Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres Leches (3 milk) cake most likely originated in Mexico although several other Central American and Caribbean nations including Nicaragua, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama all lay claim to this sweet and creamy dessert. Tres Leches Cake was invented shortly after the Nestle Company expanded its operations into Latin America during World War Two. Nestle introduced its condensed and evaporated milk products (2 of the main ingredients in this recipe for Tres Leches Cake) into these markets to fill the demand for dairy products that could be used where no refrigeration was available. It was not long after these products were introduced that Tres Leches Cake was invented and became popular throughout Latin America. Try it for dessert after Ropas Viejas or Carnitas.

Ingredients:
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 tspn vanilla extract
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp sugar
your choice of fresh fruit for topping (I used fresh strawberries)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 X 3 spring-form pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, and flour.
3. In another mixing bowl, using a mixer beat the eggs and the sugar together at high speed for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the water and vanilla extract.
4. Slowly mix in the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl of any flour so that all of the ingredients are well combined.
5. Pour the cake batter into the spring-form pan. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until done. If you can insert a fork into the cake and it comes out clean, the cake is done.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes.
7. Transfer the cake to a dish that has raised edges - I used a Pyrex pie dish.
8. After the cake has cooled completely, use a serrated knife to cut off the top crust of the cake so that the cake will be able to easily soak up the milk mixture that we will prepare next.
9. In a mixing bowl, mix together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream, and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract.
10. Using a fork, poke holes into the top of the cake.
11. Slowly spoon the milk mixture over the top of the cake allowing the cake to absorb it.
12. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
13. Serve with fresh whipped cream and your choice of fresh fruit.

Mexico