Tres Leches Cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (160 °C fan). Butter a 15×12 cm glass or ceramic baking dish at least 5 cm deep, so there is room for the milk. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl; even a trace of yolk stops them whipping.

   Add in this stepButter (for the dish) 5 g

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2. Add the salt to the whites and beat with an electric mixer until foamy, then add the sugar in 3 additions and beat for 4 min more, until glossy with stiff peaks that stand straight up when you lift the beaters.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Salt 1 pinchSugar 65 g

3. Turn the mixer to low and beat in the yolks one at a time, then the batter milk and half the vanilla, mixing for only about 10 seconds; longer mixing knocks the air out.

   Add in this stepWhole milk (for the batter) 20 mlVanilla extract ¼ tsp

4. Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl in 3 additions, folding gently with a spatula from the bottom up. Stop as soon as no dry flour shows. Pour into the dish, level the top and tap the dish on the counter once or twice to pop large bubbles.

   Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 45 gBaking powder ½ tsp

5. Bake in the oven for 20 min, until the top is pale golden, springs back when pressed and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. An underbaked sponge turns soggy when soaked, so bake it fully. Let it cool in the dish for 15 minutes.

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6. Whisk the evaporated milk, condensed milk, soaking milk and the rest of the vanilla in a jug. Poke the still-warm cake all over with a fork or skewer every 1 to 2 cm, right to the bottom. Pour the milk slowly over the cake in 3 rounds, starting at the edges and waiting a minute between rounds. It will look like too much; the cake drinks it up as it chills.

   Add in this stepEvaporated milk 85 mlSweetened condensed milk 65 mlWhole milk (for the soak) 50 mlVanilla extract ¼ tsp

7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 h, ideally overnight; the colder and more evenly soaked it is, the better.

8. Just before serving, whip the cold cream with the icing sugar for 2 min, to soft, billowy peaks. Spread it over the cake, dust lightly with cinnamon through a small sieve, cut into squares and serve cold, spooning a little of the milk from the dish over each piece.

   Add in this stepWhipping cream (35% fat or more, cold) 100 mlIcing (powdered) sugar 10 gGround cinnamon 1 pinch