Trés Leches, 

amor de mi vida..... (casi. pero no.)

Update: Finally! So I made my trés leches, and did them cupcake style. When I took them out of the pan they were so overloaded with milk that they basically fell apart. I don't know how Café Rio does it, but mine turne dout great anyway. Here's the picture!:

I tend to bake at night when the lighting is bad for pictures. Someday  (which is my favorite phrase) I'll have photoshop, a better camera and better skills with photoshop.

Here's what I did to these three. (I made 12, but only did 3 on display. ... Maybe I can get another picture later.) For the furthest right I powdered cinnamon over top. For the middle one I powdered cocoa.The furthest left had strawberry drippings over it. Want to know my secret? A garlic press! So I cut a strawberry in half, placed it in  my garlic press, and smashed it over the cupcake. Out came a perfect pink drizzle of fresh strawberry juice. the little pieces made a great looking garnish. Guess garlic presses are great for more than just garlic!


I have created my own trés leches recipe, using combinations from many different sources and my own ideas. It helps being able to speak Spanish, so I could really get this right. And make it easy.

Image source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/tres-leches-cake/

Sure, you could make your own cake from scratch...but why, when Betty Crocker will do? If you don't like this recipe, go to Café Rio and order trés leches. There's hardly one better.(And order the pork barbacoa con salsa verde and extra cilantro. Ay ay ay.)

Image Source: http://f-overourdiet.blogspot.com/2012/07/cafe-rio-mexican-grill-is-better-than.html

Here's my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix
1/2 stick butter
1/4 c coconut oil
6 tsp Vanilla bean paste
2 eggs
1 can s.c. milk
1 can evap. milk
2 C milk (lowfat, 2%, heavy whipping cream, you choose. They're your calories.)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (Mexican vanilla is better than Madagascar/bourbon)
Strawberries or Fruit (I've had Hondurans use toasted coconut, Mexicans use strawberries and pineapple, etc...)
Decoratives: cocoa, honey, cinnamon, toasted coconut, etc.

 It could be this crazy, Fruit lover.
Image source:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/follow-that-food/tres-leches-cake-recipe/index.html


Directions:
Make cake as directed, but instead of vegetable oil, use melted butter and coconut oil.
Mix 2 tsp vanilla bean paste into cake mixture.
Bake as directed. (Tonight I did cupcakes for individual servings...it's messy but fun)

While cake is baking:
Mix 3 types of milk together plus 2 tsp vanilla bean paste. 

Take cake out of oven and begin poking holes in the top with a fork.
Make many, many holes. Fill the cake top with holes galore.
Patiently pour the milk (all of it) all over the top of the cake. It will eventually soak it up.

Cover cake and refrigerate over night.
Next day, take a little bite. (Seriously.) You have to see if it's moist enough to your liking. If not,
Mix more milks together and pour some more over.

Now prepare the topping.
Combine 1 pint half n half, 2 TB sugar and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1 tsp vanilla.
Beat it until fluffy and creamy.
Add sugar or vanilla to your liking.
Spread over cake.
Top with fresh strawberries or delicious fruit.
Garnish with extra vanilla bean paste, cocoa, honey, cinnamon, etc.

 












Image Source: http://recipegirl.ziplist.com/recipes/344265-Tres_Leches_Cake


I had a family in Texas make this for me once, and they added coconut and crushed pineapple to the whipped topping. And then added strawberries on top. It was to die for.












Image Source: http://www.texascooking.com/features/sept2002treslechescakerecipe.htm