I am a sucker for cake. It just makes me happy. I can't help it! When I checked out this recipe for Tres Leches Cake courtesy of The Pioneer Woman, I was a bit concerned. There was a LOT of liquid being poured onto that cake! But I decided to give it a shot....And here we go!
Here's what you'll need. Look at all that liquid!!
First you add all the dry ingredients together. Then you need to separate a whole boat load of eggs. Oh yes, this recipe is SUPER HEALTHY! That's why it tastes so good :) Check out the nifty egg separating doohickey I found in the kitchen. It made my life so much easier and was awesome! I must buy one...But I digress.
Throw those yolks in the mixer with the sugar and get mixing!
Then add the milk and vanilla and mix some more! But this time only a little bit.
Once it is combined, add the yolk-y yummy mixture (don't eat it though. you know, salmonilla and all that jazz) to the dry ingredients. Mix just to combine.
Now quickly clean the mixer and the bowl and get to whipping up the egg whites to some nice peaks. I always find it nuts that egg whites can turn into such fluffiness!! Thank you to Alton Brown from Good Eats for letting me know why that happens! I love that guy...But again I digress....Beat the eggs to soft peaks then add the sugar and beat some more till the peaks are stiff.
Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture but just until combined! Then add it to the baking dish.
Bake that baby for 35-45 minutes. Once it's done, take it out and allow it to cool. Then poke a bunch of holes in it with a fork. Like a lot of holes.I had a bit of an issue finding a plate to put this cake on so we had to cut it a bit first (quality control and all) and I put it on the best plate I could find. Ideally you want a plate that the cake can sit in and has a rim of some sort.
Next is the odd part (at least it was for me). Combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream together. I warned you this wasn't the healthiest of cakes! Once it's all together, pour all but 1 cup of the milky concoction onto the cake. Yes, you read that right. Pour the it all over the cake including the edges. I freaked out a little when I did this at first because the milk sort of sat there initially, but if you waited it all got sucked up by the cake! Craziness....
Give the cake 20-30 minutes to suck up all the goodness. Then it's frosting time! Well, whipped cream time. Add the heavy cream and the sugar to the mixing bowl and whip it up good.
Once the frosting seems to the consistency of your liking, ice the cake and voila! You're done.
I have to say I was a bit skeptical about this cake, but it was delicious! Be forewarned that the bottom of the cake in the middle can get extra mushy if you have plate that isn't entirely flat under the whole cake, but we ate it regardless. Enjoy!!
Tres Leches Cake
Source: The Pioneer Woman
1 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
Frosting:
1 pint heavy cream
3 tbsp sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 inch pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Separate eggs and beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until just combined.
4. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites form stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold egg white mixture into the batter until just combined. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.
7. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture onto the cake.
8. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.
9. For frosting whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick. Spread over the surface of the cake.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Separate eggs and beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until just combined.
4. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites form stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold egg white mixture into the batter until just combined. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.
7. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture onto the cake.
8. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.
9. For frosting whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick. Spread over the surface of the cake.
