Latin Flair – Tres Leches Cake
Today I am celebrating Dominican Republic’s Day of Independence on A Chica Bakes. Last year I commemorated the day with tostones, which will forever be one of my favorite things to eat. This year, I’m givin ya’ll something sweet, courtesy of my favorite (and the BEST) Latin restaurant in New York – Ideya.
Now I have to start off by saying that I do not enjoy eating out at Latin restaurants. I’m spoiled and come from a family of some of the best cooks I know. They don’t measure, read cookbooks or watch cooking shows. They just COOK THEIR BUTTS OFF. I have never found food in a Latin restaurant that came anywhere close to what I enjoyed at home. But that all changed almost 10 years ago when I first stepped foot in Ideya. It was love at first bite.
What first drew me into Ideya was how much it reminded me of home. From its colorful decor to their cafe con leche (made with Bustelo, of course), so much of it was familiar and authentic. But what has kept me going year after year is how much of it is new. Ideya’s Chef Isaac Reyes has perfected the flavors of Latin Caribbean cuisine. But in all of its dishes you will find flavors spanning the entire globe, including Chef Isaac’s’ native Mexico. It’s homey Latin food kicked up a few notches. And did I mention they have THE BEST MOJITO IN NUEVA YORK?
As if great cocktails and savory eats were not enough, then there’s dessert. And not just any dessert but a legendary tres leches cake. Yes, legendary. I have had many requests to feature a tres leches cake recipe on A Chica Bakes. But I held off until I could figure out a way to share what is the only tres leches cake I have every gotten excited about; so much so that I often order it (or at the very least, make sure it has not run out) before I order dinner at Ideya. A few weeks ago I managed to sit down with Ideya’s owner Lauryn Small and Chef Isaac to sing their cake’s praises and learned that the cake’s recipe came from Chef Reyes’ father, which was handed down by his father’s mother. And I was elated when they offered to give the recipe to me.
Many people can’t wrap their heads around a “wet” cake. But it’s the extra moisture, from a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream, that gives tres leches cake it’s distinct flavor and character. What separates this one from the masses is that it has the perfect cake-to-milk ratio. It’s wet without being mushy. And with the base being a sponge cake, it keeps the dessert surprisingly light, albeit very sweet. Because it’s so sweet, Ideya simply tops their tres leches cake with a dollop of fresh whipped cream for the perfect finish.
If you are in New York and you haven’t experienced Ideya yet, you need to change that ASAP. For those that aren’t, make sure to put dinner at Ideya on the top of your must-do list when you visit.
Ideya is located at 349 West Broadway, in the Soho neighborhood of New York City. Follow them on Twitter and keep up with them on Facebook.
I have not been compensated by Ideya Restaurant (or anyone) for this review. The opinions expressed are exclusively mine.
For The Cake For The Sauce For The Whipped Cream Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add sugar and whip until the mixture is meringue-like in texture. Add the yolks one at a time and mix to combine. Then add the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is firm to the top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream and set aside. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, evenly poke holes in the still hot cake and evenly ladle about half of the sauce over the cake until it has been absorbed. Refrigerate immediately for at least 2 hours, preferably 4-6 hours. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and sugar until stiff. To serve, ladle about a 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a plate. Place a slice of cake on top and top the cake with a dollup of whipped cream.
Tres Leches Cale
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
1 14-ounce can condensed milk
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugarDirections:
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Rosa — February 28, 2012 @ 2:19 am
Delightful! That is one irresistible cake.
Cheers,
Rosa
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar — February 28, 2012 @ 6:43 am
I’ve been wanting to try this cake for such a long time! It sounds delightful!
My Innner Chick — February 28, 2012 @ 9:28 am
—Lovely. Can I Have A Slice, Pleeease? WOW.
Kat Solo — February 28, 2012 @ 9:32 am
Thanks for sharing us about this Restuarant. My boyfriend is Dominican and we haven’t found one good restaurant as of yet, I am excited to try this one!
Abby — February 28, 2012 @ 11:04 am
“I’m spoiled and come from a family of some of the best cooks I know. They don’t measure, read cookbooks or watch cooking shows. They just COOK THEIR BUTTS OFF.”
