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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

 Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake with Whipped Cream

I cringe whenever I read a title that offers the "Best Recipe in the World" for whatever the dish, be it chocolate cake, chilli, barbecue sauce, chocolate chip cookies, or bouillabaisse.  The Best Recipe in the World?  Really?  How can that be, given our myriad tastes and preferences?  It is like fingernails on a blackboard. With that caveat in mind, however, I give you The Best Tres Leches Cake in the World.  The absolute best...


 Moist, but not soggy

Tres Leches Cake:  A Little History
For a little history of Tres Leches Cake and how it came to be, click here for the post I wrote about Chocolate Tres Leches Cake with Rum-Caramelized Bananas (recipe included).


 Poking holes into the cake with a small wooden skewer

 Ladling the tres leches over the cooked cake

Cook's Notes:  I am certain I rounded my teaspoons of spices.  For my San Miguel readers, adjust for the altitude by adding 2 T of flour, less 2 T sugar, less 1/8 t baking soda, and 2 T more sour cream. Because it is just easier to handle such a moist cake in one pan, I chose a rectangular pan.

Recipe:  Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake
(Recipe from shine.yahoo.com)

For the Pumpkin Cake:
1 cup butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups pureed leftover cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the Tres Leches:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup half and half 
1 cup sweetened condensed milk

For the Topping:
2 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream
Powdered cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans or one 9-x13-inch rectangular cake pan.

In a large bowl, add butter and sugar and use an electric mixer to combine.  Then, add the eggs, one by one, the vanilla extract, the pumpkin, and the sour cream.  Mix thoroughly.

In another bowl combine flour, cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.  Add half of this mixture to the batter and mix, until well-combined.  Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed for two more minutes.

Pour bater into prepared cake pan(s) and bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While the cake is in the oven, mix the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and half and half in a bowl.  Set aside.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes.  Poke it generously with a toothpick or small wooden skewer.  Make sure to get the sides and corners as well.

Pour the tres leches mixture on the cake by 1/2-cupfuls, allowing the cake to absorb the mixture before adding more.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for an hour.  When ready to eat, add the whipped cream to the top of the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Store in the refrigerator.

My Mom's plate...proof





Parting Shot:  Angus, My Heart Puppy

 June 12, 2012 - October 18, 2013
R.I.P.

For those of you that were aware of what was going on with Angus, I thank you from my heart for all the loving emails and comments of love and support.  In spite of all the various treatments the vets employed, including five days on a drip, he succumbed to a rare liver failure last Friday.  My heart is broken and I miss him more than I can say.




©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Please ask permission before using text or photos.




10 comments:

  1. So I also read your introduction with one raised eyebrow..until I scrolled down to the pumpkin part. That really does sound like the best tres leches in the world! Its going straight onto my thanksgiving menu... if I can wait that long!

    So sorry to hear about Angus, I know he'll be missed. Abrazos..

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  2. What a beautifully tasty idea! I love the moistness and texture from pumpkin that would make a normally luscious tres leches cake even more so! :D

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  3. Good bye Angus and a big hug to you Vicki! . . . He was loved by so many . . . Thank you for reprinting my favourite photo of him. The cake looks superb and the empty plate attests to its taste . . . the pumpkin too is appealing to my taste buds . . .

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  4. G'day beautiful recipe today, true!
    So sorry about Angus...as he looks like "the dog of all dogs" and our sympathies go out to you!
    Cheers! Joanne

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  5. Dear Victoria.
    I am so sorry to hear the news about Angus!
    May your broken heart experience healing a little bit each day!
    Besos
    Jude

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  6. Victoria, I'm so sorry to hear about Angus. In your photo he looks in perfect health and I can tell by his teeth that he is such a young boy. What a gorgeous looking friend and I'm so sorry he had such a battle that ended in the worst case scenario. Our dogs are certainly more than 'man's best friend', they are an integral part of our family and loved to bits. I'm sure you are missing him tremendously. While Angus can never be replaced, I do hope there's a very special furry friend out there that in time, you could bring into your home. In the meantime, this is a very special dessert and I'm sure I have a friend who had this very cake as her wedding cake - she was quite certain it was that good! xx

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  7. Without tasting, I agree it has to be the best because I love pumpkin. It's a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.

    And, I'm sorry about your loss.

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  8. Victoria,

    I am so sorry to hear about Angus's passing. My heart breaks for you, sending you a big hug.

    Your pumpkin tres leches cake does look like the best recipe in the world.;)

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  9. What a delicious and decadent cake! :)

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