Tres Leches cake (or three-milk cake) is a very common dessert in many Latin American countries. But the first time I tasted it was during an internship in Costa Rica. I must admit, I really enjoyed it. Although the traditional recipe uses wheat flour, it's perfectly possible to make it gluten-free by using a suitable flour. Here's a gluten-free version of this delicious dessert:
8
Preparation
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a medium-sized rectangular baking tin (approximately 23 x 33 cm).
-
Prepare the cake: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar (about 100g) until light and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla, and mix well. Then add the gluten-free flour and baking powder, and gently fold them in.
-
Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter in three additions, mixing gently to avoid deflating the whites.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-
Prepare the milk mixture: In a bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed milk, and milk (or milk/rum). Once the cake is baked, let it cool for a few minutes, then place it on a serving dish and poke small holes all over the surface with a fork.
-
Pour the milk mixture over the cooled cake, making sure to soak the entire surface. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight) to allow the milk mixture to fully penetrate.
-
Prepare the decoration: Whip the heavy cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread it over the cake before serving. You can add slices of strawberries or mango for decoration.
Note
You can sprinkle the cake with a little ground cinnamon or cocoa, and decorate it with fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, etc.).
