Spicy Sambar served with fresh coriander Spicy sambar Kovil Sakkarai Pongal served with fresh herbs Kovil sakkarai pongal Spinach calzone stuffed pizza Spinach & Ricotta Calzone Whiskey Doughnut served fresh Bourbon whiskey glazed doughnuts Orange and vanilla Bundt cake served Orange & vanilla Bundt cake Welsh rarebit with egg served, in cheese sauce, on toast Welsh Rarebit with Egg (Buck Rarebit) Matcha tea parfait served Japanese matcha green tea parfait Burrito bowl with beef, rice, beans, corn and cheese Loaded burrito bowl Piadina with roast lamb and spiced yoghurt served Piadina with Roast Lamb and Spiced Yoghurt Pickled asparagus in a glass jar Crispy pickled asparagus spears Meaty Janssons frestelse, a rich and creamy Swedish dish with potatoes and smoked meat Meaty Jansson's temptation (Janssons frestelse) Margherita pizza with truffle oil served Truffle oil Margherita pizza Pozole de pollo with chicken and hominy corn, lime wedges Mexican Chicken Pozole Soup American waffles served on a plate Classic American waffles Roast turkey breast served Roast turkey breast Tandoor naan served with yoghurt Homemade Tandoori-style naan Tantanmen ramen served with sesame paste broth and minced meat Creamy tantanmen ramen Blackberry cream and almond macarons Blackberry Cream & Almond Macarons Greek yoghurt burek served Greek yoghurt burek Spicy pickled oranges served in a jar Spicy Pickled Oranges Spicy Sambar served with fresh coriander Spicy sambar Kovil Sakkarai Pongal served with fresh herbs Kovil sakkarai pongal Spinach calzone stuffed pizza Spinach & Ricotta Calzone Whiskey Doughnut served fresh Bourbon whiskey glazed doughnuts Orange and vanilla Bundt cake served Orange & vanilla Bundt cake Welsh rarebit with egg served, in cheese sauce, on toast Welsh Rarebit with Egg (Buck Rarebit) Matcha tea parfait served Japanese matcha green tea parfait Burrito bowl with beef, rice, beans, corn and cheese Loaded burrito bowl Piadina with roast lamb and spiced yoghurt served Piadina with Roast Lamb and Spiced Yoghurt Pickled asparagus in a glass jar Crispy pickled asparagus spears Meaty Janssons frestelse, a rich and creamy Swedish dish with potatoes and smoked meat Meaty Jansson's temptation (Janssons frestelse) Margherita pizza with truffle oil served Truffle oil Margherita pizza Pozole de pollo with chicken and hominy corn, lime wedges Mexican Chicken Pozole Soup American waffles served on a plate Classic American waffles Roast turkey breast served Roast turkey breast Tandoor naan served with yoghurt Homemade Tandoori-style naan Tantanmen ramen served with sesame paste broth and minced meat Creamy tantanmen ramen Blackberry cream and almond macarons Blackberry Cream & Almond Macarons Greek yoghurt burek served Greek yoghurt burek Spicy pickled oranges served in a jar Spicy Pickled Oranges
Classic Tres Leches Cake, milk-soaked sponge on a white plate
Classic Latin American three-milk cake with a rich and creamy texture

Classic Tres Leches Cake

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
The base recipe, puritanical perfection. The secret of Tres Leches (three milks) lies in the capillary action of the sponge: a fat-free dough with a strong protein structure capable of holding more than its own weight in liquid without falling apart. The different sugar contents and viscosities of the three types of milk (evaporated, condensed, cream) create that unique, creamy texture we adore.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 12 servings
🔥 Calories 350 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Latin American

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Electric whisk
  • Baking tin (high-sided)
  • Sieve

Allergen Information

⚠️ Milk
⚠️ Eggs
⚠️ Cereals containing gluten

Instructions

1 ✓

Whisk the egg whites with half the sugar into stiff peaks in a clean, grease-free bowl.

Tip: Sugar stabilizes the egg white foam. Being grease-free is crucial because fat inhibits foam formation.
2 ✓

Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and vanilla until frothy, then carefully fold into the egg whites.

Tip: Work gently so the mechanically introduced air bubbles don't burst – these aerate the dough.
3 ✓

Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder, then fold together with a spatula.

Tip: Sifting prevents flour lumps, which would be unpleasant to bite into.
4 ✓

Pour the batter into the tin and bake at 180°C for approx. 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch. Let it cool completely.

Tip: If you pour the milk on while hot, the cake will become mushy. During cooling, the starch structure stabilizes (retrogradation).
5 ✓

Mix the three types of milk. Prick the sponge with a fork and pour the liquid over it.

Tip: The holes increase the surface area, helping the liquid penetrate the inside of the cake.

Recipe FAQ

Why don't we use butter for the sponge?
Butter (fat) repels water (hydrophobic). A butter sponge would absorb the milky mixture with more difficulty. The egg white foam gives the structure.
Why does it need to rest?
The spread of liquid is a time-consuming process. It takes at least 4 hours for the liquid to distribute evenly due to gravity and capillarity.

Ingredients

  • 5 items Eggs (separated)
  • 200 g Granulated sugar
  • 200 g Plain flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 400 ml Condensed milk (sweetened)
  • 300 ml Evaporated milk
  • 200 ml Whipping cream
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract