Pastel De Tres Leches Recipe
Our special sponge cake dipped in a sweet cream sauce made with three different kinds of milk, garnished with whipped cream.
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Ingredients
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Sponge Cake
Three-Milk Soak (Tres Leches)
Whipped Topping & Garnish
Method
Sponge Cake
- 1
Prepare and preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal. Lightly grease and flour the parchment.
- 2
Whisk dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, sift (or whisk) together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. Set aside.
- 3
Beat eggs and sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk (or using a large bowl and hand mixer), combine 5 large room-temperature eggs and 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat on high speed for 6–8 minutes until the mixture is very thick, pale, and tripled in volume — it should fall in ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
- 4
Add flavor and fold in dry ingredients
With the mixer on low, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 cup whole milk to the egg-sugar mixture and mix just to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the dry flour mixture over the whipped eggs in two additions, gently folding with a spatula after each addition to preserve volume. Fold until no streaks of flour remain.
- 5
Incorporate butter
Gently fold in 2 tbsp melted, cooled unsalted butter in two additions, folding just until incorporated and the batter is smooth but still airy.
- 6
Bake
Pour batter into the prepared 9x13 pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- 7
Three-Milk Soak (Tres Leches)
- 8
Mix milks
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup evaporated milk, and 1 cup sweetened condensed milk until smooth and homogenous.
- 9
Soak the cake
Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake, starting at one corner and working across to ensure even absorption. Pour gradually so the liquid is absorbed rather than pooling. Use all of the liquid. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the cake to absorb the milks and become moist and dense.
Whipped Topping & Garnish
- 10
Chill equipment
Just before whipping, chill the mixing bowl and whisk or beaters in the fridge for 10–15 minutes if possible; cold equipment helps the cream whip faster.
- 11
Make whipped cream
Pour 1.5 cups cold heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Add 3 tbsp powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Whip on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes. Do not overwhip; you want a smooth, spreadable cream.
- 12
Top the cake
Remove the soaked cake from the refrigerator. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. For a decorative finish, use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe rosettes or dollops across the surface.
- 13
Garnish and chill before serving
Lightly dust the top with 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon if using, and scatter 1/2 cup fresh berries or cherries for color if desired. Return to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the topping before slicing.