Light & Fluffy Tres Leches Cake

Fluffy And Moist Tres Leches Cake

A fluffy sponge cake soaked in three types of milk and topped off with a light whipped topping, this Tres Leches cake is to die for. The cake has been a family favorite for a long time, and is perfect for the summertime especially when served cold. The typed of milks that we will be using to soak our cake in are evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy whipping cream. If you don’t have any of these milks, don’t worry because you can make them at home 🙂 Check out the description box in the youtube video below for the tutorial on how to make these types of milks.

For 12 servings 

Ingredients:

For the cake- 

-1 cup (120g) all purpose flour

 -2 tablespoons cornstarch (you could also use corn flour, but can omit this ingredient if you don’t have it on hand) 

-½ teaspoon salt 

-1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 

-5 eggs, separated 

-¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

 -⅓ cup (113g) milk

 -1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

-1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

 -1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk 

-¼ cup (85g) heavy cream

For the topping-

-1 1/2 cups (360g) cold heavy whipping cream

-2 tablespoons granulated sugar

fruit of choice (optional)

 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C)

1. In a medium bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, then mix. Sift the two ingredients two times to ensure that the cake is light and fluffy. Stir in the baking powder and salt, and mix together. Set aside for later

2. Using an electric mixer (recommended but not required) or whisk, whisk the egg yolks until frothy. Pour in 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar and beat until the mixture becomes lighter in color. Add in the vanilla and milk and continue to beat the mixture. Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon. Make sure not to overmix or else the cake will become heavy and dense. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or w whisk and beat the egg whites until it develops bubbles. Add in 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar and continue to beat the egg whites until it reaches soft peaks. Fold the mixture we has just set aside using  a spatula or wooden spoon. Do not be aggressive with the mixture because you don’t want to deflate any of the air that we just beat into the egg whites. 

4. Grease a 9×13 inch (22×33 cm) pan with a small amount of oil or butter . You can also line it with parchment paper if you don’t want to serve the cake in the dish, but if you choose to serve the cake in the dish itself, you don’t have to worry about it.

5. Pour the cake batter in the pan and bake for around 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake should be cooked completely. Allow the cake to cool and work on the milk mixture in the meantime. 

6. In a small bowl, pour a 12 ounce can of evaporated milk, then add a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Mix the three milks together.

7. After the cake has cooled, poke several holes using a toothpick or fork. Make sure to poke as many holes as you can so that the milk can be absorbed. Pour all of the milk mixture on the cake evenly and allow it to absorb. 

8. Chill the cake overnight or for at least 1 hour. 

9. Once the cake has been cooled, pour 1 1/4 cup of cold heavy whipping cream in a large glass o metal bowl. Then add two tablespoons of granulated sugar and whip the ingredients together with an electric mixer or a whisk until it reaches stiff peaks. 

10. Take the cake out of the fridge and use a spatula to place an even layer of the whipped topping on the cake. Use an offset spatula to level the cream on the cake.

Top with fruit and serve! Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Using corn starch

While making baked goods like cakes and cupcakes, we want to ensure that we get a fluffy and light consistency, and the addition of cornstarch does just that. The cornstarch shares the liquid with the flour, causing the gluten to relax, allowing the cake to have a fluffy, airy consistency. This is why store bought cake flour has the addition of cornstarch, so that the end result can be as tender and fluffy as possible.

If you don’t own cornstarch, simply omit it from the recipe but it is a recommended ingredient. 

Do not overmix the ingredients

As with the majority of baked good recipes, make sure to not overmix the batter! The gluten in the flour will begin to form strands, resulting in a tougher, denser texture. Simple fold in the flour until just combined to prevent the cake form becoming heavy and dense.

Use a good quality vanilla extract

While vanilla extract does not texturally change the consistency of the cake, it is an important ingredient to include in the recipe. Just like salt, it enhances and brings out the sweet flavor in any baked good. if you don’t happen to own any vanilla extract, simply omit it from the recipe but if you bake often, make sure to invest in good quality vanilla extract because it makes all the difference.

Chill the bowl and Electric MIxer

This step isn’t completely optional, but it is highly recommended. Before making the whipped topping, make sure that the bowl and mixer are chilled. The cream will whip best when cold, and it will prevent the cream from melting and liquifying. Also make sure that you’re using a glass, metal or ceramic bowl for this step as these materials tend to be cooler.

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