Tres Leche Cake

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Milk Made

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (195)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(195)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
1 (13 by 9-inch) cake

Times:

Prep: 45 min
Inactive Prep: 8 hr 0 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 9 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

For the cake:

Vegetable oil
6 3/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces sugar
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half-and-half

For the topping:

2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.

Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:

Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping:

Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Tres Leche Cake
Janey Walworth, WI 01-31-2010
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How it's supposed to be
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

For all of the people who have given this cake a 'bad' review saying it's too wet and you can't get all the liquid to absorb... and it is like a 'soggy milk sponge"....that's exactly how it's supposed to be! If you order this cake in a restaurant, usually served in Mexican restaurants, it will be a square of cake sitting in a pool of milk liquid with whipped cream on top...exactly as Alton's cake looks. The liquid doesn't totally absorb and it's not supposed to, you are supposed to have the cake sitting in liquid on the plate. And this cake absolutely does taste better the longer it sits, usually a couple of days. So, those of you who think it didn't turn out, it did, you just must not like Tres Leche cake!Read more
recipe Tres Leche Cake
Shelly Broken Arrow, OK 01-30-2010
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acme of ice box cakes!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was the best homemade ice box cake I've had...I love to make them since you keep them nice and wetted up in the fridge. ... I am not really a cake person since i DON'T like several inches of usually dry consistency...but I do enjoy a nice ice box cake....p.s. this cake gets even better after the 3rd day!Read more
recipe Tres Leche Cake
Allison Elizabeth, PA 01-29-2010
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Milk Made in Heaven
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have been an Alton Brown fan for years. I have successfully recreated many of his recipes. This cake tops them all. ... Moist, heavy, rich, and delicious! Not overly sweet. For another wonderful cake, try his Coconut cake! Keep them coming Alton!!!!!Read more
recipe Tres Leche Cake
Arlene San Antonio, TX 01-29-2010
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very easy to follow and tasty
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Ive been trying this recipe for a year, and it has been a winner in my family and with my friends. It's not a figure... friendly type of cake though and it is very gooey and wet inside (hence the use of milk). I don't have a scale so I use 1 1/2 cup of flour and it works just fine.Read more
recipe Tres Leche Cake
Karen Orchard Park, NY 01-28-2010
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Like Eating a Cold Wet Sponge
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

This recipe really intrigued me. I love dairy. I followed the recipe to a "t" after watching the show and was very... disappointed. I just don't get all the good reviews. There is so much liquid poured over the cake, way more than it can handle, and you end up with a soggy milk sponge. It isn't so much a cake as it is a pudding with a really funky texture.Read more
recipe Tres Leche Cake
Dawn Independence, MO 01-27-2010
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Weight to volume conversions for those without a scale
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

For those who would like to have the conversions to prepare this recipe, here's what I found: 1 1/2 cups flour = 6.61 oz -... so use 1 1/2 cups plus about a tablespoon in this recipe. 1 cup of sugar = 7.94 oz - so use a cup and a touch more to equal the 8 oz called for in the recipe. It would be helpful if this recipe included the standard cup measurements, commonly used by home cooks in the U.S, in addition to weight measurements. Not everyone has a kitchen scale. However, various websites provide a conversion. Read more