Tres leches or three milk cake has its origin in Mexico as well as Turkey with slight variations in topping. In Pakistan it has also become very popular with top layer as chocolate.
I am sharing a less sweet version of tres leches (three milk) cake that starts of with a sponge (literally to soak all that liquid).
FAQs
Substitutions and Variations
You can soak the milk in different flavors. In place of regular milk, you can use flavored milk like strawberry or chocolate or mango.
For whipped cream as well, you can use cocoa whipped cream.
You can do a desi Pakistan sweets variation by flavoring the milk with cardamom(crushed/powdered) and saffron and topping with pistachios.
Serving Suggestions
This cake can be served in a large glass dish in which the cake was baked (oven proof).
If you bake in aluminum baking pan of any shape, you can cut the squares and serve in small dessert plates, drizzled with caramel.
Storage and Make Ahead
The sponge can be made a day or two ahead. Wrap well and store at room temperature.
One day prior to serving, soak the sponge in milk and frost with whipping cream.
The leftover cake can be refrigerated covered well for up to 5 days.
Recipe
Yield: 1 9×13 inches cake
Tres Leches/ Three Milk Cake
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Additional Time
2 hours
Total Time
3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Sponge Cake
- 5 Eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup Sugar,granulated
- 1 cup Flour/Maida
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
For Three Milk
- 3/4 cup Evaporated Milk (170 ml)
- 3/4 cup Milk (170 ml)
- 1/4 cup Condensed Milk
- 1/4 cup Whipping Cream
For the Whipping Cream
- 1 cup Whipping Cream (32%fat min.)
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
For the Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Sugar, granulated
- 1/2 cup Cream
- 2 tablespoons of Butter, unslated, soft
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Sponge Cake
- Separate eggs.
- Place egg whites in a large bowl (of stand mixer if using).
- Start beating egg white with 1/2 cup sugar added slowly.
- Beat to medium to stiff peaks.
- Beat egg yolks and remaining half sugar with vanilla until pale and fluffy.
- Sift flour, salt and baking powder.
- Slowly add it along with milk to egg yolk mixture beating mixing with a spatula.
- Fold in the egg white, 1/3 at a time.
- Pout the mixture in a greased and flour dusted baking dish or pan 9×13 inches approximately.
- Bake in a pre heated oven for 25-30 minutes at 325 F.
- Cool completely.
For the Three Milk Soak
1. Mix evaporated milk, milk, cream and condensed milk with a whisk.
2. Poke the holes with a skewer or chopsticks.
3. Pour the milk mixture evenly, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
For the Whipped Cream
- Place the chilled cream and sugar in a large bowl
- Using a hand beater or stand mixer, beat to medium stiff consistency.
For the Caramel Sauce
- Place sugar in a clean heavy sauce pan preferably aluminum or stainless steel material.
- Melt the sugar on a medium heat rotating the pan for even melt.
- When sugar is amber brown (light golden and all melted) , add butter.
- When butter gets dissolved, add cream and stir continuously to have all even clump free sauce.
- Immediately pour in a heat proof container and let it cool completely before using.
Assembling
- Spread the whipped cream on tresleches evenly.
- Drizzle on the tresleches.
Recipe Name
Tres leches/ Three Milk Cake
Author Name
Nadia
Published On
Preparation Time
Cook Time
Total Time