Tres Leches Cake

My husband and I used to go out for Valentine's Day when we were dating. One year, we decided that enough was enough and that we'd just stay at home to make our own meal. After all, it was much more romantic to make a homemade meal and have fun working together in the kitchen. It's been our tradition ever since, and this year was no different.

We decided to grill some steak and sear some fresh scallops for our romantic meal.  We just bought a new cast iron skillet and couldn't wait to use it!  I saw this tres leches cake recipe on What's Cookin, Chicago? a while back and have had it bookmarked. We finally decided that it was time to finally try it and make it as our romantic dessert.

The cake and milk fillings were very easy to put together, and I am almost ashamed to admit that this was my very first time making homemade whipped cream!  (hangs head)  My husband mentioned that the cake was slightly sweet for his tastes, but I thought it tasted great. I made the whipped cream topping the day before we actually ate it, and it broke down a bit and got slightly liquidy.  I would recommend making the whipped cream either immediately before serving or on the day you'll enjoy the cake.

We had a delicious Valentine's Day meal and hope you did too!

Cake Ingredients

• Cooking spray to grease cake pans
• 6 3/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup half-and-half

Topping

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.

Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze
Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping
Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: What's Cookin, Chicago?; originally from Alton Brown

My husband and I used to go out for Valentine's Day when we were dating. One year, we decided that enough was enough and that we'd just stay at home to make our own meal. After all, it was much more romantic to make a homemade meal and have fun working together in the kitchen. It's been our tradition ever since, and this year was no different.

We decided to grill some steak and sear some fresh scallops for our romantic meal.  We just bought a new cast iron skillet and couldn't wait to use it!  I saw this tres leches cake recipe on What's Cookin, Chicago? a while back and have had it bookmarked. We finally decided that it was time to finally try it and make it as our romantic dessert.

The cake and milk fillings were very easy to put together, and I am almost ashamed to admit that this was my very first time making homemade whipped cream!  (hangs head)  My husband mentioned that the cake was slightly sweet for his tastes, but I thought it tasted great. I made the whipped cream topping the day before we actually ate it, and it broke down a bit and got slightly liquidy.  I would recommend making the whipped cream either immediately before serving or on the day you'll enjoy the cake.

We had a delicious Valentine's Day meal and hope you did too!

Cake Ingredients

• Cooking spray to grease cake pans
• 6 3/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup half-and-half

Topping

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.

Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze
Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping
Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: What's Cookin, Chicago?; originally from Alton Brown