Growing up, food became one of the earliest connections to my Mexican culture. My birthday has always been my favorite day of the year, and when I was little, my mom would buy me two cakes: one from the panadería and one from Vons, our local grocery store in San Diego.  

I always remember tearing into a perfectly moist tres leches cake. My mom once told me I didn’t have to eat it, but she always bought one because it was my grandma Josephine’s favorite. It became mine, too. 

After moving away for college, I could never find a tres leches cake that tasted like the one from my childhood, so I started experimenting until I created my own recipe that tastes like home. Every bite takes me back to being a happy “mommy’s girl” surrounded by family on my birthday.  

Cooking Mexican food is one way I embrace my heritage and keep those traditions alive. This cake is more than dessert; it’s a little piece of my childhood, my mom and my grandma, mi alma.  

Cake ingredients 

1½ cups all-purpose flour  

2 teaspoons baking powder  

¼ teaspoon salt  

5 large eggs, room temperature  

1 cup granulated sugar, divided  

⅓ cup whole milk  

2 teaspoons vanilla extract  

Tres leches mixture 

2 cups whole milk  

1 140-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

1 cup of half and half  

A splash of Mexican vanilla extract  

A pinch of cinnamon  

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch pan, but don’t heavily grease the sides — this helps the sponge climb.  
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.  
3. Separate the eggs. Put the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in another.  
4. Beat yolks with ¾ cup sugar for about 2–3 minutes, until pale and thick. Mix in milk and vanilla.  
5. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix.  
6. Beat egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Beat until you have medium-stiff peaks.  
7. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in three  additions. Don’t stir aggressively or you’ll knock out the air.  
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and springs back when touched.  
9. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.  
10. As the cake cools, make the tres leches mixture. Combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half, Mexican vanilla and cinnamon. 
11. Once cool, poke the cake all over with a fork or skewer. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the entire cake, letting it soak in gradually.   
12. Refrigerate the fully soaked cake at least 4 hours.

Erika’s tip 

Tres leches cake is known for its soft, creamy texture, so only refrigerate the cake after allowing it to cool and adding the milk mixture. I like to top my cake with homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit. 

This story was first published in the September issue of InMaricopa.