Tres Leches Cake

3 Milks 1 Cake

This recipe comes from the New York Times Cooking (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019181-tres-leches-cake?surface=cooking-carousel&fellback=false&req_id=727791395&algo=cooking_doc2vec_weight_1&variant=0_cooking_doc2vec_weight_1&imp_id=882742684&action=click&module=RecirculationRibbon&pgType=recipedetails&rank=1). I altered it a little bit by adding rum and vanilla extract for flavour. At the risk of veering off into what I promised this blog wouldn't be, I came across Tres Leches Cake in Havana. There were varying degrees of good. This one is pretty good.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 ¼ cups / 285 grams all-purpose flour

2 ¼ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp kosher salt

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 225 grams granulated sugar

½ cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 Tbsp dark rum

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

For the Soak:

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 (14-ounce / 397g) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce / 340g) can evaporated milk

1 Tbsp dark Rum

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Icing:

1 ½ cup / 360g heavy cream

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F / 180˚C.

Grease and flour a 13-by-9-inch pan lightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup / 100 grams of the sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the milk, rum and vanilla extract.

Lower the speed and then mix in the flour mixture just until combined.

In another large bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until foamy and the yellowish colour has disappeared, about 1 minute.

Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 125 grams sugar while beating.

Continue to beat the mixture until you have shiny, medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.

Stir a big scoop of the egg white mixture into the batter to loosen it, then, using a spatula, gently fold the remaining whites into the batter without deflating them.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, c. 25-30 minutes.

Transfer cake to a rack to cool slightly.

For the Soak:

While the cake is cooling, in a medium bowl or jug, whisk together the milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, dark rum and vanilla.

Using a skewer or a toothpick, poke holes about 1/2 inch apart all over the cake.

Cut the edges of the cake from the sides of the pan.

Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake, about a cup at a time, allowing 5 to 10 minutes for it to soak in before adding more.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).

For the Icing:

To serve, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract to soft peaks.

Top the cake with the whipped cream, serve immediately.

This cake should be stored in the refrigerator. It will last for c. 3 days.