First things first:  As many years as I lived in New Mexico, and for as many years as I worked as a baker, I never made Tres Leches before.  But I’ve enjoyed it for years.  I had it recently at a Brazilian restaurant and decided I needed to take a shot.

A caveat before we get started:  There isn’t one.  This cake is fucking divine.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Cake:

1 ¼ C Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Salt

½ C Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled (IMPORTANT)

1 C Sugar

5 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

Three Milks:

1 14 oz. Can Nestle La Lechera (just like I used for the Dochinos)

1 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk

1 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1 ½ tsp Vanilla

Topping:

1 ¼ C Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Grease and flour an 8 x 8 pan and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

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

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs in a separate bowl, adding the eggs one at a time, for about a minute on medium speed.  Slowly add the sugar to the eggs until incorporated.  The egg mix will be fluffy and light yellow.

Reduce the mixer to the slowest speed available.  Slowly add the melted and cooled butter, then add the vanilla.  If you cheat and add the butter while it’s still warm, you will fuck this up—so just … don’t.

Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.  Add the flour to the wet mix, a heaping tablespoon at a time, folding it in with a rubber spatula until incorporated.  Do not overmix—JUST FOLD IT, Meg!

Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.

Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 

Place on a wire rack to cool completely.  Poke holes all throughout the cake with a toothpick.  You’ll need these for the milk to soak in.

While the cake is baking, prepare the milk mixture.  Whisk all of the ingredients together in a sauce pan over low heat until warm and completely mixed.  Turn off heat and allow milk to cool completely.

Once everything is cool, pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake.  There is a possibility that the bottom of the cake may come unmoored from the pan and float to the top.  If that happens, just let it be for now.  The cake will eventually soak in a lot of the milk. 

Cover it with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.  Place an empty mixing bowl in the refrigerator and the whisk attachment in the freezer.  Trust me.

The next day, pull the mixing bowl and whisk out and connect to your mixer.  Pour in the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed for about two minutes.  The cold utensils will make the cream thicken quickly and form soft, smooth peaks in about two minutes. 

Remove the cake from the fridge and take off the plastic wrap.  Spread the whipped cream evenly on top.

If your cake came loose and is still floating on top of the milk, take a sharp knife and pre-cut the cake into nine pieces.  Then, gently push the cake down to the bottom of the pan before spreading the whipped cream on top.

When serving, place a slice of cake on a plate.  Then, using a small spoon, scoop out some of the milk mixture from the pan (there will be a LOT of it) and spread it around the base of the cake.  Garnish with fresh fruit, such as strawberries, mango or kiwi.

Holy fucking shit this is so good.