Sweet Cinco de Mayo: Banana Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

I love Mexican food. And before moving to Los Angeles, I never would have imagined that tacos, quesadillas, and burritos would become staples in my diet.  It’s impossible to avoid (nor would I want to) the delicious bounty of taco trucks, cheap Mexican restaurants, and beautiful ripe avocados. Not to mention my boyfriend’s obsession with quesadillas and expert ability to make them. So in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I wanted to make something that I don’t get to have very often. I decided on the delicious Mexican dessert that I had never had before moving here, Tres Leches Cake. I made this version with bananas and topped it with strawberries. This is by far the sweetest Cinco de Mayo I’ve ever had.

Enjoy!

Heather

Banana Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries

Serves 10-12

• 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup low-fat milk, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 6 large strawberries, sliced

Grease a 12 by 8-inch baking pan with the 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside.

In the bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing beating with the mixer until stiff peaks form.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each egg is added. Beat in 1/4 cup of butter. In a small mixing bowl, sift together the 2 cups flour,  baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter in stages, alternating with the 1/2 cup of the milk.  Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and mix. Mix in the mashed bananas thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

While cake is cooling, in a blender, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and  heavy cream. Cover and blend on high.

When cake has cooled for 15 minutes, transfer to a serving plate and poke holes all over the top of the cake.

Pour 1/3 of the milk mixture over the warm cake. When the cake has soaked up most of the liquid, pour another third of the milk mixture over the cake, and cool to room temperature. Place the blender with the remaining milk mixture in the refrigerator and reserve for serving with the cake. Cover the cake and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, beat the  confectioners’ with remaining butter and milk, and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped topping over the chilled cake and decorate with sliced strawberries.

Pour the chilled milk sauce on to dessert plates and serve the pieces of cake on top.

Enjoy!

Heather

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