TRES LECHES CAKE

PG tested

Alice Beckett-Rumberger made this cake with her maternal grandmother, Alicia, during summer visits to Guayaquil, Ecuador. As long as the whipped egg white stays light, there’s no need for baking powder. And you’ll want to very gently fold the flour into the egg mixtures. The cake can be topped with seasonal fresh fruits.

For cake

6 eggs separated and room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla 1½ cups flour ½ cup 2 percent milk

For milk mixture

1 can (14-ounce) condensed milk

1 can (12-ounce) evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

For topping

1 cup heavy cream ½ cup powered sugar Sliced fresh strawberries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 9-inch springform pan. Whip egg whites until they form stiff peaks and add sugar little by little, followed by egg yolks and vanilla. With a spatula, gently fold in flour and milk.

Pour mixture in springform pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Combine all three milks together. Use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cake, and pour milk mixture over cake. Allow the cake to soak up all the milk for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight.

When ready to serve, whip together heavy cream and powered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Release cake from springform pan and place on serving plate. Spread whipped cream on top and garnish with strawberries.

Makes 1 cake.