Christmas Tres Leches Fruit Cake

Makes one 9x13 cake

Here's one cake that you are going to love baking for your family and friends this holiday season. This delicious cake, popular in Latin America is rich in flavor, easy to store and transport as it stays in the pan you bake it in.

To my original recipe for the Tres Leches Cake, I am adding crystalized candied fruit & nuts and if you like, you can add a little Brandy, Whisky, Kahlua, or any liquor of your choice to the soaking milk adding more flavor and making it the perfect after dinner boozy Christmas dessert.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup of candied crystalized fruit

For the Milk Mixture:

1 (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (14 ounces) can evaporated milk

2 cups

Fot the Topping (optional):

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Candied nuts

Directions:

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, Sift flour and baking powder together into bowl. Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar together in a separate bowl; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Then add flour mixture to the butter mixture little bits at a time until well combined. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle over the top the crystalized fruit.

Bake in the pre heated oven until a toothpick inserted unto the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Poke holes in the cake with a fork.

For the Milk Mixture:

Mix sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and the two cups of whole milk together in a bowl. Pour over the top of the cooled cake. refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the milk mixture is absorbed into the cake

For the topping (optional):

Whip cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until soft peaks form. Spread over cake beore serving and top with the candied pecans.

Happy Holidays!

Chef Martin Lopez