{"id":1302,"date":"2025-08-14T02:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T02:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/?p=1302"},"modified":"2025-08-15T17:06:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T17:06:50","slug":"tres-leches-cake-with-a-puerto-rican-spin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/es\/tres-leches-cake-with-a-puerto-rican-spin\/","title":{"rendered":"El mejor pastel de tres leches con un toque puertorrique\u00f1o"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tres leches cake is the taste of Puerto Rico itself, for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My husband is from San Juan, Puerto Rico and though we live in New York City, the majority of our family is based on the island. Three years ago, after the devastation of hurricane Maria<\/a>, our city apartment provided succor for so many relatives and friends who were left without power at their island homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around that time, I found relief from constant worry about the island\u2019s recovery though cooking as many Puerto Rican foods<\/a> as my olla could bear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One recipe from that period stands out for me: pastel de tres leches or three milks cake. It is memorable to me not only because I rarely bake, but because I was able to adapt island flavors to this classic Latin American dessert, which originally hails from Nicaragua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sponge cake gains its luscious texture from three milk products \u2014 condensed, evaporated and fresh\u2014 and is topped with a fourth: whipped cream.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Tres
Tres leches cake with an extra touch of Puerto Rico: coconut milk, making this dessert a cuatro leches.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As I wrote in the Wall Street Journal<\/a>, this comforting confection, based on a recipe from Ronnie\u2019s family, reflects Puerto Rico itself to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its texture calls to mind the island\u2019s humid, tropical climate. Its use of canned dairy \u2014 imperishable, no need for refrigeration \u2014 speaks to the stamina and grit of the people. Its use of three milks pays homage to the island\u2019s triad of cultural influences: Africa, Spain and the U.S. mainland. And a lacing of rum commemorates the island\u2019s agriculture, and fondness for the spirit, in a delightfully sweet way to toast a place and people so very close to my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Familia
Luna Rober of New York sent us a photo of the tres leches cake she made from this recipe for her abuelo when he came to visit their family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For more Boricua traditional dishes, check out one of our favorite Puerto Rican abuela cooks Do\u00f1a Felipa and her family-famous arroz con gandules<\/a>, bacalaitos<\/a> (cod fritters), as well as the island\u2019s signature dish arroz con pollo with the perfect pegao<\/a>, that prized layer of caramelized, slightly burnt rice at the bottom of the pan. You\u2019ll become a pegao believer, we predict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to Try a Puerto Rican Take on Tres Leches Cake?<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"Tres\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t \n\t \t\n \n <\/svg>\n\t Print<\/span>\n\t <\/a>\n\t <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t

Tres Leches Cake: The Taste of Puerto Rico Itself<\/h2>\n\n
\n \t\t \t\t\tRecipe by Kathleen Squires<\/span>\n \t\t\n
\n\t\t\t\t
  • <\/li>
  • <\/li>
  • <\/li>
  • <\/li>
  • <\/li><\/ul>3.9<\/small> from<\/small> 115<\/small> votes<\/small><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <\/div>\n\t\t
    \n Cuisine: Puerto Rican<\/mark><\/span> <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    <\/span>Servings<\/span>

    10<\/p>servings<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\t

    \n \n\t\t\t

    Ingredients<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • The Cake<\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> butter, for greasing pan<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      5<\/span> large eggs, yolks and whites separated<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> cup<\/span> granulated sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> cup<\/span> all-purpose flour<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\u00bd<\/span> tsp<\/span> baking powder<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/3<\/span> cup<\/span> milk<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> tsp<\/span> coffee liqueur such as Kahlua<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> can<\/span> evaporated milk (12 oz)<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> can<\/span> sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> can<\/span> coconut milk (13.5 oz.)<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> Puerto Rican rum (a\u00f1ejo)<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • Whipped Cream <\/strong><\/li>
    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> cups<\/span> heavy cream<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      4<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> confectioner’s sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> tsp<\/span> vanilla extract<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> dash<\/span> ground cinnamon<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> dash<\/span> ground nutmeg, freshly grated<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

      \n\t\t\t

      Directions<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
      • Butter bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<\/li>
      • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and gradually beat in sugar. Then beat in yolks one at a time. Sift together flour and baking powder, and fold into wet ingredients. Mix in milk and coffee liqueur. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.<\/li>
      • Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center of cake emerges clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. After cooling, use a toothpick or skewer to puncture cake\u2019s surface at 2-inch intervals.<\/li>
      • In a large bowl, whisk together all canned milks and rum until well combined. Carefully pour onto cooled cake. Cover cake pan with foil and refrigerate at least 2 hours.<\/li>
      • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together heavy cream, confectioner\u2019s sugar and vanilla on high, until stiff peaks form: 4 to 5 minutes. <\/li>
      • Spread whipped cream on top of the chilled cake. Finish by sprinkling with ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t

        Notes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
        • Serve this cake bien fr\u00edo \u2014\u00a0very cold. Its milky-sweet flavors shine that much brighter when it\u2019s super chilled.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n \n\t\n\t\t\t