Receta Tres Leche Cake (Vegan Recipe)
I have a rich, decadent and indulgent dessert today, Tres Leche cake or 3 milk cake. I made as a part of Mexican lunch I had with some of my blog buddies last weekend.
My husband is not a big fan of desserts like these, but I love them a lot. Since I can't make them for myself, I'm always looking for opportunities to make them. So when I decided on the Mexican theme for our blogger's lunch, I knew this Latin American dessert would be a great addition.
I put some whipped cream topping on top but if you want to keep it completely vegan, then whip some coconut cream (the thick layer that forms on the top of the coconut milk can) and use it.
Ingredients:
- All purpose Flour - 1¼cups
- Corn Starch - 3tbsp
- Baking powder - 1tsp
- Baking Soda - ¼tsp
- Salt - ¼tsp
- Soy milk - 1cup
- Lemon juice - 1tbsp
- Canola Oil - ⅓cup
- Sugar - ¾cup
- Vanilla extract - 2tsp
- Coconut, Lemon or Orange extract - ½tsp
- Soaking Syrup:
- Regular or Lite Coconut milk - 1cup
- Almond Milk - ⅔cup
- White Sugar - ⅓cup
- Light Brown Sugar - ⅓cup
- Ground Cinnamon - a pinch
- Light or Spiced Rum - 2tbsp (I skipped it)
- For the Topping:
- Whipped cream or white coconut cream lightly sweetened with some sugar
- Strawberries or blackberries or chunks of mango or pineapple -- for garnish
Method:
To make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8" square baking pan with cooking spray.
Sieve flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a mixing bowl, combine soy milk and lemon juice and set aside for 5~10 minutes.
Add sugar, oil, vanilla and coconut/ lemon/ orange extract and whisk until smooth.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently fold until everything is just mixed -- do not overmix, a few small lumps are OK.
Pour into the prepared baking pan , spread it evenly with a plastic spatula and bake for 30~32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, let cool for a minute or two, then use a toothpick to poke holes into the cake at about ½" intervals.
Make the Soaking Syrup: Combine all the ingredients for the syrup in a sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes or until syrup thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Cool for 10 minutes.
Pour the syrup over the still warm cake. It is important that the cake is warm, so the syrup can be absorbed easily. Cool the cake, cover with a plastic wrap and chill it for at least 4 hours or overnight (which is much better).
Before serving, whip either heavy whipping cream or thick coconut cream and frost the cake. Decorate with berries or other fruit, if desired and serve. Enjoy this rich and decadent dessert!!