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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres Leches Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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During our extensive travels to Central America, my husband and I have sampled many kinds of the popular tres leches (three milks) cake. We think this is the absolute best! --Joan Meyers, Palos Park, Illinois

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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Prep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 20 min. + standing

Yield: 15 Servings

45 20 65

Ingredients

6 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
MILK MIXTURE:
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup 2% milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup rum, optional
FROSTING:
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

In a large bowl, beat eggs for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes or until mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored. Combine flour and baking powder; fold into egg mixture. Spread batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack. Poke holes in cake with a skewer, about 1/2 in. apart.
In a small saucepan, bring the three milks to a boil over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat; gradually stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Stir in rum if desired. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Slowly pour milk mixture over cake, allowing mixture to absorb into cake. Let stand for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the frosting ingredients over low heat. With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160°, about 14-18 minutes.
Pour into a large bowl; beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 15 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 piece (calculated without rum) equals 357 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 143 mg cholesterol, 156 mg sodium, 64 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 10 g protein.

Originally published as Tres Leches Cake in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2010, p235

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Tres Leches Cake

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Reviewed on May. 02, 2013 by DDPLoeches

The extra 1/4 cup of rum is added to the liquid that's poured on top, not to the cake batter. It'll be 2 oz less liquid than the approximately 32 oz of liquids that you pour on top of the cake. It shouldn't make much difference, except that it won't taste like rum.

Reviewed on Apr. 29, 2013 by Maiden Faire

I am curious, it says that the 1/4 cup of rum is optional. I don't care for the taste of alcohol so prefer to omit it; however leaving out 1/4 cup of liquid isn't the same as leaving out a tablespoon of liquid. How does it affect the final outcome of the cake? Are there any other adjustments that need to be made?

Reviewed on Apr. 18, 2012 by sarahjames

Hi - You can simply use a whisk as an alternative to the hand mixer. You should beat the frosting ingredients over low heat until the frosting reaches 160 degrees. It should take about the same amount of time, but a bit more elbow grease. The point of this exercise is to get the eggs up to proper temperature (160 degrees.) Then simply follow the remaining directions: Pour into a large bowl; beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Reviewed on Apr. 18, 2012 by juliesinfort

I've always wanted to try Tres Leches cake and since this is someone's fav, I'd like to make it. But I have no saucepans without a non-stick interior, so cannot use a mixer in them. Can someone suggest a modified way to make the frosting?