Matteo’s Recipes - Tres Leches

Tres Leches Cake: Sweet, Soaked, and Perfect

Ciao Ragazzi. Some desserts whisper. Others sing. Tres Leches Cake does both. Soft sponge, soaked in three kinds of milk until it is impossibly moist, rich but never heavy. A cake that defies time, better after a night of rest, like all good things. It is a dessert born of celebration, of Sunday gatherings, of long meals that need a sweet and tender ending.

Ingredients (Serves 8-10)

For the Cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 5 large eggs, separated

• 1 cup sugar, divided

• 1/3 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Milk Mixture:

• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 cup whole milk

For the Topping:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Ground cinnamon, for dusting

• Fresh berries or sliced strawberries (optional, but beautiful)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake – Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Beat the Eggs – In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until pale and creamy. Stir in the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff.

3. Combine – Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour mixture in and fold carefully, keeping the batter light and airy.

4. Bake – Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool completely.

5. Soak the Cake – Pierce the cake all over with a fork. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the top, letting it absorb. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Patience is rewarded.

6. Make the Topping – Whip the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread over the chilled cake.

7. Finish and Serve – Dust with cinnamon. Add fresh berries if you like. Slice, serve, savor.

Tres Leches Cake is proof that a few simple ingredients, when treated with care, can become something extraordinary. Sweet, soft, soaked. The kind of dessert that lingers on your tongue and in your memory.