Ingredients
Sponge
- 200 gplain flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 6eggs, separated
- 200 gcaster sugar
- 80 mlwhole milk
- 1 tspvanilla
- a pinch of salt
The three milks
- 400 gsweetened condensed milk
- 350 mlevaporated milk
- 250 mldouble cream or whole milk
Optional
- 2 tbsprum or brandy
- a pinch of cinnamon
Topping
- 400 mldouble cream
- 2 tbspicing sugar
- 1 tspvanilla
To finish
- ground cinnamon
- or fresh fruit
To serve
- cold, from the fridge
Directions
- Beat the yolks with most of the sugar until very pale, thick and tripled in volume. Beat them for a good five minutes. Beat in the milk and the vanilla. Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Now whisk the whites with the remaining sugar to soft peaks.
- Fold them into the batter in three additions, gently. Fold minimally and stop while a few streaks remain, because every extra stroke deflates the mixture.
- Pour it into a lined 23 by 33 cm tin. Do not grease the sides of the tin. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and springy. Do not overbake it, since a dry sponge is more fragile and falls apart when soaked.
- Whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream together. Add rum and cinnamon if you like, which is common in Nicaragua.
- Prick the cooled sponge all over, thoroughly, with a fork or a skewer. Prick it densely and right down to the base. Pour a third, let it soak in for a few minutes, then pour more. Adding it in stages lets the sponge take it up.
- Whip the cream with icing sugar and vanilla to firm peaks. Whip it properly firm, since it has to sit on a very wet cake without sliding off. Spread it over the chilled cake. Dust with cinnamon, or top with fruit. Serve it cold, cut into squares, straight from the fridge.
- Use a spatula to lift the squares, since they are saturated and fragile. It keeps three days refrigerated and it is genuinely better on the second day.
Technique
- The sponge must be fatless, which is why it absorbs so much.
- Tinned milk companies printed the recipe on labels and spread it widely.
- A meringue topping is traditional in parts of Central America.
Substitutions
- Shop-bought plain sponge, which works if it is not a butter cake.
- Whole milk in place of cream for a lighter version.
Variations
- Cuatro leches, with a fourth milk added.
- With a meringue topping.
- With coconut milk as one of the three.
History
Sponge soaked in three milks; Nicaragua claims its invention, and condensed milk companies spread the recipe across Latin America in the 20th century.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tres leches cake?
Tres leches cake is a dessert from Nicaragua: sponge soaked in three milks with whipped topping. Sponge soaked in three milks; Nicaragua claims its invention, and condensed milk companies spread the recipe across Latin America in the 20th century.
How long does Tres leches cake take to make?
Tres leches cake takes 30 min plus 6 hr soaking of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 12 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Tres leches cake?
Yes, within limits. Shop-bought plain sponge, which works if it is not a butter cake. Whole milk in place of cream for a lighter version.
What is the most important thing to get right in Tres leches cake?
Pour it into a lined 23 by 33 cm tin. Do not grease the sides of the tin. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and springy. Do not overbake it, since a dry sponge is more fragile and falls apart when soaked.
