How to Make Tres Leche Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you looking for a dessert that’ll satisfy your sweet tooth and impress your guests? Look no further than tres leche cake! This classic Latin American dessert is a sponge cake soaked in three types of milk and topped with whipped cream. It’s rich and delicious, yet surprisingly easy to make at home.

To start, gather your ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, sugar, whole milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture and whole milk into the egg mixture, mixing until smooth. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once cooled, poke holes all over the cake with a fork or skewer. Mix together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream, and slowly pour the mixture over the cake. Chill in the fridge for at least a few hours (or overnight) to let the cake absorb the milk. Before serving, whip up some more heavy cream and spread it over the top of the cake. Voila! Your tres leche cake is ready to impress.

Ingredients for a Perfect Tres Leche Cake

Get Your Ingredients Ready

Before we get started on how to make a tres leche cake, let’s pull all our ingredients together. Tres leche cake is a Spanish-inspired dessert dish, and requires some work to make. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

1. 1 cup all-purpose flour
2. 1 tsp baking powder
3. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4. 1/2 cup and 1/4 granulated sugar
5. 5 eggs
6. 1 tsp vanilla extract
7. 2 cups whole milk
8. 1 can evaporated milk
9. 1 can sweetened condensed milk
10. 1 cup heavy cream

Fluffy Cupcakes with Perfect Consistency

To make a tres leche cake, we’ll start with making the cake base. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift flour and baking powder together. Isolate egg whites from the yolks into individual bowls. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the egg yolks and mix until they are pale yellow. Add butter and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg yolk mix and mix well. Gradually add the flour mix into the egg yolk mixture, stirring gently until smooth.

Beat the egg whites with a handheld mixer or kitchen aid machine until they are fluffy and peaky. Add the remaining sugar and continue to beat until they are firm and glossy peaks. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture until no streaks remain.

Baking and Preparing the Cake

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or golden brown. Poke the cake with a toothpick and check to see if it’s done. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. Once baked, get your pan out of the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.

Once the cake has cooled completely, use a fork or toothpick to poke small holes in the cake’s surface. The more holes, the better! This will allow the milk mixture to penetrate through the cake. Once you’ve pierced the cake surface, set aside.

Milk Mixture

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. Stir well over medium heat until it boils. Simmer for a minute and remove from heat. Let it cool for a while before pouring it over the cake.

Assembling the Cake

Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly all over the cake. Make sure that both the edges and the center of the cake are doused in milk. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight so that it can soak up all the milk and become spongy.

Whipped Cream and Decorating

Before serving, top the cake with homemade whipped cream. Beat heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form, and then spread it over the entire cake. Top with any garnish of your preference, which could be fresh fruits or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

The dessert is ready to be served! Tres leche cakes are rich and indulgent, with a perfectly balanced sweetness – sure to tickle everyone’s taste buds. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make a tres leche cake, you’ll need a few basic ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. Here is a list of the ingredients you’ll need:

1. All-purpose flour
2. Baking powder
3. Salt
4. Unsalted butter
5. Granulated sugar
6. Eggs
7. Whole milk
8. Evaporated milk
9. Sweetened condensed milk
10. Vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that you have gathered all the necessary ingredients, it’s time to make your tres leche cake! Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make this sweet treat:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, alternating with the whole milk. Mix until well combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top with a spatula.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
9. Using a fork or toothpick, poke holes all over the top of the cake.
10. Pour the milk mixture over the cake, making sure to cover it evenly.
11. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
12. When ready to serve, top the cake with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips to ensure that your tres leche cake turns out perfectly:

1. It’s best to use room temperature ingredients to ensure that your batter mixes evenly.
2. Be sure to poke enough holes in the cake so that the milk mixture can be absorbed evenly.
3. Refrigerating the cake for at least 2 hours or overnight allows for the milk mixture to fully soak into the cake, resulting in a moist and flavorful dessert.
4. If you don’t have a 9×13-inch baking dish, you can use a round cake pan or a smaller square baking dish.
5. Feel free to experiment with different toppings, such as caramel sauce or chocolate shavings.
6. This recipe can easily be doubled for larger gatherings or special occasions. Just be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to make a tres leche cake, it’s time to put your baking skills to the test! This delicious dessert is sure to impress your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth. So grab your apron and get ready to indulge in one of the most decadent cakes out there. Happy baking!

Ingredients Needed For A Delicious Tres Leche Cake

If you are planning to bake a tres leche cake, it is important to have the right ingredients in your kitchen. You can find these ingredients at any grocery store, and most of them are likely to be in your pantry already.

Here are some of the basic ingredients that you’ll need to make a delicious tres leche cake:

1. Preheat The Oven And Prepare The Baking Pan

Before you start preparing the ingredients for your tres leche cake, preheat your oven at 350 degrees. Once that is done, move to the next step which is to prepare the baking pan. You should use a 9×13 inch baking pan for this recipe. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. Then sprinkle some flour evenly on the greased surface to avoid the cake from sticking.

2. Mix The Dry Ingredients

Now it is time to mix the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Start by adding all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt and mix them together. You can use a whisk or a spatula to ensure that they are evenly combined.

3. Mix The Butter And Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat these ingredients until they are light and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this step.

4. Add The Eggs And Vanilla Extract

Once the butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time while continuously beating the mixture. After adding the eggs, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue to mix the ingredients until they are well combined.

5. Add The Dry Ingredients And Whole Milk

Add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture while gradually adding whole milk. Mix everything until the ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface of the batter.

In conclusion, if you follow these steps, you’ll have a delicious tres leche cake ready to be served to your friends and family. Don’t forget to prepare the creamy topping to make it even more mouthwatering.

Enjoy Your Delicious Tres Leche Cake!

Now that you’ve learned how to make a scrumptious tres leche cake, it’s time to put your skills to the test and wow your friends and family at your next gathering. Don’t forget to thank us for sharing this recipe with you! We hope you had fun reading and baking along with us. Make sure to visit us again for more fun and tasty recipes. Happy baking!