Tres Leches Cake

Milk Mixture
1 (14 oz/414 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz/355 ml) can evaporated milk
1 C (8 oz/237 ml) heavy cream
1 t (5 ml) vanilla extract

Cake
2 C (10 oz/283 g) all-purpose flour
2 t (8 g) baking powder
1 t (6 g) salt
½ t (1 g) ground cinnamon
8 T (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter
1 C (8 oz/237 ml) whole milk
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 C (14 oz/397 g) granulated sugar
2 t (10 ml) vanilla extract

Frosting
1 C (8 oz/355 ml) heavy cream
3 T (45 ml) corn syrup
1 t (5 ml) vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 325° F (163° C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside

Milk mixture – Pour condensed milk into large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on low power (level 3), stirring every 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly darkened and thickened, 9 to 15 minutes. Remove from microwave and slowly whisk in evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

Cake – Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Heat butter and milk in small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted; set aside off heat.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs on medium speed for 30 seconds, then slowly add sugar until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is very thick and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly mix in melted butter mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, scraping down bowl as necessary, then mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using spatula, pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool 10 minutes.

Using skewer, poke holes at ½-inch intervals in top of cake. Very slowly pour milk mixture over cake until completely absorbed. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Frosting – Remove cake from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat heavy cream, corn syrup, and vanilla to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Frost cake and slice into 3-inch squares. The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Serves: 12

20 Apr 18 – Made for bother’s dinner party. Followed the recipe as written. Used large glass Pyrex bowl for milk mixture. I heated the milk mixture on level 3 for 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. At 12 minutes, mixture did thicken and turn slightly darker. Next time I would use glass 4 C measuring cup. Ingredients would fit and it has a spout for pouring over cake. Used medium glass bowl for dry ingredients which worked well. Batter came together nicely. It was a good consistency and easily poured into the pan filling it 1/3 full. Baked in island oven. First doneness check performed at 30 minutes. Center was still giggly. Baked an additional 10 minutes for a total of 40 minutes before removing from oven. This was at least 5 minutes longer than indicated in recipe. Cooled before poking holes in surface. I found that I needed to clean my wooden skewer after about 4 to 5 holes to minimize cake sticking to skewer. Cooled cake again before very slowly pouring milk mixture over surface. That process took approximately 10 to 15 minutes but it seemed to absorb uniformly. Refrigerated cake, uncovered over night. One note of caution: As I was putting cake in oven, I noticed the milk mixture bowl. For a moment, I thought I had forgotten to add it. I was relieved when I realized the milk mixture didn’t get used until after cake comes out of oven. Next time I might put the milk mixture bowl somewhere else so I don’t make that same mistake again. Refrigerated the cake over night. Made frosting just before serving. Came together as described in original recipe although I whipped it a least one minute longer than recommended. Frosting was light, delicious and applied easily. Cake cut OK with a plastic knife although I had the same problem as with the wooden skewer. The cake stuck to the knife and I had to clean if frequently. Later, I used a metal knife and it worked much better. Garnished with strawberries. The cake was fabulous and a big hit. Left frosted cake in refrigerator overnight and frosting remained perfectly good. No melting.