Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries
From Soledad Correa (Casa Silva restaurant, Chile)
Yield: 12 servings
This luscious dessert from chef Soledad Correa of Chile's Casa Silva restaurant is ideal for spring.
Active Time: 35 mins · Total Time: 5 hrs 45 mins
Cake
- Butter, for greasing
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 medium cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Toppings
- 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced strawberries
- 1 to 3 tablespoons sugar
- Whipped cream, for serving
- Thinly sliced mint leaves, for serving
- Gather the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9- x 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat eggs with sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla at medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Gradually add whole milk, then mix in remaining flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake until center of cake springs back to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer baking dish to a rack and let cake cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk cream with evaporated milk, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a medium saucepan over moderately high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
- Combine condensed milk with remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and the ground cinnamon in a heatproof bowl.
- Strain steeped cream mixture into condensed milk and stir to combine. Let cool for 20 minutes.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over cooled cake. Gradually pour milk mixture over entire cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Gently toss strawberries with sugar in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
- Cut cake and serve with strawberries, whipped cream, and mint.