cake. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 1 hour, to allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture.

To Make The Topping:

  • Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into stiff peaks. Pour onto the cake and smooth over evenly, then sprinkle with the cinnamon.
    Whipping heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract for Tres Leches Cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 172mgFiber: 0.3g
Keyword Tres Leches Cake (Milk Cake)
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