Tres Leches Cake - Caity

Last year Brendan had one bite of this cake and now it is literally his favorite food. Ever. He talks about it year round and complains that I will only make it once a year for his birthday.  But lucky for him it was his 23rd birthday the other day and he got his wish: tres leches cake!

The recipe is from the Pioneer Woman (here) but she tops her cake with maraschino cherries which is a bit too sweet for me. The berries help balance the sweetness and it also looks pretty against the white whipped cream.

what you will need:

for the cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoons salt

5 whole eggs, divided into whites and yolk

1 cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened, condensed milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

for the icing: 

1 pint heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar

for the topping:

any fruit of your choosing

like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

maraschino cherries
mango, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally. 

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 

Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow. Stir in the 1/3 cup of regular milk and vanilla. Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently until combined.

Beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. 

Fold the egg white/sugar mixture gently into the batter mixture. Pour the whole thing into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Turn the cake out onto a rectangular rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combined the condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface of the cake with a fork several times. 

Slowly drizzle the mixture over the cake, paying special attention to the corners and edges where the cake is the most firm. Also do you know how hard it is to pour a pitcher with one hand while trying to take a picture with the other???

Allow the cake to absorb the milk for 30 minutes. 

To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable. 

Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate the cake with whatever fruit you choose. Cut into squares and serve. Or eat straight off the pan.