Description
This Lemon Tres Leches Cake Recipe (Torta de Tres Leches) is a tangy and bright twist on the traditional Tres leches recipe. Lemon Curd and lemon zest add delicious citrus flavor to this decadent three milks cake. A fluffy, creamy, and ultra-moist lemon cake sure to indulge and impress!
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients for the cake
- 2 Cups of all-purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of Salt
- 1 1/2 Cup of Granulated White Sugar
- 8 large Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon of Lemon Zest - from one lemon.
Ingredients for the milk mixture
- One 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- One 12 oz can of Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup of Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup of store-bought Lemon Curd
Ingredients for the Meringue Frosting
- 4 Egg Whites
- 10 tablespoons of Granulated White Sugar
- 1 tablespoon of fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 teaspoons of Lemon Zest
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) degrees.
- Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan. Set up 3 mixing bowls.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt through a fine-mesh strainer. Set aside.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks into the other two bowls. Using an electric mixer, beat the yolks quickly until fluffy and pale yellow (3 minutes). Set aside.
- With clean and dry mixer beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed.
- Add the sugar, whipped yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest to the whipped whites and beat until combined.
Now is the time to incorporate the egg mixture with the flour. - Add one-half of the flour into the egg mixture and incorporate gently with a rubber spatula in a folding motion until just mixed. Folding means lifting the batter up from the side in a circular motion and over itself back to the middle. Do not overbeat the batter, or you will have a dense cake. " folding " aims to combine the ingredients just enough without deflating the mixture.
- Add the second half of the flour and fold in the remaining egg mixture gently until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Prepare the tres leches mixture.
- While the cake bakes, in a bowl, gently whisk the three kinds of milk and lemon curd until well combined.
Assemble the tres leches cake
- Remove the cake from the oven, and while it’s still hot, gently poke holes with a fork or skewer, and take care not to tear it up. Pour the mixture over the cake.
- Ensure the cake is well moist, including the edges. You will want the milk to spread evenly throughout the cake, especially on the edges where a cake has the tendency to be drier.
Make the lemon meringue frosting and decorate
- While the cake is soaking and cooling down, in a bowl, beat the four additional egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form, then add the sugar gradually until well mixed. Add the lemon juice and zest and beat for an extra minute. Top the cake with the meringue.
- Turn on the broiler in your oven. Place the cake under the broiler for about 60-90 seconds, or just enough to get a golden color. Before serving, decorate with slices of lemon or fresh fruit (optional).
Refrigerate and serve cold. The cake tastes better if prepared the day before.
Notes
- Gently folding in the flour and egg mixture is critical. Do not overbeat the batter, or the gluten will develop, and you will have a tough cake. "folding" aims to combine the ingredients just enough without deflating the mixture.
- Adding the tres leches to the hot cake is best because the milk soaks in better. Then let the cake cool down on a wire rack to absorb the milk mixture well.
- Cover and refrigerate when the cake is finished with the meringue topping for at least 6 hours or overnight. The flavors will meld and intensify the longer it chills.
- Tres Leches cake should be kept refrigerated due to its dairy products. Take out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving for the softest texture.
