Description
Creamy Mexican tres leches delights dessert enthusiasts with its rich, soaked sponge cake bathed in three milks. Sweet comfort lingers on palates, inviting you to savor each heavenly spoonful of this classic Latin American treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Milk Mixture:
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Topping:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
- Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the butter mixture, adding vanilla extract, until just combined without overmixing.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly, ensuring smooth surface.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow cake to cool completely at room temperature.
- Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and heavy cream in a large measuring cup.
- Once cake has cooled, puncture surface with a fork multiple times to create channels for milk absorption.
- Slowly pour milk mixture over entire cake, ensuring even distribution and allowing cake to absorb liquid gradually.
- Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour to allow complete milk absorption.
- Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream evenly over soaked cake.
- Optionally garnish with ground cinnamon and maraschino cherries before serving chilled.
Notes
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for smooth mixing and better cake texture.
- Create deeper milk channels by using a skewer or narrow chopstick instead of a fork for more milk absorption.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients like pure vanilla extract and full-fat dairy for richer flavor profile.
- Make gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg