Tres Leches Cake

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo! My favorite (okay, one of my favorite) Mexican desserts! I mean, really, can one person narrow down their favorite?? Churros and sopapillas and cake...I can't choose!

I first had Tres Leches Cake at Cafe Rio in Provo, UT. My brother had a coupon for a free one, and I can't refuse cake or free, so I ate at least half of it. It was so stinking delicious! Ever since then I've wanted to make my own, mostly because (and this part is sad) there is no Cafe Rio remotely close to where I live. Depressing. This version is super easy! It's a simple homemade cake, cooked, cooled, and topped with three different milks (hence the tres leches). Those milks soak into the cake overnight. And then it's topped with homemade whipped cream.

Shut the front door...it's so good. And so rich, so invite over your neighbors and friends and such so you can share! Because that is what baking is all about - making and sharing with those you love!!

Cream butter and sugar. Add your eggs and vanilla until mixed well and then add your baking powder (NOT baking soda, not that I've ever mixed those two up...) and flour.

Bake for 30-ish minutes and let cool. Then pierce with a fork. Like stab the cake to death. Or let your kids do it - they think it's fun!

Mix your whole mix, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk together well. Pour over cake.

This is what mine looked like. You can see how uneven my cake was. Hopefully yours is more even!

Over night in the fridge - see most of my milk is soaked up? I did pour out the excess, but it's really up to you.

Whip together your whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip whip whip...but not too long. You don't want butter!

Spread the whipped cream on your cake. And lick the bowl to clean it. It is sooo good.

Serve with fresh strawberries, drizzle with caramel or chocolate, or eat plain. Refrigerate leftovers!

Tres Leches Cake
by Girls in Aprons, adapted from allrecipes

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

The three milks and whipped topping:

2 cups whole milk

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.               

Mix flour and baking powder together and set aside.               

Cream butter and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (I baked mine for only like 26 minutes - just watch it). When cooled pierce cake several times with a fork.

Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake. Put in fridge and let sit 6-8 hours or overnight, letting the milks soak into the cake.

Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick, about ten minutes or so. (Don't over mix or you'll make butter!) Spread over the top of cake. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated.

**NOTE: If you think there is too much milk still in the pan after it has soaked into the cake you can pour out the excess or keep it in. It's a preference thing and completely up to you!