Okay...so I picked a traditionally Mexican dessert to make for American Independence Day. Maybe I should have served it with some fresh strawberries and blueberries. Then it would have at least looked like a dessert for the 4th of July!
I clipped this recipe from a newspaper supplement several months ago. Every time I've considered making it I've thought about how terribly fattening it is and changed my mind. (sliced into 16 pieces, each has 440 calories!!) I finally decided to give it a whirl yesterday and here are my thoughts:
Very dense, moist, and sweet. Very, very rich!! Too rich, in fact. I only had a small piece yesterday and I think I've had my fill. Wish I could share it with some of you!
Tres Leches Cake
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (24 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon of rum or liqueur
Fresh berries for garnish (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-in. baking dish.
2. Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add to butter mixture slowly and beat well. Spread batter in pan. Bake 24 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
4. Stir together milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk. Pour 3 cups over cake. Reserve remaining milk mixture to serve with cake. Refrigerate cake.
5. Combine heavy cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and run. Beat until think and spread over cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Pour leftover milk mixture onto dessert plates. Sliced chilled cake into squares and place on dessert plates. Garnish with fresh berries, if using.
Okay.....I have to be honest here. It wasn't until I was typing out the recipe that I realized I left out the baking powder when making mine!!! No wonder it seemed like such a flat cake!! However, fluffier wouldn't change the fact it was entirely too calorie-laden for my taste.
Tres Leches Cake
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (24 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon of rum or liqueur
Fresh berries for garnish (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9-in. baking dish.
2. Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add to butter mixture slowly and beat well. Spread batter in pan. Bake 24 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
4. Stir together milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk. Pour 3 cups over cake. Reserve remaining milk mixture to serve with cake. Refrigerate cake.
5. Combine heavy cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and run. Beat until think and spread over cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Pour leftover milk mixture onto dessert plates. Sliced chilled cake into squares and place on dessert plates. Garnish with fresh berries, if using.
Okay.....I have to be honest here. It wasn't until I was typing out the recipe that I realized I left out the baking powder when making mine!!! No wonder it seemed like such a flat cake!! However, fluffier wouldn't change the fact it was entirely too calorie-laden for my taste.