While tres leches is served all over Latin America, Nicaragua is the country that can claim this dish as its own. A plain vanilla cake is soaked in a mixture made from three kinds of milk evaporated, sweetened condensed, and whole and then topped with silky meringue. It’s a simple yet satisfying dessert, especially when served with a shot of espresso. The recipe for this yellow cake belonged to my great-grandmother Wiwa and is a great basic cake recipe.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk Mixture
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 2½ cups (two 14-ounce cans) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups (two 12-ounce cans) evaporated milk
Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
How to Make It
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Prepare the Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes depending on your mixer. Add the eggs and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, another 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary.
- Mix the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine with a whisk or fork. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add a quarter of the flour mixture and then a quarter of the milk mixture. Continue alternating between the two mixtures until they have both been completely added to the batter. Beat for a final 30 seconds to fully combine the batter (but make sure you do not overmix, as you may end up with a tough cake). Bake the Cake
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly using a rubber spatula. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake will be a deep golden brown.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, about 30 minutes. Soak the cake with the Milks
- Use a wooden skewer or other sharp, thin object to poke holes all over the top of the cake, including the edges and corners.
- Combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk in a bowl and whisk well to fully incorporate the thick sweetened condensed milk into the mixture. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cooled cake. It may seem as if the cake will not be able to absorb all of the liquid, but keep going—it will all soak in. Allow the cake to rest in the refrigerator while you prepare the meringue. Prepare the Meringue
- Place the egg whites, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a stand mixer or a metal mixing bowl and set over a pot of simmering water. Stir the egg white mixture until the sugar and salt are dissolved and the egg whites are warm to the touch, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be a bit frothy and milky in color.
- Remove the bowl from the pot and beat on high speed (using the whisk attachment if you’re using a stand mixer) until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. Finish the Cake
- While the meringue is still warm, use a rubber spatula to spread it all over the top of the cake. For a decorative touch, create peaks of meringue by tapping the flat side of the spatula all over the topping. If you like, finish by caramelizing the surface of the meringue with a kitchen torch.