The best cake. Ever.

I'm going to pre-warn you if you haven't already figured it out - it's fall and I like to cook.  More specifically, when Fall comes, the oven is rarely turned off!  It is a great time to make pastries, cakes or try new cookie combinations.

Our favorite cake is a Mexican delight called pastel tres leche (three milk cake), and you have to love Mexican language - what's not to understand: cake with three different kinds of milk.  It is my husband's all time favorite, and whenever my daughter has a plate of tres leche in front of her, she says it makes her "floaty".  That, by the way, is a very good thing.  Now if only school work could make one floaty....

I was devastated to realize over the summer that I "misplaced" my treasured recipe!  Of course, that meant getting back into the kitchen to figure out a new one.  The result of this journey - I now have a great and quick version, which I have to admit, I will make often!

If you haven't tried this wonderful cake - you now have no reason not to feel floaty.

PASTEL TRES LECHE


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup 2% milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. rum
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift together the flour and baking powder.  In a large bowl, cream the 1 cup of sugar with the butter.  Then, add the eggs, one at a time and 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and beat until foamy.  Gently fold in the flour, alternating with 1/3 cup milk, until the batter is smooth.

Place the batter into a lightly greased pan (approximately 8x11 inches) and bake for 30 minutes or when the top springs back when pressed.  Allow the cake to cool and invert it onto a serving platter, preferably with a lip on the end (which will help the milks stay with the cake).  Pierce the cake with a fork in many places.

In a bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 cup milk and the rum until well blended.  Pour the milk mixture over the cake until it is saturated.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

In a mixing bowl whisk the heavy cream until it begins to thicken.  Add 1 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla, and continue to whisk until a stiff peak forms.  Spread the cream over the top and sides of the cake.  Cut into squares and serve.

Last thing - there are several ways to serve tres leche.  Au natural or simply with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Or, try some caramel or chocolate sauce.  Or my favorite, sliced fresh fruit: strawberries, mangoes, raspberries or starfruit to name a few.  However you choose to decorate this beautifully simple dessert, the taste and texture will knock your socks off!