Let me start by saying I LOVE a good tres leches cake. How is it light and fluffy, yet decadent, sweet & creamy all at the same time?! I first had it years ago at a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant and I was a changed woman after that meal. I never thought to recreate it because honestly I didn’t know how darn easy it was until a couple years ago. If you’re wondering what this slice of heaven is, let me brief you. It’s literally a three milk cake. What that means is the sponge cake you end up baking is SOAKED in a couple of different milks and you let it chill overnight so all the juices are seeped into the cake, making this the moistest cake of all time. Then you top it off with a light homemade whipped cream and just sink into it like you sink into your bed on Monday nights. Not really sure what else to tell you than to get baking. I’m over here wishing I had a slice while typing this up…

TRES LECHES CAKE RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS

for the sponge cake 

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

for the milk soak

• 1 (12oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14oz.) can condensed milk
• 2 cups whole milk

for the whipped frosting 

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

for the topping 

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

for the sponge cake 

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Butter a flour a 9×13″ pan and set aside.
• In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
• Add one egg at a time & make sure it is incorporated before adding the next.
• Mix in the vanilla extract & baking powder.
• With the mixer on low, add a couple tablespoons of the flour at a time till all is combined.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan & spread it out evenly. The batter is quite thick so make sure that it is as even as possible to ensure that the whole cake bakes evenly.
• Bake the cake for 30 mins & once it is out, pierce the cake ALL over with a fork, set aside to cool.

for the milk soak 

• Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl & whisk till smooth.
• Ladle the milk mixture over the cooled cake, wrap it and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

for the whipped frosting 

• In a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream till soft peaks form.
• Add the vanilla extract & powdered sugar and continue to whisk till the cream is holding its shape (~1 min on high).
• Pipe or spread the cream over chilled cake & dust the ground cinnamon on top.
• Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge for a day.