Tres Leches Cake with Berries

One taste of this Tres Leches Cake with Berries and you’ll swear you just had the best strawberry shortcake ever. But it’s not shortcake. It’s actually a sponge cake. 

Tres leches cake is also known as pan tres leches. Translated, you have “three milks bread.” But don’t be fooled. This is not bread. It’s cake at its best. Tres leches cake is Spanish in origin. Some say it is from Nicaragua. Others insist it was born in Mexico.

The cake is soaked in three kinds of milk – evaporated, sweetened condensed and heavy cream. Just before serving, it’s topped off with freshly whipped cream and lightly sweetened strawberries. I know. It sounds so rich. But don’t let that stop you. With just one sampling, you’ll agree it’s totally worth the splurge.

What you’ll need to make your Tres Leches Cake with Berries…

• Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is used here. I always use flour that is organic, non-GMO and free of glyphosate. My personal favorite is from a domestic company, Sunrise Flour Mill, located in Minnesota. 
• Baking powder – Baking powder contributes to a lighter, fluffier texture in baked goods. I use Otto’s brand. Contains no cornstarch and is non-GMO. Carried at Whole Foods or purchased on Amazon.
• Kosher salt – If need be, table salt can be used with caution. Table salt is finer and more dense than kosher salt, so a teaspoon of table salt will contain more actual salt than a teaspoon of kosher salt. When substituting, use about two-thirds the amount of table salt specified in a recipe using kosher salt. 
• Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature. In a pinch, place your cold eggs in a cup of hot tap water for a few minutes to take the chill off.
• Granulated sugar – When possible, I prefer to use organic granulated sugar. It’s less processed than conventional refined sugar, retaining some of the molasses, which contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, organic sugar is produced without synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
• Pure vanilla extract – Best to use pure vanilla extract. Made from only natural vanilla beans, water and alcohol, pure vanilla extract provides a richer, deeper flavor profile with additional aromatic notes that the artificial version lacks.
• Milk – Whole milk is recommended. The fat content of whole milk adds to the flavor, texture, and structure of the cake.
• Heavy cream – Although you can use either heavy cream or whipping cream, heavy cream is recommended for its slightly higher fat content.
• Canned evaporated milk – Evaporated milk is fresh milk with about 60% of its water removed, making it concentrated, creamy, and shelf-stable, with a slightly caramelized flavor. It’s canned and sterilized, and unlike sweetened condensed milk, it contains no added sugar,
• Canned sweetened condensed milk – Sweetened condensed milk is a thick, sweet dairy product made by removing water from cow’s milk and adding sugar. The process concentrates the milk and adds sweetness, resulting in a rich, creamy, and caramelized flavor.
• Pure almond extract – Pure almond extract is a highly concentrate liquid, made from the oil of bitter almonds. A small amount goes a long way. Avoid using imitation extract, which uses synthetic, laboratory-created chemicals to mimic the flavor.
• Seeds from vanilla bean – To remove the seeds, cut the whole pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. See the Recipe Notes for conversion to vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Fresh strawberries – Washed, trimmed & sliced.
• Whipping cream – Or heavy cream.You can use either heavy cream or whipping cream, but keep in mind that heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content.
• Confectioners sugar – Also referred to as powdered sugar, best used here to produce a very fine, smooth texture without any noticeable sugar crystals. Most products contain cornstarch as an anti-clumping agent. That can be avoided by choosing an organic product where they typically contain a healthier starch.

• In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract and vanilla seeds.
• Using a bamboo skewer, poke holes all over the cooled cake.

• Slowly pour some of the cream mixture over the cake.
• Allow it to be absorbed completely before continuing to pour on more of the mixture.
• Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

You’ll end up with twelve generous servings from this cake and it can hang out in the fridge for a full five days, so you really could serve it on more than one occasion.  If that’s the case, adjust the amount of whipping cream and berries accordingly.

For every two cups of sliced berries, sweeten them with one tablespoon of granulated sugar.

• Feel free to mix it up.
• Use a combination of in-season berries.
• Or just your favorite.

Print

Tres Leches Cake with Berries

Adapted from Ina Garten's Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Servings 12 servings

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Milk Combo Pour-Over

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste)

Sweetened Berries

• 8 cups sliced strawberries
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Fresh Whipped Cream

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• additional sifted confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Instructions

CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.
   

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Place the eggs, 1 cup of granulated sugar and the vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until light yellow and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is well mixed. 
   

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle and a cake tester comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 40 minutes.

4. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract and vanilla seeds. Using a bamboo skewer, poke holes all over the cooled cake and slowly pour the cream mixture over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed completely before continuing to pour on more of the mixture. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

5. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar, cut in 12 squares and place on dessert plates. Surround each serving with the strawberries, put a dollop of whipped cream on top and serve.

TOPPINGS To Be Prepared Just Prior to Serving

1. Place mixer bowl in freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill.

2. Toss the strawberries with the 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar. 

3. Pour whipping cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla into the cold bowl and beat on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.

Recipe Notes

This recipe calls for seeds scraped from one vanilla bean to be added to the milk mixture.

 

Feel free to substitute with a good quality vanilla extract. As far as conversions go, one teaspoon of vanilla extract is equal to one 2-inch piece of vanilla bean. Based on that theory, one average size vanilla bean will yield two to three teaspoons of extract.

 

Another substitute for the actual vanilla bean is vanilla bean paste.  One tablespoon vanilla bean paste = one whole vanilla bean = one tablespoon vanilla extract.

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