Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients

• 450 g fresh strawberries (hulled; divided between the milk soak and whipped cream)
• 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.25 tsp fine salt
• 5 large eggs (separated)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (divided between the cake and strawberry milk mixture)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (divided between cake and whipped cream)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (approximately 14 oz)
• 1 can evaporated milk (approximately 12 fl oz)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cup heavy cream (well chilled; for the strawberry whipped cream)
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar (for the whipped cream)
• 150 g fresh strawberries (thinly sliced, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Hull the strawberries. Blend approximately 450 g of the strawberries until smooth, reserving the remaining strawberries for the whipped cream and garnish.

3. 3

   Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

4. 4

   Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a clean mixing bowl and the yolks in a second bowl.

5. 5

   Beat the egg yolks with half of the sugar until pale and thick. Beat in half of the vanilla extract.

6. 6

   Whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until the whites form glossy medium-stiff peaks.

7. 7

   Fold the yolk mixture into the beaten whites. Add the dry ingredients in batches and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain; avoid deflating the batter.

8. 8

   Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until golden and the center springs back when lightly pressed.

9. 9

   Cool the cake in the pan until it reaches room temperature.

10. 10

    Blend the puréed strawberries with the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and the remaining vanilla. Taste the mixture; if the strawberries are not very sweet, add an extra spoonful of sugar.

11. 11

    Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a fork or skewer. Slowly pour the strawberry milk mixture over the cake, allowing it to soak in evenly.

12. 12

    Chill the soaked cake for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. It may seem very wet at first, but the sponge will continue absorbing the liquid as it chills.

13. 13

    Purée the reserved strawberries for the whipped cream until smooth.

14. 14

    Whip the chilled heavy cream with the powdered sugar until it begins to thicken. Add the strawberry purée and whip until the cream holds soft-to-medium peaks. Do not overwhip.

15. 15

    Spread the strawberry whipped cream over the chilled cake. Garnish with sliced strawberries, cut into squares, and serve cold.

Notes

The provided page excerpt is paywalled and does not include the author's ingredient quantities or full method. The ingredient list and instructions above are a reconstruction based on the described strawberry tres leches technique, not a faithful transcription of the unavailable recipe. The cake is best served the day after assembly. Keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• Latin American
• strawberry
• make-ahead
• chilled
• vegetarian