Name: Tres leches cake with bitter chocolate
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 120 gm butter, melted and cooled, plus extra softened, for greasing; 5 eggs; 165 gm caster sugar (3/4 cup); 225 gm plain flour (1½ cups); 1 tsp baking powder; Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 375 ml evaporated milk (1½ cups); 200 gm condensed milk; 250 ml milk (1 cup); 300 ml thickened cream, whipped with ½ tsp ground cinnamon; Grated bitter chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa powder, to serve

Tres leches cake with bitter chocolate

This Latin American classic gets its name from the three milks used to soak the featherlight sponge cake – evaporated, condensed and whole milk.

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

20M

Cook

30M

Total

50M

This Latin American classic gets its name from the three milks used to soak the featherlight sponge cake – evaporated, condensed and whole milk. Whipped cream and seasonal fruit are typical toppings; we serve ours with a scattering of grated bitter chocolate and cocoa for a touch of bitterness to cut through the sweetness.

Ingredients

120 gm butter, melted and cooled, plus extra softened, for greasing

5 eggs

165 gm caster sugar (3/4 cup)

225 gm plain flour (1½ cups)

1 tsp baking powder

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

375 ml evaporated milk (1½ cups)

200 gm condensed milk

250 ml milk (1 cup)

300 ml thickened cream, whipped with ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Grated bitter chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa powder, to serve

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 170C, and butter and line a 15cm x 30cm cake tin (or a 22cm-square cake tin) with baking paper. Whisk eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume (4-5 minutes). Sieve in flour and baking powder, add vanilla and a pinch of salt, fold to combine, then fold in melted butter. Pour mixture into prepared tin, smooth top and bake until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted withdraws clean (25-30 minutes).

2.Meanwhile, combine the three milks in a jug and set aside. Remove cake from oven, pierce all over with a skewer, then gradually pour milk mixture over cake, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Set aside to soak and cool (2-3 hours or overnight). Serve topped with whipped cream, grated chocolate and cocoa.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Lucy Tweed