Carmelita Tres Leches Cake

Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it? I attempted to blog the other day, but I just wasn't feeling it. So I unplugged from the blog, Facebook and Twitter for a few days. I need to do that more often. Then I tried to blog earlier today, and decided I'd rather go shopping. And so I did. For art, pillows, tablecloths, vases and lighting.

Anyway, this past week has been full of shopping, fishing trips (I caught eight fish!), birthday parties and new nephews.



I baked this cake a while back... I think for my sister's birthday? It's delicious! It's a chocolate tres leches cake. It's a basic chocolate cake made from cocoa powder and melted chocolate chips, baked in a 13x9-inch pan.

After baking, the cake is poked with a wooden skewer, and sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and coconut rum is poured into the holes. Did I catch your attention with the coconut rum? Yes, I know, I love coconut rum, too.



The milks make the cake extra moist. Chilling the cake in the refrigerator allows the cake to soak up all of that moisture. Whipped cream sweetened with dulce de leche and cinnamon is spread on top of the cake, and sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Amazing. My only criticism is I think I would have liked more chocolate in the cake. So feel free to bump up the amount of cocoa powder or chocolate chips if you decide to make this. You can never, never have enough chocolate.



Carmelita Tres Leches Cake

4 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided use
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup cake flour

1 cup sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon coconut rum

1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup caramel sauce or dulce de leche
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks form; add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form.

In an additional large mixing bowl, beat together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla, baking powder and salt until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and melted chocolate until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in 1/4 cup cream and flour until JUST combined. Fold in egg whites until just combined. Place batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until well risen and no longer wobbly. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Stir together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and rum in a liquid measuring cup. Poke holes all over cake using a wooden skewer. Pour half of milk mixture all over top of cake. Wait 1 minute to allow the milks to soak in. Pour the remaining milk on top. Chill cake for 1 hour before spreading whipped cream on top.

To make the whipped cream, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat together 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, vanilla and cinnamon until stiff peaks form. Beat in caramel syrup until well combined. Spread caramel whipped cream on top of cake. Process coconut in a food processor until finely ground; sprinkle coconut crumbs on top of whipped cream.

Cover and chill overnight.

Makes 10 servings