It’s never a bad idea to have a delicious, easy cake recipe in your back pocket. Whether for a school bake sale, a contribution to a last-minute dinner party invitation or a crowd-pleasing addition to a dessert spread at a holiday party, this tres leches cake from the American Dairy Association North East is a winner. The recipe, which was developed by Lisa Graybeal, a dairy farmer in Peach Bottom, PA, is sweet and tasty.
“Tres leches” translates from Spanish to “three milks”: traditionally, they are evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream or half and half in a glaze that douses the vanilla sponge. The cake is then dolloped with vanilla-kissed whipped heavy cream that is our favorite alternative to thick-overly sweet frosting. If you can find it, try using local cream from a PA dairy farm, for the freshest, richest flavor in your topping.
Top the cake with seasonal fruit for a lovely presentation. Try berries in spring and summer, apples and cranberries in fall and pomegranate arils and clementines in winter!
Tres Leches Cake
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 10–12 |
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 25 min | 45 min |
Cake
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick butter
- 1 scant cup sugar
- 5 whole eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil and flour a metal pan and set aside. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place butter in mixing bowl and beat till fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Decrease speed and gradually add sugar over 1 minute, stopping to scrap down bowl, if necessary. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture in three batches, until just combined.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly. (Will appear to be a very small amount of batter). Bake on middle of rack 20-25 minutes, or until done and lightly brown. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes. Once cooled, poke the top of the cake with a fork or skewer. Allow cake to cool completely before adding glaze.
Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup half and half
Method
- In a large mixing bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half and half; mix well. Pour over cake. Cool the cake fully. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Whipped Cream Topping
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until peaks are formed and thick. Spread over cake. Top with fruit, if desired.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
