Traditional Mexican Tres Leches Cake Made Vegan
Rainbow Nourishments uses apple cider vinegar for a fluffy crumb.
Tres leches cake is a staple dessert in Mexico and Latin America, translated as ‘three milks cake’. A light airy sponge is soaked in a mix of three different milks (condensed, evaporated and heavy cream), then baked to absorb the liquid, rather than turning into a soggy cake!
The difference between condensed and evaporated milk is simply sugar content (the first has more). The cake is then decorated with whipped cream, dusted with cinnamon and topped with sliced strawberries or cherries.
Thought to originate in Mexico or Nicaragua, it became popular in the 1930s when one milk company printed the recipe on its cans to boost sales. In Turkey, the whipped cream top is swapped for caramel glaze.
Keep tres leches cake away from pets due to sugar, fat and spices.
For these recipes, use a good ice-cold vegan block butter with no palm oil (Flora and Myoko’s are good brands). Also be sure not to overmix the dough, and leave stem vents when baking.
For tinned milks/cream, rinse/remove lids (or pop ring-pulls over holes) then step on the can to pinch the inner rims together, to avoid wildlife getting trapped at recycling points.
Where to find the ‘three milks’
Any kind of vegan whipped cream is fine. Coconut Collab and Elmlea both sell good double creams that would be ideal. Or make your own.
Most stores now sell dairy-free evaporated and condensed milks. Some are better than others. A good brand is Nature’s Charm (in oat or monkey-friendly coconut versions – they guarantee no monkeys are use to harvest their coconuts).
How to avoid a soggy tres leches cake!
School Night Vegan uses cake flour, for the perfect turnout!
Tres leches cake needs a little wisdom, to avoid a soggy mush! Warming your milk before pouring into the cake is best (poke holes with a fork into the sponge right to the bottom), to let the sauce sink in). Then soak the cake for 8 hours in the fridge to let the liquids absorb, and top with your cream and cinnamon, just before serving.
Vegan pistachio tres leches cake
This vegan pistachio milk cake (Addicted to Dates) offers something a little different, by a classically-trained Irish baker. What a way to get your protein!
