Coffee Tres Leches Cake

I’m ridiculously excited about this cake because it’s just so good and something I took a chance with, never expecting it to be so delicious! A good friend of mine tasted it and said “it’s like tiramisu went to finishing school” and I haven’t stop giggling about that, but also, it’s very apt! Packed with coffee flavour, soaked in a three milk (“tres leches”) mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream, the airy sponge soaks it all up and will blow your mind. I hope you’ll try this soon!

A tres leches cake, a Latin American dessert with Mexican origins, can be made with a firmer butter cake like I did in this chocolate version, or more traditionally, with a sponge that has less to no fat, and has eggs beaten a lot for a natural rise, making it super light and airy. This helps the tres leches liquid soak in faster and I’m so glad I’ve tried both versions now! Can’t decide which I like more, but this one definitely has a more moist, yet not soggy, wonderfully soft texture.

So for this cake, I went with the Genoise base I used for this Victoria Sponge. It has no baking powder or soda, just eggs beaten for a while before the flour is added leading to a wonderfully light sponge. I added coffee powder to the batter and my personal preference here is Bru instant coffee, but you can use another.

The tres leches liquid also has coffee in it, stirred into some warm cream before adding it to the rest of the soaking liquid. The flavour is unmistakably coffee and some plain whipped cream sprinkled with more coffee powder does a great job of driving it home!

This cake needs an overnight chill so definitely start it the day before you plan to dig in. I hope you’ll make it soon!

Please read the recipe notes before beginning.

Coffee Tres Leches Cake

Moist coffee sponge soaked in coffee flavoured condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Makes: 8 pieces

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Ingredients

  

For the coffee sponge

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (100 gms)
• 2 tsps instant coffee powder (I recommend Bru)
• Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup butter (55 gms)
• 4 eggs, at room temperature (integral to this recipe, I can't suggest substitutes)
• 1/2 cup caster sugar (100 gms)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the 'tres leches' mixture

• 200 ml condensed milk (approx 3/4 cup)
• 200 ml evaporated milk (approx 3/4 cup; see notes)
• 1/2 cup cream (125 ml, whipping/heavy cream recommended)
• 2 tsps instant coffee powder

For the topping

• 1/4 cup chilled whipping cream (60 ml; see notes)
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsps instant coffee powder to sprinkle on top

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 170 C. Lightly grease a rectangular 8.5x6.5 inch pan and set aside. You could also use an 8 inch square pan, the cake might be slightly thinner.
• Make sure all your ingredients for the sponge are measured and kept ready. Sift the flour, coffee (and salt, if using) and set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove and set it aside to cool.
• Now add a little water to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. While this is happening, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl that fits neatly over the saucepan, without its base touching the water. Bring the heat down to low and place the bowl over the saucepan. Using a balloon whisk, whisk continuously for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture is slightly warm, frothy and paler (see photos below). This double boiler step warms the eggs gently, creating more air and also helps dissolve the sugar so they beat better and become fluffy easily.
• Pour this warm mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has tripled in volume, thickened and leaves ribbons when you lift the whisk up (see photos below). I found the stand mixer bowl too large for a double boiler which is why I transfer the mixture after the above step, but if yours fits easily, you can just use the same bowl for both. You can also do this step with a hand mixer as long as your bowl is large and deep enough to hold the mixture as it increases in volume.
• Now gently add half of the sifted flour mixture to the bowl and fold it in using a silicone spatula. Do not mix vigorously, gently take your spatula to the bottom of the bowl, bring it up cutting through the airy batter and repeat. Add the remaining flour and do the same. While the batter will naturally deflate a little, don't worry about fully incorporating the flour as you fold. If a few streaks of it are visible, that's ok.
• Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and once again fold gently but quickly to combine so that the butter doesn't settle at the bottom. Make sure your spatula goes right to the base of the bowl to get it all folded in.
• Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until browned on top and when you press the surface lightly, it should spring back. A little over-mixing could cause the top to dome slightly and then fall as the cake cools. If this happens, don't worry, the texture of the cake isn't affected.
• Let the cake cool completely in the pan at room temperature, about 3 hours. Soaking the cake while it's still warm will make it soggy.
• To make the tres leches mixture, gently warm half the cream in the microwave or on the stovetop until it's just about lukewarm. Whisk in the coffee powder making sure it's properly dissolved. Then combine the remaining cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk in a bowl and whisk briefly. Slowly pour in the coffee-cream mixture and whisk as you go till smooth. The mixture is runny and might appear slightly frothy because of the coffee.
• Poke multiple holes all over the cooled cake (still in the pan) with a fork. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid, and gradually pour the rest over the cake, a few spoons at a time, waiting till it's almost fully absorbed before pouring more. It might pool on the edges and surface which is ok (see photos below).
• Once done, refrigerate the cake at least overnight (it gets better the longer you chill it). By the morning, the liquid will have been fully absorbed.
• When ready to serve, beat the chilled cream and sugar with a hand mixer on high speed until soft, rounded peaks form.
• Spread the cream all over the cake and chill again for 30 minutes especially if you're making this in warm weather, to give the cream a chance to firm up a little. Dust with coffee powder just before serving. Slice into squares and serve with a little bit of the reserved tres leches mixture spooned under each piece. This ensures that any bits of the cake that may not have absorbed the liquid do become moist and also, more flavour!
• Store the cake for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and you'll notice it becomes more moist and delicious! Happy baking!

Notes

Shop this recipe: Caster Sugar, Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, Instant Coffee

*Evaporated milk is essential to this recipe. It is an unsweetened version of reduced, thickened milk that takes on a caramelised colour and flavour. I haven't tried homemade versions of evaporated milk or any substitutes.

*I use Amul whipping cream which I buy on Big Basket. For the best results, chill your bowl and beaters for 30 minutes before whipping the cream.

*The sponge is the same as the one in this Victoria Sponge recipe from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh. I've just modified a couple of steps for this cake.

*Prep time does not include chilling time

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