Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

This is my Summer version of tres leches cake. I added strawberry puree to my 3 leches mixture. Each bite has a bit of the sponge cake soaked with this homemade strawberry milk topped with a light whipped cream frosting. Serve it cold and enjoy! 

Let’s start with the recipe and if you want to watch how I made this cake, visit me on Instagram @pastry_tales

Yield one 9×13 pan

Ingredients 

For the vanilla cake 

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

6 egg whites at room temperature 

6 egg yolks at room temperature 

1 cup white granulated sugar 

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 cup milk (I used 2% fat) 

For the strawberry 3 leches mixture 

1 can sweetened condensed milk by Magnolia 

1 cup milk (I used 2% fat) 

1/2 cup half & half (or cream) 

1 cup strawberry puree from fresh strawberries 

For the cream frosting 

1 cup super cold heavy whipping cream 

1/4 -1/3 cup powdered sugar (or more if you want it sweeter) 

Directions: 

For the  vanilla cake 

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. I used softened butter. I have made tres leches many times and I get a better result when I bake it in a glass pan. 

2.- In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

3.- In another bowl and using an electric mixer, beat your yolks for about a minute. Add granulated sugar and mix in medium-high speed for about 4 minutes until it has a pale yellow color and double in volume. 

4.- Add in vanilla extract. Mix for a minute. Add in milk, mix for another minute. Add this mixture to your dry ingredients and using a spatula fold it all until you don’t see any leftover flour. Set aside. 

5.- In a clean bowl, whip your egg whites in medium high speed for about 2 minutes. Then, in high speed whip until the mixture reaches high peaks. 

6.- Using a spatula, fold in half of your egg whites into your flour-yolk mixture until you no longer see any egg whites. Then, fold in the other half of your egg whites. 

7.- Pour batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden color. Let the cake cool off completely in the pan. 

For strawberry milk mixture 

1.- In a bowl mix sweetened condensed milk, milk and half & half or cream. Mix well. Add in the strawberry puree and mix until everything is well combined. Do not use an electric mixer for this step otherwise your milk mixture will get thick and we don’t want that. 

2.- When your cake is cooled, poke holes all over the cake and then pour this strawberry milk mixture on top, slowly. 

3.- Place the pan into the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

For the frosting 

1.- Make this frosting just before serving the cake. 

2.- In a bowl and using an electric mixer, whip your cream in medium-high speed until it looks foamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Then, increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks are reached. 

3.- Spread this frosting on top of the cake. Decorate with fresh strawberries or sprinkles. 

Enjoy! 

Keep this dessert in the fridge.