Tres Leches-Three Milks

A clever shortcut tres leches that starts with a prepared pound cake instead of baking a sponge from scratch. The three-milk soak still does all the transformative work.

Evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, and vanilla get blended together and poured over sliced pound cake fitted snugly into a pan. That snug fit matters. The cake needs to sit tight so it absorbs every drop of the milk mixture instead of letting it pool around the edges. The three milks soak into the crumb and turn it into something impossibly moist and custardy.

The meringue topping, made from beaten egg whites and sugar, gets broiled until golden brown. Watch it like a hawk under the broiler. Meringue goes from golden to scorched in about 30 seconds. Then the whole thing chills, letting the milks fully penetrate and the meringue firm up.

Chef Tips

• Slice the pound cake no thicker than 3 inches as directed. Thicker slices won’t absorb the milk mixture all the way through.
• Use a pan where the cake fits snugly with no gaps. Loose fitting means the milk pools and the cake soaks unevenly.
• Chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better) before serving. The longer soak makes a creamier, more cohesive cake.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of rum or brandy to the milk blend for a boozy adult version.
• Top with fresh strawberries or toasted coconut flakes after chilling.
• Use chocolate pound cake for a chocolate tres leches twist.