This Tres Leches cake was such a hit at my party that I was lucky to snag a photo. My sister labored over this traditional Mexican sweet, which literally consists of three milks: evaporated, cream, and condensed. Still for all that dairy, it's not quite as heavy as one would expect.
Like most recipes that have been around for ages, there are many variations, my sister used?this recipe :
ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened and a little more for the pan
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 1% milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
7 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk?(actually I used a bit more)
6 ounces fat-free evaporated milk?(used a bit more here too, but not as much as the sweetened condensed)
1 pint whipping cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate after each addition. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture to mixer, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.?Beat until nice and smooth and creamy.?Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake until cake is firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.?(actually I baked it a bit less and let cool for more like 10 minutes)
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed and evaporated milks. Poke holes all over the warm cake using a wooden skewer or toothpick (or a knife works fine). Slowly pour milk mixture evenly into holes and all over the cake.?Let cake cool and allow it to absorb liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate cake 1 hour.
5. Whip cream.?Remove cake from refrigerator and spread whipped topping over cake.?Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Here is an article about the roots of this popular dessert.
But what do you think?