Seis Leches Cake

6 Milks 1 Cake

This recipe is from New York Times Cooking (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020805-seis-leches-cake?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=36). I have added more rum and more caramel to the cream topping. For best results, this is a 2-3 day project. It requires little work but a lot of soaking time. It makes 1 9 x 13" sheet cake.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 ½ cups / 190g plain flour

1 cup / 200g caster or granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

5 Tbsp / 75g unsalted butter, melted

(plus more for greasing the pan)

3 Tbsp / 45g whole milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 eggs, separated

¼ tsp cream of tartar

For the Milk Mixture:

1 can (14oz / 400ml) unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup / 240ml / 255g evaporated milk

2/3 cup / 160ml / 205g sweetened condensed milk

¾ cup / 180ml (7oz/210g can) sweetened condensed coconut milk

(you can also substitute sweetened condensed milk)

3 Tbsp dark rum

For the Toping:

1 cup / 240ml / 300g dulce de leche*

1 ½ cups / 360ml double cream

2 Tbsp / 30ml dark rum

Cinnamon for sprinkling if desired

Instructions:

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F / 180˚C

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan

In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, ¾ cup / 150g sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy (c. 2 mins), add the cream of tartar and beat until thick and fluffy (c. 2 mins), then slowly add the remaining ¼ cup / 50g of sugar a teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (c. 3 mins).

Whisk half the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

This will feel like a thick paste.

Whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.

Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.

Fold half the remaining flour mixture into the yolk mixture, then fold in half the remaining egg whites. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and the egg whites.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, 15-25 minutes depending on the oven.

Mine somehow cooked in 15 minutes, I was very surprised.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool in the pan for c.20 minutes.

For the Milk Mixture:

While the cake is cooling, combine the coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed coconut milk and rum in a saucepan.

Heat over medium heat until smooth and steaming.

Using a fork or a toothpick, poke holes in the cake and drizzle the milk mixture over it.

It will seem like a lot, but this cake is a fucking sponge. My cake was floating at first, then a few hours later it had absorbed all the liquid.

Seriously, sponge, this picture is only 2 hours later.

Cover the top with clingfilm and leave to chill overnight.

The Next Day (or halfway through the soaking process):

Flip the cake over so that the milk mixture does not get stuck at the bottom.

The Day After (serving day):

Spread 3/4 cup / 180ml / 225g dulce de leche all over the cake, and flip back over.

For the Topping and Assembly:

Whip the cream with the remaining 1/4 cup / 60ml / 75g dulce de leche and the rum until thick, like a mousse.

Spoon dollops over the cake, and spread evenly.

Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired

I used my ridge scraper thing to give this a bit of decorative detail, I think it looks quite nice.

*You can make your own dulce de leche. Take a can of sweetened condensed milk, remove the label if it has one, and submerge it in water in a pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2.5-3hrs. Make sure it stays covered by adding boiling water occasionally.

Let cool completely before using.