TRES LECHES CHOCOLATE CAKE

When your friend turns 50 you go homemade.   ​Big thanks to Erica Dinho, creator behind My Colombian Recipes​ for developing this amazing recipe.  I baked this cake for a dear friends 50th birthday celebration.  Lina is from Colombia herself and I wanted to make something extra special. I went to Cartagena myself a few yeas ago and enjoyed some tres leches cake — but this was something else. 

I learned: I will never bake a cake from a box again. Everyone should add one, two or tres (!) leches to their cake.  I will only use homemade icing made in my kitchen moving forward. 

This cake takes time, love and patience! But it's well worth it.  Truly delicious and special.

INGREDIENTS
CAKE
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 cup water
12 tablespoons butter soft
5 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla

​Tres Leches Sauce
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING
3 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract


INSTRUCTIONS
 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Grease and lightly flour a baking dish.
3. To make the cake: In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, cocoa and baking powder.
4. In a large bowl beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes .Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture, butter, water and vanilla extract and mix for 2 more minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and with a fork make holes all over the top of the cake. Set aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. When the cake is cooling, make the milk sauce, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
7. Pour the 3 milks sauce over the cake until it is all absorbed. Refrigerate for a least 3 hours or overnight.
8. For the frosting, in a small pot mix the water and sugar, over medium high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Set aside.Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks are formed. While beating the egg whites, add sugar syrup and continue beating for 5 more minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat 1 more minute. Spread the frosting over the cake.
9. Turn on the broil for your oven and place the top rack in the middle.
10. Cover cake with meringue. Bake for 2 minutes; or until the meringue is lightly browned. In this step you must be careful because the meringue can burn very quickly. To avoid accidents I do it with the oven door open.