Servings: 1 9x13 inch pan
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Ingredients
For the Strawberry Sponge Cake
- 455 ml strawberry milk 455g or 16 oz or 2 cups
- 175 grams all-purpose flour 6⅛ oz or about 1⅓ cups
- 330 grams granulated sugar 11¾ oz or about 1½ cups
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 70 grams cornstarch 2½ oz or ½ cup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- red food coloring optional
For the Strawberry Milk Mixture
- 225 ml strawberry milk 8 oz or 1 cup
- 340 ml evaporated milk 12 oz or 1½ cups or 1 standard can
- 395 ml condensed milk 14 oz or 1¾ cups or 1 standard can
- red food coloring optional
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- 340 grams heavy whipping cream 12 oz or 1½ cups
- 165 grams confectioner's sugar 5¾ oz or 1¼ cups
- fresh strawberries
- freeze dried strawberries optional
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F .
- Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside.
- Separate the eggs and place the egg whites in a clean bowl large enough to accommodate them at least tripling in size once whipped later.
- Add the egg yolks, 220g ( 1 cup) of the sugar & vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whip on high speed until the mixture is a pale yellow and ribbons on itself. This will take about 2-3 minutes. For this step it's okay to estimate 1 cup of sugar from the total 330 grams used in the recipe for this step
- Slowly stream in the strawberry milk while continuing to mix on high speed. The mixture will be thinner but it should be very frothy. Add the red food coloring at this stage if using.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the sifted flour mixture set aside earlier in four additions. Wait until the flour has been completely incorporated before adding another portion of the flour mixture and mix only until incorporated.
- Clean the whisk attachments of your electric mixer and whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Continuing to whip, slowly pour in the remaining granulated sugar until it has all been added. Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks (they should flop over easily when the whisk is inverted)
- Gently fold in the whipped egg whites to the strawberry sponge cake batter until completely incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a 13-inch pan and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°F.
- Once done, immediately invert the cake pan onto a wire rack and let the cake cool (covered by the pan) completely before pouring on the tres leches mixture. This inverted position will prevent the sponge cake shrinking and getting dense/compact
Make the Strawberry Tres Leches Milk Mixture & Soak the Tres Leches Cake
- Pour the strawberry milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk & red food coloring (if using) in a microwave-safe bowl or large spouted measuring glass. Heat for 1 minute or until mixture is warm but still comfortable on the back of your hand. Whisk til smooth.
- Return to the cake to a right-side up position in the cake pan and using a fork or skewer poke holes in your cooled tres leches cake. Don't be afraid to poke all the way through the cake to the bottom of the pan - this will ensure all of the strawberry milk mixture gets soaked into the cake.
- Pour the strawberry tres leches mixture across the top of the cake. Don't worry if it doesn't all soak in immediately. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving to let the milk mixture soak into the cake.
Make the Whipped Cream Topping and Assemble the Strawberry Tres Leches Cake
- Before serving the cake make the whipped cream. Add the heavy whipping cream to a mixing bowl along with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the milk-soaked cake using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Dust freeze-dried strawberries on top if using and garnish with fresh strawberries.
- Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. If you keep your refrigerator at the coldest setting remove the cake 15-20 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy within 4 days for optimal taste!
Notes
- Don't forget to flip the cake onto a rack and allow it to cool while inverted. This prevents the cake shrinking excessively and preserves the air pockets to so the tres leches milk mixture is able to better soak in.
- Use metric measurements. I provide estimated measurements for cups but measuring in grams will give the best results as this measurement is more precise. If you insist on using measuring cups make sure you spoon the dry ingredients into the measuring cups to avoid packing and using too much of an ingredient (particularly flour).
- Use a light-weighted pan. Since the cake is inverted it's important that the weight of the pan doesn't compress the cake.
- If using a ceramic-coated pan skip the baking spray as this can cause an overly slick surface and the sponge cake will shrink while cooling.
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