Tres Leches Pastel
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-bake-basic-tres-leches-cake-2343013-hero-01-b3d6c48b1cda4135904eb38c02b3f3f9.jpg)
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
485 | Calories |
22g | Fat |
61g | Carbs |
11g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 8 to 10 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 485 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 22g | 28% |
Saturated Fat 12g | 61% |
Cholesterol 149mg | 50% |
Sodium 495mg | 22% |
Total Carbohydrate 61g | 22% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
Protein 11g | |
Calcium 313mg | 24% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
A common treat throughout Latin America, pastel de Tres Leches (three milks cake) takes its name from the three types of milk used in the recipe. Sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream combine in a soaking sauce that gives this classic style of tres leches cake a dense, extremely moist texture, more akin to custard than traditional light and fluffy cake.
The recipe likely evolved from soaked cakes developed in medieval Europe, but it spread in popularity in the 1940s when Nestlé printed a recipe for it on the label of its canned condensed milk. At some point, tres leches cake crossed the border into the United States, where it gained near-celebrity status among restaurant chefs in the early 2000s and even became a Häagen-Dazs flavor in 2015.
Ingredients
- For Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- For Cream Syrup:
- 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Optional: 1 tablespoon rum or brandy
- For Whipped Topping:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Garnish: Cinnamon (ground) or fresh berries
Steps to Make It
Make the Cake
-
Gather the cake ingredients.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
In a separate bowl, beat the oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until combined
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Add the eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Stir in 1/2 cup of milk, then gently fold in the flour mixture a little at a time.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Pour the batter into a lightly greased cake pan or baking dish, and bake the cake at 325 F for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several locations comes out clean.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Let the cake cool in the pan to room temperature. Turn it out onto a platter with raised edges. Pierce the cake with a fork 20 to 30 times. Let it cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Make Cream Syrup
-
Gather the syrup ingredients.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Make the cream syrup while the cake chills. Whisk together the three milks and the rum or brandy if desired.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Slowly pour the liquid over the cooled cake. Refrigerate it for 1 hour, periodically spooning the milk runoff back onto the cake.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Assemble
-
Gather whipped topping ingredients.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Make the whipped topping just before you serve the cake. Combine heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat it on high speed until peaks form.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
-
Spread a thin layer of the whipped topping over the cake. Top it with a sprinkle of cinnamon or garnish it with fresh berries.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck