Crafting The Perfect Tres Leches Wedding Cake

A tres leches cake is a sponge cake that is soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk or heavy cream. It is popular in Mexico and Latin America and is often served as a wedding cake. To make a tres leches wedding cake, you will need to create a sturdy cake base that can absorb the milk mixture without becoming soggy. This can be done by whipping the egg whites to add airiness to the cake and using butter in the batter for flavour and structure. After baking the cake, poke holes in it and slowly pour the milk mixture over the top, allowing it to soak in thoroughly. Finally, top the cake with a light whipped cream frosting and store it in the refrigerator until serving.

Preparing the ingredients

• Eggs, separated into yolks and whites. You will need 5 whole large eggs.
• Sugar, divided into two portions. You will need 1 cup in total.
• Vanilla extract.
• Milk, including evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy whipping cream.
• Flour. You will need 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder.
• Salt.

Additionally, you will need butter or margarine for greasing the cake pan, as well as a fork or wooden skewer for poking holes in the cake.

Before you begin, ensure that you have all the necessary ingredients and that your eggs are at room temperature. This will make it easier to achieve the desired consistency when mixing.

Now, let's get started on preparing the ingredients!

First, separate the egg yolks and whites into two different bowls. This step is crucial as we will be whipping the egg whites to create a light and airy texture.

Next, add 3/4 cup of sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow. Then, add the milk and vanilla extract to the egg yolk mixture and stir to combine.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure to set this dry mixture aside.

Now, let's move on to the egg whites. Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed. As they start to form stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating until you have a fluffy and glossy meringue-like consistency.

With these steps, you have successfully prepared the ingredients for your tres leches wedding cake! You are now ready to combine the wet and dry ingredients, fold in the egg whites, and pour the batter into your prepared pan. Remember to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) before baking.

Making the cake

Firstly, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set this aside.

Next, separate your eggs. In one large bowl, beat the egg yolks with ¾ cup of sugar on high speed until the yolks turn a pale yellow colour (this should take around 2 minutes). Then, stir in ⅓ cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Pour the flour mixture over your egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed with a mixer until just combined.

In another large bowl, use a clean, dry whisk to beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (this should take around 1 minute). With the mixer still running, pour in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and beat on high speed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry (again, this should take around 1 minute).

Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture until just combined. Then, divide the mixture evenly between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.

Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to trim the edges and even them out.

To make the 3-milk syrup, stir together 8 ounces (about 2/3 of a 12-ounce can) of evaporated milk, 9 ounces (about 2/3 of a 14-ounce can) of sweetened condensed milk, and ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream in a large measuring cup with a pouring lip.

Place one of the cake layers, flat side down, on a cake platter. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake, going all the way through to the edges. Pour half of the 3-milk syrup over the cake and let it stand while you prepare the frosting.

Generously frost the top of the first layer, then arrange sliced strawberries over the frosting.

Before placing the next cake layer, poke holes all over the flat surface of the cake, going to the edges. Then, place this cake layer, poked side up, over the strawberries.

Spoon the remaining half of the 3-milk syrup evenly over the top layer and let the cake stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the syrup to soak in.

Finally, frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth out the frosting with a cake spatula. Decorate the top with halved strawberries, placed at an angle around the top border of the cake.

Preparing the milk mixture

Firstly, you will need three types of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk. However, some recipes, such as Sam's from Sugar Spun Run, suggest using heavy cream instead of whole milk to prevent the cake from becoming too soggy.

Once you have gathered your ingredients, combine the three types of milk in a large bowl or measuring cup. Stir or whisk them together until they are well incorporated. You can also add a bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavour.

The amount of milk mixture you need will depend on the size of your cake. For a single-layer sheet cake, you will need about 8 ounces of evaporated milk, 9 ounces of sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream or whole milk. If you are making a larger or multi-layer cake, you will need to adjust the quantities accordingly.

Before adding the milk mixture to the cake, use a fork or a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake, poking down to the bottom of the pan. This will help the milk mixture penetrate the cake evenly.

Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, making sure to get it near the edges and all around. You can also use a spoon to help distribute the mixture evenly. Allow the cake to absorb the syrup for about 10-15 minutes before proceeding to the next step.

If you are making a layered tres leches cake, you will repeat this process for each layer. After soaking each layer, you can assemble the layers and frost the cake.

It is important to note that the cake should be completely cooled before adding the milk mixture. If the cake is too warm, it may absorb too much liquid and become soggy. Chilling the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight after adding the milk mixture will help it absorb the liquid and develop its signature texture.

Assembling the cake

Now for the fun part: assembling the cake!

Place one of the layers, flat side down, on a cake platter. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top, going all the way through to the edges of the cake. Use a spoon to pour half of the three-milk syrup over the cake. Leave the cake to stand and absorb the syrup while you beat the frosting.

Generously frost the top of the first layer, then arrange sliced strawberries over the frosting.

The next layer will be placed with the flat side up, so before putting it over the strawberries, use a fork to poke holes in the flat surface, going to the edges. Now place this layer over the strawberries.

Spoon the remaining half of the three-milk syrup evenly over the top layer. Leave the cake to stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the syrup to soak in, which will make it easier to frost.

Finally, frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth out the frosting with a cake spatula. I decorated the top with halved strawberries, placed at an angle around the top border of the cake.

Making the frosting

For best results, freeze your mixing bowl and egg beaters or whisk attachment for 15 minutes. Make sure your whipping cream is very cold.

Beat 2 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream and 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar on high speed until thick and spreadable (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Don't overbeat or it will turn buttery. Refrigerate the tres leches cake until you are ready to use it.

Some recipes use a third milk for the tres leches mixture, but heavy cream is preferred. It creates a perfect consistency and doesn't make the cake soggy or soupy.

If you've never whipped egg whites to stiff peaks before, it simply means that the egg whites don't fold over or fall back into themselves when you pull your whisk straight out of the mixture. If you've made meringues or white cake before, you've done this before!

With most cakes, you can play around with different frostings on top, but not so with tres leches cake. You need something light that pairs well with the milk-drenched cake, and the whipped cream frosting is a classic for a reason.

Frequently asked questions