I typically buy healthier items when I grocery shop at Whole Foods (versus a typical Boston-area grocery store such as Stop & Shop or Shaw’s.) However, the one thing that gets me everytime is the tres leches cake from prepared foods section. It’s always located on the last end-cap we have to go around before we head to the cashier. I can practically hear it calling my name from the shelf! I often find myself picking up a slice to split with my husband for dessert.
While K and I were discussing what Cinco de Mayo recipes we were going to post, I told her about my obsession with the WF tres leches cake. I’ve never made one before and she told me that I had to try making tres leches cupcakes instead. K just bought me some awesome new cupcake pans for my birthday so I figured it would be the perfect chance to use them.
If you haven’t had a tres leches cake (or cupcake) before, tres leches means three milks due to the three varieties of milk used in the recipe. This recipe actually has four types if you count milk and heavy cream as separate types of milk (the other two are evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.)
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup whole or 2% milk
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners (this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar. Beat them together using the whisk attachment until mixture is well combined. Add the milk and 1 and ½ teaspoon vanilla; continue to beat until combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and stir together gently with a spatula. Wash out the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. Once dry, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks appear. Add ¼ cup sugar and continue to beat until combined.
- Using the spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the other large bowl. Mix until just combined and pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until center of cupcakes reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and transfer the cupcakes once they have cooled. Using a fork or a skewer, poke about 10 holes into each cupcake.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup heavy cream. Pour mixture over the cupcakes (some residual glaze will spill over onto the foil.) Place the baking sheet of cupcakes in the fridge and allow to chill up to 30 minutes.
- In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Using the whisk attachment, mix together until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula or spoon to top cupcakes with whipped cream topping.
- Store cupcakes in refrigerator.
Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Alton Brown, and The Latin Kitchen
