I can’t tell you how many times I would ignore “tres leches” on a restaurant menu, thinking that if it wasn’t chocolate, it couldn’t possibly be good. But one night in Tucson, when I was particularly famished and had no other options, my entire life was forever transformed and I became a convert.
As most people probably know from basic Spanish, “tres leches” means “three milks,” which always strikes me as ironic when it comes to this recipe because the icing definitely adds a fourth milk – but I digress….
We adapted our version from this original recipe by replacing vegetable oil with canola oil, regular yogurt with Greek yogurt, removing the salt and reducing the baking time.
** Note: the hardest thing about making this cake is
finding two pans that are pretty similar in size. The first time, we used a 9″ round and later transferred it to a 9″ x 13″ rectangular Pyrex, which was a mistake because the milk runs off instead of getting absorbed. We eventually started using a 9″ round and a 9″ springform pan, which worked much better. **
EGGLESS TRES LECHES INGREDIENTS – CAKE:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 TB cornstarch
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (we used the 5% Fage brand)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder (yes, 1.25 tsp)
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (regular or fat-free)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (regular or fat-free)
EGGLESS TRES LECHES INGREDIENTS – FROSTING (optional):
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 TB sugar
EGGLESS TRES LECHES INSTRUCTIONS:
- Find your cake pans, per the above.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease your first (smaller if not identical) pan and set aside.
- Whisk together yogurt and sugar until dissolved. Add baking powder and baking soda. Set aside for 5 min.
- Whisk in your vanilla extract. Slowly add your oil in, continuing to mix.
- Sift together your flour and cornstarch, then add to the combo.
- Spread everything into your pan evenly (no, you didn’t miss the part about the milks – those come later!) and bake for 25 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool for 15 min.
- Transfer your cake to that second pan by flipping it upside down. Let it cool for another 10 min.
- Combine all three milks with each other.
- Pierce holes throughout the cake with a fork and pour the milks in. Let everything rest for an hour.
- If you want to make frosting (it’s fine without it), combine the frosting ingredients from above until stiff peaks form and spread it over the cake.
