Dos Leches Cake Recipes

DULCE DE LECHE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, just until golden brown. Remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, browned butter, water, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes (brown flecks from butter will appear in batter). Pour into pan.
• Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat dulce de leche and cream cheese with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until blended and smooth. Beat in whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

DULCE DE LECHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the baking rack in the middle. For a rectangular cake: Line 2 large 12" x 18" or 15" x 21" baking sheet pans lined with parchment or silicone mats & set aside (alternatively butter and flour the sheet pans). For a round cake - butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans*
• Mixture 1: In a bowl of a stand mixer whip together 4 eggs, 1 cup sugar, and ½ tsp salt for ~10 minutes. Eggs should be whipped until the mixture flows off the beater in a ribbon that takes 2-3 seconds to disappear.
• Mixture 2: When the eggs are almost done whipping, in a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup sour cream, 1 can dulce de leche and 1 tsp of baking soda until no lumps of dulce de leche are seen. The mixture will increase in volume from the baking soda, so make sure to use big enough bowl.
• Combine: Fold the two mixtures together, being careful not to overmix and deflate the batter.
• Add the dry: Sift in 2 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder, then fold the batter until fully incorporated. Do not overmix or the cake will be tough.
• Pour & Bake: Divide the batter between the 2 prepared baking sheet pans (or 3 rounds ones for a round cake) into an even layer. Bake for ~9 minutes for the rectangular pans or ~12 min for round cake pans, or until the top is lightly golden and springs back when touched, or when the toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Roast: Preheat oven to 325F° with the baking rack in the center.Place the hazelnuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, tossing the nuts about every 4 minutes and tasting to see if they're roasted to your liking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
• Skin the hazelnuts: Add the nuts to a ziplock bag and keep shaking and rubbing the hazelnuts between the palms of your hands until the skin is removed. Next, shake the bag so that hazelnut skins sink to the bottom of the bag, and remove the nuts to a separate bowl, discarding the skins. Leave 20 or so hazelnuts whole, chop the rest of the nuts with a sharp knife to a medium size, or pulse a few times in the food processor, or add to a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin.
• Combine the evaporated milk and the dulce de leche with a whisk or an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into a squirt bottle if available.
• If using heavy whipping cream instead of whipped topping, whip the cream with a mixer until medium peaks and refrigerate.
• Whip 8 oz of cubed room temperature butter and 8 oz cubed cream cheese for about 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is very fluffy. Scrape down the bowl several times throughout. Add the dulce de leche in 2 additions and whip after each until just incorporated.
• Fold in the refrigerated whipped cream (or whipped topping) into the caramel cream in two additions.
• Flip each cake upside down and peel off the parchment paper or the silicone mat from the back. Cut the rectangular cakes widthwise into two equal pieces (you will have 4 cake layers now). For the round cakes use a long serrated knife to split each cake layer in half, horizontally (giving you 6 total layers).
• Reserve about 2 cups of cream and set aside (1 1/2 cups for a round cake)Place a dab of frosting onto the serving plate. Now top with the fist cake layer and press to adhere. Layer the cake by soaking each layer with the soaking syrup, then spreading some caramel cream and sprinkling some chopped hazelnuts. Repeat the process with the rest of the layers.
• Add the final layer, then use 1 1/2 cups of the reserved caramel cream (1 1/4 cups for round) to cover the top and sides of the cake.
• Cover the cream with chocolate flakes by sprinkling the top and pressing it against the sides. OR prepare chocolate ganache and pour it over the top of the cake.
• Use the remaining cream ( 1/2 cup for rectangular or 1/4 cup for round) to pipe on cake top and decorate with whole roasted hazelnuts (use chopped hazelnuts for round version).
• Refrigerate the cake for about 2-3 hours before serving. Serve cold or room temperature.

DOS LECHES STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Whip the cream in a bowl using a whisk or hand mixer. Just before soft peaks are formed, add the confectioners' sugar and lime zest. Whip to soft peaks.
• Remove the pound cakes from the freezer and cut each in half vertically with a serrated knife. Then cut each of the halves horizontally. Cut rounds out of each block of cake using a 3-inch cutter. Then cut each round in half horizontally, so you're left with 16 equal-sized rounds.
• For building the cakes: Set a round of pound cake down, pour over some sweetened condensed milk, layer on some diced strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Top with another layer of cake and garnish with a sliced strawberry fanned out on top and some lime zest sprinkled over. Repeat for the remaining cakes.

TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and 3/4 cup sugar on high until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine. With a rubber spatula, fold in melted butter until incorporated. Transfer batter to dish and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating dish halfway through.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together milks. Poke warm cake all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick, then pour milk mixture over top and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Whip cream and 1/4 cup sugar to medium peaks. To serve, spread whipped cream evenly over cooled cake. Top with fruit if desired.

TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Poke top of hot cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking.
• In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream. Carefully pour evenly over top of cake. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until mixture is absorbed into cake. Frost with frosting. Store covered in refrigerator.

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!

DOS LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whip eggs, sugar and salt until tripled in bulk.
• Fold in flour.
• Pour mixture into 9x11-inch, well buttered pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Poke holes on top of cake. Combine milks and flavoring and pour over cake.
• Allow to soak in at least 2 hours.

COCONUT TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, following the package instructions. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, sweetened condensed coconut milk, coconut milk and vanilla.
• Poke holes all over the cake. Pour the milk mixture over the top, a little at a time, letting it soak, so that the liquid doesn't overflow. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 10 or up to 24 hours. (The cake should have absorbed all of the liquid, and there should be no liquid pooled on the top or sides.)
• Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake, then sprinkle the toasted coconut all over the top. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

DOS LECHES FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat the Oven and Prepare a Water Bath
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place a rectangular cake pan or roasting pan into the oven and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Leave the pan in the oven while it preheats.
• Mix the Flan Ingredients
• In a mixing bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, water, eggs, salt, and vanilla. Mix until everything is well blended.
• Make the Caramel
• This is actually much easier than you think. Just make sure you have a nonstick skillet and a heat-proof silicone spatula. Place a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sprinkle the sugar evenly all over it, and cook. After about 5 minutes, you will see the sugar begin to melt. A few minutes after that, parts of the melted sugar will begin to turn a light brown color. If the sugar is melting unevenly, you can use your silicone spatula to stir it around a bit. If you do, the sugar will clump up a bit, and that is okay. The clumps will eventually melt down-just continue stirring.
• Once all of the sugar has melted (and any clumps have disappeared), pour the caramel into a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, preferably a nonstick one. As soon as you pour the caramel into the pan, it will begin to harden, which is okay.
• Pour the Flan Mixture into the Pan and Bake
• Give the flan mixture a quick mix and pour it over the prepared caramel in the pan.
• Place the pan in the center of the water bath. You may hear some crackling, which is the hardened caramel.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester, toothpick, or butter knife inserted in the center of the flan comes out clean. The center will still jiggle a bit.
• Remove the loaf pan from the oven and allow to cool for 1 hour. If you are going to unmold the flan in the next hour, leave the water bath in the oven. (After cooling for 45 minutes, you can cover the flan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to unmold it.)
• Unmold and Serve
• You need your water bath again. If you discarded the one used for baking, place enough hot water in a rectangular cake pan or roasting pan to come at least a quarter of the way up the sides of the pan.
• Dip the loaf pan into the hot water and let it sit for a few minutes. You will hear cracking again, which is the caramel loosening up. Remove the loaf pan from the hot water and run a thin knife blade between the flan and the sides of the pan.
• Invert a serving platter over the loaf pan and flip both over, dislodging the flan from the pan. The caramel will drip down onto the platter. (A good amount of caramel will have remained in its solid state in the pan, which is expected.)
• Serve and enjoy!
• COOKING NOTES
• TECHNIQUES
• Making Caramel
• Forget about what you have heard, caramel is easy to make and easy to clean up. You just have to have the right tools: a nonstick pan and a heatproof silicone spatula. Using any other material will make for a messy and long clean up.
• Follow the instructions in the recipe and if the sugar clumps up, keep heating it until it melts.
• Creating a Water Bath
• I find the easiest and safest way to create an oven water bath is to place a deep pan in the oven, fill it with water, and allow it to heat up during the oven preheating time.
• Cleaning the Pans
• The nonstick skillet and silicone spatula will clean up quickly after they have been used. A little hot soapy water should be enough to get all the hardened caramel off.
• The loaf pan is a different story. You will most likely end up with a hardened layer of caramel stuck to your pan. Soak the pan in hot soapy water overnight. The next day, pour out the water and pour in clean hot water. Any remaining caramel should just melt right off.
• ADVANCE PREPARATION
• The flan can be baked and left in its pan, unmolded, in the refrigerator for 2 days. After it has been unmolded, it will keep for another 3 days or so.