You are looking for something healthy? Well… you might want to step away from this recipe then ;) This extremely delicious Tres Leches Cake is not considered good for your physical health. For your mental wellbeing, it’s definitely a good one. This “Bizcocho de tres leches” (the other name for the cake) has it all – great flavors, great texture, and a great number of calories. A winning combination for sure ;P
Tres Leches cakes are very popular in Central and South America. The origin of these cakes is probably in Europe and found its way to America during the colonial period. However, the predecessors of Tres Leches Cakes were not really made with that many dairy products. Instead of the milk mixture, the cake was soaked with alcohol. How the boozy cake turned into a family-friendly “three milk” cake – nobody knows for sure. Allegedly, a manufacturer for condensed milk created the recipe and published it on the condensed milk cans. Seems like a good explanation, right? ;)
Anyway. My Tres Leches Cake here is actually a Quatro Leches Cake because I used regular milk, condensed milk, and sweetened condensed milk for the soaking liquid and heavy cream for the topping – that makes four dairy products ;) Normally you would use heavy cream for the soaking mixture as well instead of regular milk… my attempt at making the cake healthier. Just kidding ;P A “real” Quatro Leches Cake would be prepared with additional Dulce de Leche. Sugar overkill for me, but people like it a lot. If you want to take it even further, you can also add coconut milk – then you would have Cinco Leches Cake ;P
The cake adds quite some sugar and calories to your diet if you decide to eat a slice or two. If you use regular white sugar and sweetened condensed milk for the cake, it’s honestly a large amount of sugar for one cake (less than some people use for brownies, but hey…). For that reason, I always use xylitol in the batter – sugar can be replaced with it easily, and this way you can reduce the amount of sugar by roughly 50%. If you use erythritol it would be even better in this case… The cake will still be very rich and not healthy at all, but I like to reduce sugar whenever possible.
Taste-wise, the cake is simply awesome. The vanilla and caramel flavors are very dominant in this cake and they make the cake absolutely delicious. To make the cake is really easy. The base is a simple fluffy sponge cake (very eggy but you will not taste the eggs at the end). When the cake is baked, you pour the “tres leches” milk mixture on top and let it soak in. To finish the cake you just have to spread some whipped cream on top and you got yourself a delicious rich high-caloric sweet dessert. I should not love it, but I do. Once every four years or so ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup (200g) sugar (or xylitol), divided
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
For the soaking liquid:
14 oz. (400g) sweetened condensed milk
10.6 oz. (300g) evaporated milk
1/4 cup (60ml) regular milk
For the topping:
14 oz. (400g) heavy cream
1-2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
some ground cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)
5 Eier (L), getrennt
200g Zucker (oder Xylit), aufgeteilt
80ml Milch
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
130g Mehl (Type 550)
1 1/2 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Salz
Für die Milchmischung:
400g gezuckerte Kondensmilch
300g Kondensmilch (7,5% Fett)
60ml Milch (3,5% Fett)
Für den Belag:
400g Schlagsahne
1-2 EL Puderzucker
1/2 TL Vanille Extrakt
etwas gemahlener Zimt zum Bestreuen (optional)
You might have noticed in the pictures – some of the milk mixture shows up at the bottom of the cake pan. We are absolutely fine with that but not everyone likes it that way. You can always avoid that from happening if you pour less of the milk mixture on top of the cake and use leftovers to sweeten your coffee instead ;)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to a large bowl, set the egg whites aside. Add 3/4 cup (150g) of the sugar (or xylitol) to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix for 3-4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the flour with baking powder and salt and add to the bowl – mix until just combined. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar (or xylitol) and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Add in 2-3 batches to the bowl with the batter and carefully fold in. You want to keep as much volume as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin or casserole dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely.
3. Mix the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, and milk. Use a knife or wooden skewer and cut/poke into the cake all over the surface. Pour the milk mixture all over the cake and let soak in. Cover the cake and place for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
4. When ready to serve add the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream all over the cake and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon (optional).
2. Die Eier trennen, das Eigelb in eine große Schüssel geben und das Eiweiß zur Seite stellen. Etwa 150g des Zuckers (oder vom Xylit) in die Schüssel mit dem Eigelb geben und etwa 3-4 Minuten lang aufschlagen, bis die Masse sehr hell und schaumig ist. Milch und Vanille Extrakt dazugeben und unterrühren. Das Mehl mit Backpulver und Salz mischen und in die Schüssel dazugeben – nur so lange verrühren, bis die Masse glatt ist – nicht zu viel rühren. Das Eiweiß schaumig aufschlagen und dann nach und nach die restlichen 50g Zucker (oder Xylit) einrieseln lassen und weiter aufschlagen, bis der Eischnee steif ist. In 2 bis 3 Portionen in die Schüssel mit dem Teig dazugeben und vorsichtig unterheben – es sollte so viel Volumen wie möglich erhalten bleiben. Den Teig in die vorbereitete Backform/Auflaufform füllen und glatt streichen. Für etwa 30-35 Minuten backen – mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und den Kuchen erst herausholen, wenn dieser sauber herauskommt. Aus dem Ofen nehmen und vollständig abkühlen lassen.
3. Die gezuckerte Kondensmilch, Kondensmilch und Milch vermischen. Mit einem Messer oder einem Holzspieß den Kuchen auf der gesamten Oberfläche mehrmals einschneiden/einstechen. Die Milchmischung über den Kuchen gießen und einsickern lassen. Den Kuchen abdecken und für mindestens 2 Stunden oder über Nacht in den Kühlschrank stellen.
4. Vor dem Servieren die Sahne mit Puderzucker und Sahne aufschlagen, auf dem Kuchen verteilen und nach Belieben mit etwas Zimt bestreuen (optional).
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Tres Leches Cake aka. Bizcocho de tres leches
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:35
- Total Time: 04:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Latin America
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
An easy and delicious cake that is not only loved in Latin America: Tres Leches Cake! Sweet but oh so good ;)
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup (200g) sugar (or xylitol), divided
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
For the soaking liquid:
14 oz. (400g) sweetened condensed milk
10.6 oz. (300g) evaporated milk
1/4 cup (60ml) regular milk
For the topping:
14 oz. (400g) heavy cream
1–2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
some ground cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8.5×10.6 inches (22x27cm) baking tin or casserole dish (could also be a bit larger) lightly and set aside.
2. Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to a large bowl, set the egg whites aside. Add 3/4 cup (150g) of the sugar (or xylitol) to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix for 3-4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the flour with baking powder and salt and add to the bowl – mix until just combined. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar (or xylitol) and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Add in 2-3 batches to the bowl with the batter and carefully fold in. You want to keep as much volume as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin or casserole dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely.
3. Mix the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, and milk. Use a knife or wooden skewer and cut/poke into the cake all over the surface. Pour the milk mixture all over the cake and let soak in. Cover the cake and place for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
4. When ready to serve add the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream all over the cake and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon (optional).
Notes
Enjoy baking!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
