Authentic Mexican Tres Leches Recipes

MEXICAN TRES LECHES CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 356 degrees F and bring eggs to room temperature for easier beating. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into two small bowls.
• Sift flour using a fine mesh strainer or flour sifter.
• Pour egg yolks, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer.
• Beat egg yolks until uniform, smooth, pale yellow and doubled in volume. Pour mixture into a separate bowl.
• Wash and dry the stand mixing bowl and whisk, add egg whites to the bowl and beat on high speed. This is the secret to a light and spongy cake.
• Slowly add half of the remaining sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
• Add remaining sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Mixture should be light and fluffy and stick to the whisk attachment or beaters when scooped from the bowl.
• Gather your three bowls: one with flour, one with egg white mixture, and the other with the egg yolk mixture. Using the egg yolk mixture as your main mixing bowl, you'll add flour and then egg white mixture little by little, alternating as you fold into the batter.
• First, add two tablespoons of flour to the egg yolk mixture.
• Fold flour into the yolk mixture.
• Add a scoop of the egg white mixture to your main mixing bowl.
• Gently fold into the flour mixture.
• Add more flour.
• Fold into the cake batter.
• Add more egg white mixture.
• Gently fold in the egg white.
• Continue alternating and folding in flour and egg white until you've added everything to the main bowl. Mixture will become lighter in color as you add ingredients and the final cake batter should be smooth, thick and fluffy.
• Grease and flour an 8 1/2 or 9 inch pan. Use a pastry brush to spread the butter in the round cake pan.
• Place a cookie sheet under your cake pan. Then, pour the tres leches cake mix into the prepared pan.
• Use the spatula to scrape the batter from sides of the bowl into the pan.
• Smooth the top of your cake evenly with the spatula.
• Place your cake on the center rack of the oven and bake at 356 degrees F for 40-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven, let sit five minutes, and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
• Line the cooled cake pan with plastic wrap. You're going to place the cake back in the pan and then cover, so be sure you leave enough wrap on the sides to do so.
• Carefully place your cake bottom up into the lined baking pan.
• Gather your condensed milk, evaporated milk and light cream (or table cream) in separate bowls, as well as a large bowl, measuring cup and wire whisk.
• Pour the cream into the measuring cup.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk.
• Pour in the evaporated milk.
• Empty the measuring cup contents into a large bowl.
• Whisk the three milks until combined, and then pour back into the measuring cup.
• Using a fork, poke holes into the cooled tres leches cake.
• Pour the milk mixture into the holes and all over the surface of the cake. Don't forget the edges.
• Lift and fold over the flaps of the plastic wrap to cover the soaked cake.
• Once your cake is completely covered, place in the refrigerator and let rest for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best.
• Once the cake has rested, make the whipped topping. Gather your ingredients: heavy whipping cream, clear vanilla extract, sugar and vanilla pudding mix.
• Fit your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Then add the whipping cream to the mixing bowl.
• Pour in the sugar and vanilla extract. The frosting uses a clear vanilla extract to keep it from changing color.
• Pour in the vanilla pudding mix.The pudding creates a stabilized whipped cream so you won't have to worry about it melting all over your cake in the refrigerator.
• Whip the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Take care not to over beat. If you do so, the cream could separate. The cream should be light and fluffy.
• Remove your tres leches cake from the refrigerator and prepare a serving dish or cake pedestal.
• Turn out your cake into the center of the dish.
• Carefully separate the pan from the cake.
• Slowly unwrap the plastic wrap by folding the wrap over itself.
• Remove the plastic wrap completely from the cake.
• Frost the sides of the cake with the whipped topping using a frosting spatula.
• Carefully frost the top of the cake, being careful not to let the spatula touch the cake directly. You don't want the cake crumbs to show up on your beautifully frosted cake.
• Gather your garnishes. If you're using strawberries, slice them in half and make a ring around the center of the cake, pressing the tops of the berries gently into the cake, cut side up. Fill in the ring with more strawberries, then sprinkle with raspberries and blueberries. Serve cold.

MEXICAN - TRADITIONAL TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Beat egg whites until peaks form. Add sugar gradually. Add yolks; beat 3 minutes. Combine flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture alternately with milk.
• Pour into well greased 9 X 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 40 minutes. Pour sauce ingredients into blender; blend.
• Punch holes in cake with toothpick while yet warm; pour sauce over cake. Allow cake to cool in refrigerator before frosting.
• To make frosting: mix all ingredients in the top of double boiler. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes while beating constantly.
• Frost cake. Keep refrigerated.

TRES LECHES (MILK CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
• Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork.
• Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.
• Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy!

TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Turn the oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust the oven rack to the middle position. grease and flour a 13-by-9 inch pan and set aside. For a taller cake, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. Set it aside. If you check the pictures, this cake is not tall.
• Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
• With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds, and slowly add the sugar as in a light dusting, until all sugar is incorporated. The egg mix will be very fluffy and be turning a light yellow.
• Reduce speed of mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running in low. (The butter HAS to be melted and cool if not, it will flatten your bubbles, meaning flat cake)
• Add the flour in batches (spoon by spoon) and gently fold with a spatula until well combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread the evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake looks light golden or a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
• Remove the cake and transfer to a wired rack to cool completely. Poke the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer or fork all over.

TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour a 10-inch cake pan with 2-inch high sides and then line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.
• Mix the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until frothy. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Beat in the yolks, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the whole milk in 2 additions.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool the cake slightly, about 10 minutes, then invert onto a platter with 1-inch high sides.
• Pierce the top of the cake all over with a thick skewer. Mix the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 cup heavy cream and orange liqueur in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the cake while warm. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours or overnight.
• Combine the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream onto top of the cake and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon.

MEXICAN TRES LECHES CAKE (PASTEL DE 3 LECHES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Clean beaters.
• Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl until creamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until pale yellow. Fold egg yolks into egg white mixture using a spatula. Sift in flour and carefully fold into the batter; mix in zest of 1 lime. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Turn off oven but keep cake in the closed oven for an additional 20 minutes.
• Prepare the '3 milks' while cake is resting in the oven. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and amaretto liqueur in a blender; blend until well combined.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan and and place on a serving plate. Pierce the cake several times across the top with a fork. Pour the '3 milks' mixture over the cake. Refrigerate cake until cool and milk mixture has soaked in, about 1 hour.
• Beat 1 cup heavy cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Garnish the top of the cake with whipped cream, peach slices, and 1 teaspoon lime zest.

TRADITIONAL TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk egg whites and salt to soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into yolks until almost combined. Sift flour over egg and gently fold into batter (do not overmix).
• Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of dish, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the three milks; pour evenly over cake. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• To serve, whip cream and confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe whipped cream in a decorative pattern, if desired.