Tres leches cake

Tres leches cake is an exquisite sponge or butter cake soaked in a blend of three types of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. Despite being drenched in this rich mixture, the cake remains light and airy, thanks to its numerous air pockets.

The tradition of soaking cakes in liquid dates back to medieval Europe, with desserts like British trifle, rum cake, and Italian tiramisu employing similar techniques. In Mexico, recipes for soaked cakes have existed since the 19th century, with some attributing the origin of tres leches cake to Sinaloa, Mexico.

The cake gained widespread popularity when recipes began appearing on Nestlé condensed milk cans, either in the 1930s or 1960s. This significantly contributed to its fame across Latin America, North America, the Caribbean, the Canary Islands, Albania, North Macedonia, Europe, and beyond. In Puerto Rico, it's common to top the cake with whipped cream and occasionally soak it in coquito or coffee for an added twist.

Tres leches cake has inspired adaptations around the globe, such as trileçe in Turkey. This variation may incorporate a mix of cow's milk, cream, and occasionally goat's or water buffalo's milk. The dessert gained popularity in Turkey after local chefs, inspired by Brazilian soap operas in Albania, replicated it. Even former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano’s affection for the dessert helped elevate its popularity in Turkey.