Tres Leches Cake
Vanilla sponge cake with a cinnamon milk soak and whipped cream.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 7 egg whites room temperature, (save four yolks)
- 4 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. (10 g) baking powder
- 3/4 cup whole milk room temperature
FOR THE SOAK
- 2 tsp (5.28 g) ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (189 g) evaporated skim milk
- 3/4 cup (173 g) heavy cream
- 1 cup (306 g) sweetened condensed milk
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- 2 cups (462 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tsp. E-Z Gel this stabilizing the whipped cream
- 1 tsp. (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- Diced fresh strawberries
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE (best made ahead of time)
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour and the baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually beat in the sugar and then the yolks. Beat in the vanilla.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and alternately add the flour mixture with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Evenly pour the batter in the two pans, about 20 ounces in each. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- The cake should rise to the top of the pan and be a little spongy. That's good. We want that texture to soak up the milk soak. Let the cakes cool in the pans.
FOR THE SOAK
- Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- In a chilled stainless steel bowl with a chilled whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and E-Z Gel until it thickens and soft peaks begin to form. Refrigerate until you're ready to use.
ASSEMBLY
- The day before you want to serve your cake, trim the top of the cakes to expose the crumb. Poke holes into the cake with a fork (all over), but leave about 1/4 inch rim around the edge of the cake without any holes so that the soak doesn't penetrate the outer edge of the cake.
- Slowly pour the soak into each cake layer, allowing time for the mixture to soak into the cake before adding more. Let the cakes sit and soak the milk mixture in. Wrap the layers with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- When you're ready to assembly, place one cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand and cover with a cup of whipping cream and fresh strawberries. Reserve the remaining whipping cream to serve with each slice of cake.
- Dust top of the cake with cinnamon.
- Serve cold.