Replace that with “Southern” and we’re from the same family!
Aren’t we blessed?
Awesome recipe. I love cakes like this!
Paris Pastry — February 28, 2012 @ 11:17 am
I made a tres leches cake for Paris Pastry some years ago. I remember you left a comment on the post
Sadly, it was way too much leches! But this one looks and sounds just perfect!
Jackie — February 28, 2012 @ 11:32 am
A couple of things: Siete Ocho Siete in New Rochelle, NY also offers a delicious Tres Leches cake, having had some recently in celebration of Mami’s bday. Secondly, I will now have to visit Ideya for my birthday in a a couple of days just because you said so, lol and lastly..I LOVE TRES LECHES CAKE!!!!!!!!!!! Urs looks as good as any restaurant quality dessert and probably tastes better cause you baked it with amor!!
xo
Jackie
Cynthia — February 28, 2012 @ 11:41 am
I can attest to Eliana’s statement – - this is truly the best TRES LECHES cake I have ever had. Is it PG rated enough to say that it is ‘orgasmic’..because it is!! Heaven..it really is. The foold is delicious as well. I had ‘rabo’ aka ‘ox tail’ and I would never have thought it would be as tasteful as the way my mom makes it. Now I need to schedule a date with Eliana to go to Ideya this Spring. YUM!
Yvette ~ Muy Bueno Cookbook — February 28, 2012 @ 11:48 am
That is soooo wonderful that they shared their family recipe with you. WOW! I love tres leches cake!!! Its my second favorite cake next to carrot cake. Your photo looks beautiful and I bet the cake is fabulous!
Magic of Spice — February 28, 2012 @ 12:46 pm
I will have to see if my friends in NY know about this place, sounds wonderful! And tres leches is a favorite around here…looks fantastic!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic — February 28, 2012 @ 1:21 pm
I love tres leches. I am the same regarding eating out for Filipino food, because nothing ever comes close to the food cooked at home. I hope one day I find my Ideya too! And I’ll keep it in mind next time I’m in NYC
Wendy — February 28, 2012 @ 8:27 pm
I love tres leches cake. I’m marking this recipe to make it soon!
megan @ whatmegansmaking — February 29, 2012 @ 5:57 am
I’ve never had tres leches cake before, but I’ve been wanting to try it for awhile. This one looks perfect!
Veronica @ Café con Leche — February 29, 2012 @ 7:42 pm
tres leches cake is my absolute faaaaavorite kind of cake in all the land!!! (I’m Latin too!) I can’t can’t can’t wait to try this recipe!
thanks!!
CookiePie — March 1, 2012 @ 11:43 am
Love love LOVE tres leches cake — it was my wedding cake! (My in-laws live in Mazatlan, Mexico, so we got married there.) Yours looks beautiful, I love that dollop on top, too!
Vanessa — March 1, 2012 @ 7:41 pm
Ohhh My favorite! I love tres leches!!! Thanks for sharing!
5 Star Foodie — March 2, 2012 @ 1:40 pm
It looks amazing, I would love a slice!
Becki's Whole Life — March 3, 2012 @ 8:49 am
This sounds absolutely wonderful. I have never made Tres Leches cake before, but it always sounds sooo good. I will pin this and make it soon!
Rachel — March 5, 2012 @ 12:03 am
At Mijita que Rrrrico!
JehanP — March 14, 2012 @ 2:44 pm
I love tres leches cake! I will have to check out that restaurant next time I’m up that way because I’m a huge fan of latin food.
Lia — March 15, 2012 @ 6:07 am
What a fantastic and terrific cake. Love it!!!
Cheers,
Lia.
Rachel — June 11, 2012 @ 11:42 am
Just came back to this post a second time because it’s just so damn delicious! Planning on taking my hubby out for fathers day and I think I know where to head to. Ideya’s here we come!
Virginia — August 21, 2012 @ 11:00 pm
I started baking this recipe in April and have not stopped. The easiest recipe to follow and awesome taste.