Tres Leches Cake, Hispanic Heritage Month

This month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th to October 15th. During this month, America celebrates the cultural and historical contributions of the people who came to this country from Mexico, Central and South America, and Spain. September 15 is a day of celebration in many Latin-American countries since they declared their independence between the 15th and 18th of September. Some of these countries include Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.

Tres Leches Cake

As someone who was born and raised in Mexico, I’ve found that there aren’t many differences in how people from other Latin-American countries were raised; our roots, customs, and traditions are very alike. It’s actually funny when you meet someone from another country and find out that you watched the same TV shows or ate the same snacks as kids.

At the end of the day, it’s the simple things that connect us the most, like enjoying a cup of coffee with our friends and family. When you invite someone over for a cup of coffee in Latin America, you know that hours of good conversation will follow. I remember that my mom would always offer visitors something cold to drink or a hot cup of coffee, depending on the weather.

And when I say “coffee”, I don’t mean the kind that you grind and brew in a coffee machine. No, we were brought up drinking Nescafe. Yes, Nescafe, the granulated coffee that only needs hot water and “La Lechera” to make a good cup of “Café con Leche” almost instantaneously.

Even today, you can go to any Latin store and see people buying the exact same things that you’ve lived with for as long as you can remember, products like Chocolate Abuelita, Nescafe (instant coffee mix), and La Lechera (condensed milk). All these products are now readily available almost everywhere, starting from your local Wal-Mart store.

To celebrate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s make a cake, one that’s associated with birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, and all kind of celebrations (I guess we always have a good excuse to celebrate!). Many people love Tres Leches cake. Some trace its origin to Nicaragua, others to Mexico, but I guess what matters is how good it tastes and how easy it is to make it!

La Lechera”: that is the name of the condensed milk made by Nestle. “Lechera” means “milk lady”, and if you look at the picture on the can, you can see that there’s a lady holding a pot of milk on her head. #NuestroSabor #CollectiveBias

How to make Tres Leches Cake

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Turn oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust oven rack to middle position. Grease and flour a 13-by-9 inch pan and set aside.
  
• Place flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
  
• With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds, and slowly add the sugar as in a light dusting, until all sugar is incorporated.

• Reduce speed of mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, a little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running in low.
  
• Add the flour in batches and gently fold with a spatula until well combined.
• Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread them evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake looks light golden.

• Remove the cake and transfer to a wired rack to cool completely. Poke the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer or fork all over.
  MILK MIXTURE:
  
• Whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream together with the vanilla and rum in a saucepan, warm over low heat until completed mixed. Remove from heat and set aside.
  
• Once the cake has cool pour the milk mixture over the cake, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. FROSTING:
• Place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a bowl and mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. This will take about 2 minutes.
  

  Tres Leches Cake Recipe

• To assemble, the cake spread the whipped cream over the cake. Decorate with fruit as desired. Refrigerate to chill until ready to serve. Remember, if decorating with fruit, do not add until ready to serve.

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4.44 from 62 votes

TRES LECHES CAKE

To celebrate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s make a cake, one that’s associated with birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, and all kind of celebrations (I guess we always have a good excuse to celebrate!). Many people love Tres Leches cake.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 12

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Mely Martínez - Mexico in my Kitchen

Ingredients

• Butter to grease the pan
• 1 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour sifted (plus extra for dusting pan)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt*
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE MILK MIXTURE

• 1 can condensed milk NESTLE LA LECHERA 14oz
• 1 can Evaporated milk CARNATION 12oz
• 1 cup of Heavy Heavy whipping or 1 can of “Media Crema Nestle”
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 Tablespoons rum or brandy optional

FROSTING

• 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream the one you buy at the dairy fridge section
• 4 Tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

GARNISH:

• Canned fruit like peaches mangos or fresh fruit like strawberries and kiwis. If using fruit to decorate, add just before serving.

Instructions

• Turn oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust oven rack to middle position. Grease and flour a 13-by-9 inch pan and set aside.
• Place flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
• With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds, and slowly add the sugar as in a light dusting, until all sugar is incorporated. The egg mix will be very fluffy and be turning a light yellow.
• Reduce speed of mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running in low. (The butter HAS to be melted and cool if not, it will flatten your bubbles, meaning flat cake)
• Add the flour in batches (spoon by spoon) and gently fold with a spatula until well combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread the evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake looks light golden or a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the cake.
• Remove the cake and transfer to a wired rack to cool completely. Poke the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer or fork all over.

MILK MIXTURE:

• Whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream together with the vanilla and rum in a sauce pan, warm over low heat until completed mixed. Remove from heat and set aside. (Not everyone warms the milk, some people just mix them and pour over the cake, that is a personal choice)
• Once the cake has cool pour the milk mixture over the cake, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight.

FROSTING:

• Place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a bowl and mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. This will take about 2 minutes. I usually place the mixer attachment in the freezer and the bowl in the fridge before making whipping cream. This trick always works to form a smooth and fluffy frosting.
• To assembly, the cake spread the whipped cream over the cake. Decorate with fruit as desired. Refrigerate to chill until ready to serve. Remember, if decorating with fruit, do not add until ready to serve. If you are making this cake ahead of time, add the fruit just right before serving time. To make them look shiny you can glaze them with a mix of apricot preserves and water and use a kitchen brush to cover the fruit.

Notes

• *If using salted butter, omit the 1/4-teaspoon of salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 91mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

Enjoy your cake with a cup of hot Chocolate.

Provecho!
Mely,
I hope you make it and come back to leave a comment.

More recipes:
Peach Cake Roll
Mango Mousse Recipe

En Español Pastel Tres Leches.