Shelly's Recipe

STRAWBERRY TRES LECHES CAKE

Category: Cakes

Cake
Flour No-Stick Spray
5 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Milk Mixture
2/3 cup milk
2/3 sweetened condensed milk
(5 oz.) can evaporated milk

Filling And Topping
1 (12 oz.) jar strawberry preserves
1 cup (1/2 pt.) heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Fresh sliced strawberries and mint for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with no-stick cooking spray with flour.

For Cake: BEAT egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in a large mixer bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until almost stiff. Blend in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Wash beaters.
WHIP egg whites in a small mixer bowl on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until firm but not dry. Gently fold egg whites into yolk mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 34 to 36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

Loosen edge of cake with a knife before removing cake from pan. Invert cake onto deep serving plate. Using a two-pronged meat fork or skewer, pierce surface of cake several dozen times. In a small bowl, blend milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Slowly pour over cake, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Repeat until all the milk is used. Cover cake and refrigerate overnight.

For filling and topping: Chill beaters and small mixing bowl in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Cut cake in half horiztonally. Remove top, spread bottom layer with strawberry preserves. Replace top of cake. Beat cream and powdered sugar in small bowl at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Frost cooled cake. Decorate with sliced strawberries and mint, if desired. Store loosely covered cake in refrigerator.