This might be my favorite cake ever. Growing up in Texas, tres leches cake was a pretty common thing. It’s served at every single Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant, so I definitely grew up eating it. I never made my own until Derek bought one at a local bakery for my birthday. It was a beautiful tiered cake, but it was no tres leches. The cake was basically dry! When I eat tres leches, I want pools of milk collecting at the bottom of my plate! So I did what I always do and said, “I can make a better cake.” AND I DID. This is the first time I’ve added strawberries to the three milk mixture and I am never going back.
Strawberry Tres Leches
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
- Blender
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 5 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the strawberry milk:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12-oz can can evaporated milk
- 1 cup strawberries leaves and stems removed
For the topping:
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Whisk flour and baking powder together and set aside.
- Cream butter and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
- To make the strawberry milk, combine the whole milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and strawberries together in a blender until smooth. Pierce the cake all over with a fork, then slowly drizzle with the strawberry milk. Refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- To make the whipped cream, beat heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until medium peaks form. Spread diced strawberries over the top of cake and then top with the whipped cream. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy!