Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

Tres leches cake is my new favorite dessert.

Why hadn’t anyone introduced me to this custard-y beauty sooner? I had no idea what to expect–”three milks” doesn’t exactly give away much of a flavor palette–but I figured it would be supersweet and probably pretty liquidy, and, hey, I was right.

The cake by itself is a fragile little thing, comprised mostly of egg and a little flour/sugar to hold it together. Not sure how I felt about baking it and subsequently realizing that this already moist cake was about to get doused with a big bucket (okay, two cups) of liquid that pretty much equaled it’s size in volume. But, onwards I trudged and it turned out to be a wonderful decision. After chilling in the refrigerator until it was nice and cool, the inside of this cake was literally oozing out of the center. (Much akin to dipping cake into a cup of milk. Also delicious.)

This thing was gone within a few hours, which is a shame because I was really looking forward to breakfast. I guess I can make it again soon.

TRES LECHES CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

(adapted from Strawberries in Paris)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the glaze:

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half and half

For the icing:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pint strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a medium-size cake dish. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, applesauce and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the flour, adding gradually. Stir in vanilla. Pour into baking dish and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.

In a small bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing all three milks together. When cake is finished, pour glaze over top and allow to soak. Store in refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, prepare icing by beating together cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Ice cake and serve with a generous helping of strawberries.