Tres Leches Fourth of July Recipe

This take on decadent tres leches cake waves the flag with a Fourth of July fruit design. Showing up with this will make you stand out as a baking master at any Fourth of July gathering. But we should note that like many of the best things in America, tres leches didn’t originate in America. It’s a delicious gift from recent arrivals from the south! 

What is Tres Leches, Anyway? (Besides Delicious)

Tres leches means “three milks” in Spanish, named as such because of the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk used in the recipe. Soaking cakes in milk originated in the Mexican province of Tabasco in the 19th century, but older desserts like Tiramisu and trifle use similar strategies and flavors. In Nicaragua, tres leches became a status symbol for elites who could afford condensed milk (which, by the way, was only invented in 1853). Now, anyone with access to the grocery store can make it, including as a fourth of July recipe. It gained popularity in the United States in the ’70s when many Nicaraguans settled in Miami after political unrest in their home countries. 

Tres Leches Fourth of July Recipe

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• Author: Anna Franklin

Print Recipe

Description

The indulgence of a tres leches cake with a Americana topping.

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Ingredients

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For the cake mix:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the tres leches milk mixture:

• 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup whole milk

For the whipped topping:

• 1 pt heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls.
3. Add ¾ cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add ⅓ cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don’t over-mix).
4. Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. As the begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
5. Pour batter into un-greased pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool completely.
6. Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
7. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
8. In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

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