Indulge in a slice of our mouth-watering Strawberry Tres Leches Cake that's perfect for any occasion. Made with a light and fluffy sponge cake soaked in three types of milk, this dessert is topped off with fresh strawberries for a burst of fruity flavor.
Now it’s a cake that has much dispute across Latin America where it originated, from Nicaragua to Venezuela to Mexico where, quite frankly, it has the biggest reputation outside the borders.
‘Canned milk was produced as early as the 1850s and increased in popularity during the World Wars. Companies like Nestlé and Borden had such a difficult time keeping up with the demand that they opened operations in various locations throughout Latin America, including Nicaragua.’.
Which gives rise to the cake we now know as Tres Leches in it’s modern form and leads us to a twist like the Strawberry Tres Leches as in today’s recipe, which uses store bought strawberry milk, frankly my favorite. It also welcomes strawberry season by getting to eat whole, sweet, plump and fresh strawberries that make this cake great for any spring gathering.
How to prepare Strawberry Tres Leches Cake
- Make the strawberry extract: If you’re homemaking your extract, place two roughly chopped strawberries and a teaspoon of sugar into a small bowl.
- Whip the egg whites: Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add the sugar: Add a portion of the sugar in tablespoonfuls to the egg whites until stiff peaks form, the sugar has dissolved and the whites look slightly glossy.
- Whip until pale: Whip the egg yolks until pale and doubled in size and add in the strawberry extract.
- Fold and fold: Fold the fluffy egg yolks into the egg whites.
- Fold the Flour: Add the flour to the eggs and gently fold until combined.
- Bake: Bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean, set aside to cool.
- Poke it: Poke the cooled cake with a fork all over.
- Tres leches time: Mix the three milks in a pourable bowl and slowly and steadily pour the mixture over the cake, allowing a minute or two for the milk to soak before pouring the remainder of the milks over.
- Refrigerate: Set aside to soak fully.
- Whip the cream: Whip the cream until soft peaks form and smear over the whole cake.
- Strawbs: Lay the strawberries down on the top of your cake.
- Serve: Slice and serve...dig in!
Tips for the best Strawberry Tres Leches
To make the strawberry extract: Roughly cut 2 strawberries and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of sugar, allow to sit whilst you beat the eggs. Drain the juice into a little dish and it should measure out at 1 tablespoon.
Folding in the flour: Folding the flour into the whipped eggs is a slow process as the flour will clump up and you might have no visible patches of flour remaining on the edges of your bowl, but there might be portions remaining in the center of the batter so continue folding until no visible lumps remain in your cake batter.
Strawberry milk sub: If Strawberry milk isn’t sold where you live, a strawberry milk powder mixed with regular milk would work.
Keeping your cake: It’s best to serve the cake within 3 days, when not serving keep covered in your refrigerator.
More strawberry recipes you'll love!
Scones with Roasted Strawberries
Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie
Pancake Waffles with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Roasted Strawberries
How to make Strawberry Tres Leches:
Place the strawberries and sugar into a small saucepan on low heat and cover, cooking until they look like a chunky jam. Approximately 12 minutes.
Blend until smooth and set aside to cool fully.
For the cake, greaseproof a baking tray with butter and preheat the oven to 180°C/350F.
Place the egg whites into a clean and dry bowl and whip on medium with a hand beater until soft peaks form, approximately 4 minutes.
Add in 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time whilst whilst beating for approximately 30-40 seconds before repeating with another tablespoonful of sugar.
Whip until stiff and lightly glossy, approximately 6 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks until doubled in volume and pale, approximately 5 minutes.
Add 60 grams/3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree to the egg yolks and beat on low until combined.
Spoon the strawberry yolks into the egg whites and fold until combined, ensuring you don’t lose any volume in the eggs.
Add in the sifted flour and fold until combined and the cake batter is smooth.
Pour into your baking dish and spread evenly.
Bake until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool fully in the baking tray.
Meanwhile, place the three milks and remaining strawberry puree into a bowl and stir until well combined.
Poke holes all over your cooled cake and slowly pour the milk sauce over the whole cake.
Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
Spoon or pipe over your cake and spread out to smooth evenly on top.
Lay the halved strawberries on top.
Slice and serve.
Dig in!
Strawberry Tres Leches
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: Serves 9
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Mexican, Central American, South American
Description
Fresh strawberries alongside a homemade strawberry jam infuse this Strawberry Tres Leches with the bright spring flavors of this beloved berry for a cake that comes together quickly with easy-to-source ingredients.
Ingredients
Strawberries
150 grams / 5.3 ounces strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
30 grams / 2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
Cake
4 eggs, room temperature and separated
100 grams / ½ cup superfine/caster sugar
240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour, sifted
Milk Sauce
100 milliliters / ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon milk
265 milliliters / ½ can sweetened condensed milk
230 milliliters / 1 cup - 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
Topping
310 milliliters / 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
30 grams / 2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
200 grams / 7 ounces fresh strawberries, halved
Instructions
Strawberries
- Place the strawberries and sugar into a small saucepan on low heat and cover, cooking until they look like a chunky jam. Approximately 12 minutes.
- Blend until smooth and set aside to cool fully.
Cake
- For the cake, greaseproof a baking tray with butter and preheat the oven to 180°C/350F.
- Place the egg whites into a clean and dry bowl and whip on medium with a hand beater until soft peaks form, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time whilst whilst beating for approximately 30-40 seconds before repeating with another tablespoonful of sugar.
- Whip until stiff and lightly glossy, approximately 6 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks until doubled in volume and pale, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add 60 grams/3 tablespoons of the strawberry puree to the egg yolks and beat on low until combined.
- Spoon the strawberry yolks into the egg whites and fold until combined, ensuring you don’t lose any volume in the eggs.
- Add in the sifted flour and fold until combined and the cake batter is smooth.
- Pour into your baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool fully in the baking tray.
Milk Sauce
- Meanwhile, place the three milks and remaining strawberry puree into a bowl and stir until well combined.
- Poke holes all over your cooled cake and slowly pour the milk sauce over the whole cake.
- Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Topping
- Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
- Spoon or pipe over your cake and spread out to smooth evenly on top.
- Lay the halved strawberries on top.
- Slice and serve.
- Dig in!
Notes
Folding in the flour: Folding the flour into the whipped eggs is a slow process as the flour will clump up and you might have no visible patches of flour remaining on the edges of your bowl, but there might be portions remaining in the center of the batter so continue folding until no visible lumps remain in your cake batter.
Keeping your cake: It’s best to serve the cake within 3 days, when not serving keep covered in your refrigerator.
Adapted from Pati’s Mexican Table
Nutrition
- Calories: 475 calories per serve
Keywords: sponge cake, mexican baking, latin baking
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