Ladybird Ln: Like Heaven, Tres Leches Cake

So let me just preface this recipe by letting you know it is AMAZING! Tres Leches Cake is my new favorite splurge food! HOWEVER, this is a fussy recipe, I have made this recipe 6 times... 5 times successfully! But do not let this deter you, I have tried to make the recipe easier to understand. The first time I messed up the recipe because the original recipe calls for 4 1/2 oz of flour, I read it as cups, you only need ONE CUP of flour... who weighs there flour anyway, LOL. This recipe is a little challenging because it has a lot of steps and you really need to read the directions, something I have a tough time with! Follow each step, take your time, and enjoy every last bite!

Tres Leches Cake

Adapted from: www.finecooking.com

For the cake:
butter, softened, for the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
5 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup milk (2% or whole)
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the soaking liquid:
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt

For the topping:
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Bake the cake:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

· Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.

· Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. (Or do what I do and put the ingredients together and use a whisk to fluff them up!)

· Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a large bowl. Beat the yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute more.

· Beat the egg whites, gradually in mixer increasing the speed to high, until they reach soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream, continuing to beat on high, until you reach firm but not dry peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more.

· Whisk a third of the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in a third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, alternately, in two more batches each, until fully incorporated.

· Pour the batter into the prepared dish or pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

· Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.

· Return the cake to the baking dish or pan (the cake will soak up more of the liquid if returned to the pan it was baked in).

Soak the cake:

· In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and salt until the condensed milk is well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to avoid scorching, until it begins to bubble around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof 4-cup measuring cup.

· With a toothpick, prick the cake to the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the soaking liquid slowly over the cake, starting at the edges and pausing to let it soak in before adding more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Top the cake:

· In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat just until it holds firm peaks, 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to overbeat). Add a spoonful to the top of each piece of cake!