Tres Leches Cake from Mexico

Tres leches, or literally translated as three milks, is a famous cake from Mexico. I have been meaning to introduce it and never got round to it, but finally I am doing it now. Think of a sponge cake, which is soaked in three types of milk. The version I introduce below is with condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. By soaking the cake, it becomes extra moist.  I liked the version that has one layer of whipping cream on the top, which is then sprinkled with cinnamon. If you like milk flavor with a touch of vanilla, this very soft cake is probably for you.

Tres leches cake is popular throughout Latin America. However, there seem to be quite a few different versions out there. The one I introduce here is the one from Mexico. There seems to be the consensus that you will need to use dairy (hence the name), but it is not as straight forward. It looks like dairy with a higher fact content such as heavy cream or condensed milk is preferred to actual milk. But it varies which one is used the most. Even the cake batter varies, I don’t use butter in mine, but there are some using butter, which is usually creamed forst. Some make a layer of meringue, but I felt that this would be too sweet and the whipping cream should only be sweetened lightly. Some add fruits, I only use them for decoration. You may omit the whipping cream layer, but for it to be a tres leches cake, you should not skip the soaking.

Print Recipe

Tres Leches Cake from Mexico

Serves: One 20x20cm cake form

Prep Time: 30min – Cooking Time: 25min – Total Time: 55min

Tres leches cake is a sponge cake from Mexico that is soaked with (sweetened) condensed milk and cream and is often served with another layer of whipped cream.

Ingredients

• Sponge Cake
• 90 grams of all-purpose flour
• 10 grams of cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 110 grams of regular sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 55 grams of milk
• 
  
• Tres Leches Syrup
• 150 grams of condensed milk
• 130 grams of sweetened condensed milk
• 40 grams of heavy cream
• 
  
• Decoration
• 280 grams of heavy cream
• 20 grams of regular sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Fresh berries for decoration (I used raspberries)

Instructions

1

For a lot of tips and tricks making sponge cake, check out this blog post.

2

For the sponge cake heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a 20x20cm baking pan with parchment paper. Weigh the flour and cornstarch into a small bowl. Divide egg whites and yolks into two large bowls and add about 50 grams of sugar to the whites and 60 grams to the yolks plus the vanilla extract. Using a mixer, first beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Without cleaning the mixer, now beat the egg yolks until paler in color and thicker in consistency. Mix in the milk with the egg-yolk mixture, sieve the flour/cornstarch on top and mix until combined. You want to add the meringue in three steps. Only fold in gently, try not losing any air. Once combined, spread evenly into prepared baking pan and bake on medium rack for about 25min.

3

Meanwhile stir together the milk soak. Once the cake comes out the oven, prick with a fork and pour the milk soak on it while still warm. You can either wait a bit until room temperature and then chill overnight or you can continue right away.

4

Beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract until stiff and spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Decorate with berries if using.