on Dec 23, 2020, Updated Mar 26, 2021 I’m such a sucker for the good old Tres Leches cake. I could be held at gunpoint and not care if I had a plate of this moist, spongy dessert in front of me. What is Tres Leches, you ask? Though it sounds French, Tres Leches is actually a Mexican dessert. It usually has a sponge cake heavily soaked in milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream and is topped with whipped cream. We wanted to jazz it up a bit and so we made a version with Eggnog in it! I know you’re probably thinking.. “Eggnog is a beverage. How do we make dessert with a beverage?” Guys adding Eggnog takes Tres leches to another level! This milk cake just got a makeover.
What is Eggnog?
Eggnog is made of raw egg yolks and sugar, mixed with milk or cream and vanilla extract. Since we are not big fans of uncooked eggs, we temper the eggnog by adding warm milk mixture to the whisked egg yolks and sugar. And we cook it in the heat of the milk for some amazing eggnog! The eggnog is flavoured with vanilla and nutmeg – both flavours ringing in the Christmas season! Usually, we would also add some cream to our eggnog. Since we are making it for this Eggnog Tres Leches, we want it to be thin so that the sponge soaks it up.
The Best Sponge Cake for Tres Leches
The sponge cake for Tres Leches is soooo soft and fluffy. This sponge cake recipe is slightly different from others. It should be airy and light so that it can soak up the eggnog! The trick for that light sponge is to separate egg whites and yolks. The yolks are used in the batter and egg whites are whipped until smooth peaks of whipped cream get formed. We fold this into the batter to get a feather light cake crumb.
Incorporate Eggnog in the Tres Leches
The best tres leches will always be soft, spongy and full of milk. So that every bite just dissolves in your mouth. You should get a mouthful of the three milk every time you eat it. To get that liquid incorporated, holes are poked all over the sponge. Then warm eggnog is poured all over the sponge and then cake is refrigerated to allow the sponge to firm up. You’ll have a moist, sweet sponge cake oozing with eggnog and milk with each bite!!!
Whipped Cream and Other Toppings
The combination of moist, spongy cake with eggnog and snow white peaks of whipped cream is what makes this Tres leches cake so special. We’ve sprinkled some cinnamon powder on top – it adds a spicy note to the dessert, plus the colour contrast is stunning! Fresh berries like strawberries and blueberries go really well with any Tres Leches cake! The acidity of these berries will cut right through the dense flavours and make it mouthwatering!
Top Tips for the Best Eggnog Tres Leches
Measure Ingredients: Make sure to measure wet and dry ingredients properly and use a weight scale as much as possible. This is a delicate dessert and needs accurate measurements for the sponge to turn out right.Eggs: Cold eggs are easier to separate into yolks and whites. You can then let them get to room temperature before you start working on the batterDon’t overmix: Don’t overmix while incorporating the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the batter carefully. Do the same when incorporating the whipped egg whites. The idea is to incorporate as much air as possible, because that is what helps the sponge rise. If you watch the video, you’ll notice how light the batter is. Baking dish: Since the sponge is so light, it’s hard to take the cake out in another dish. It’s best not to handle the sponge once it’s baked as it can break. Which is why we bake it in a ceramic or glass dish so that it can be served directly.Refrigerate: It’s important to let the cake refrigerate once the eggnog is poured. This gives the sponge time to absorb the liquid and also set in the fridge so that its moist. The sponge doesn’t become soggy or disintegrateRest: Let the cake rest for 30 minutes before pouring the eggnog mixture. This helps the cake absorb the eggnog well
This eggnog Tres Leches recipe is easy to achieve and so satisfying to eat. Don’t be surprised if it disappears before you can say Tres Leches! We made a lot of Tres Leches before we posted this recipe. So here are some top tips that you must read before trying this recipe:
Watch how to make Eggnog Tres Leches Recipe Video
More Season Favourite Dessert Recipes
Danish Brown Butter CookiesScottish Dundee CakeLast Minute Plum CakeClassic Cassata UpgradedEggless Vanilla Sponge Cake
