Name: Mexican Tres Leches Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: مكسيكية
Ingredients: 1.5 cups flour; 1.5 tsp baking powder; A pinch of salt; 5 eggs, separated; 1 cup sugar, divided; 1/3 cup milk; 1 tsp vanilla; For soaking: 1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 g), 1 can evaporated milk (354 ml), 1/2 cup heavy cream; For the topping: 2 cups cold heavy cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, for dusting

A Mexican sponge cake soaked in a mixture of three types of milk until completely moist throughout, topped with a light whipped cream — a beloved treat for every celebration.

المقادير

1.5 cups flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

5 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

For soaking: 1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 g), 1 can evaporated milk (354 ml), 1/2 cup heavy cream

For the topping: 2 cups cold heavy cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, for dusting

خطوات التحضير

Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a rectangular baking pan.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.

Whisk the egg yolks with two-thirds of the sugar until pale and thick, then add the milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they begin to hold shape, then gradually add the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Gradually fold the flour mixture into the yolk mixture, folding gently.

Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter, being careful to preserve the trapped air.

Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.

Let the cake cool completely, then poke it all over with a fork.

Mix the three milks together and slowly pour evenly over the cake, giving it time to soak in gradually.

Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar until firm peaks form, spread it over the cake, and dust with cinnamon before serving.

نصيحة

Pour the milk mixture gradually in stages, giving the cake enough time to absorb it without becoming waterlogged. The longer it rests in the refrigerator (up to a full day), the deeper and more even the flavour becomes.

Tres leches cake, meaning «three milks» in Spanish, is one of Latin America's most beloved desserts, especially popular in Mexico and Nicaragua, where the two countries dispute its origin. The recipe's spread is often linked to marketing campaigns by condensed and evaporated milk companies in the mid-20th century, which printed the recipe on their product labels, helping it spread quickly into home kitchens.

The core idea is soaking a very light sponge cake in a mixture of three types of milk: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream or whole milk. The cake slowly absorbs this mixture until it becomes completely moist inside without falling apart, and it is topped with a layer of light whipped cream that balances the sweetness of the condensed milk.