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Pistachio Tres Leches Cake
Pistachio Tres Leches Cake – the ultimate tres leches cake that is so moist and luxurious, it’s like heaven in each bite. The sponge cake is light and airy and soaks up the pistachio milk mixture perfectly. Then it is topped with a light and mildly sweet whipped cream. You get a moist, subtly spiced cardamom tres leches cake, and it is insanely light and refreshing.
One of the things I love about this 3 leches cake is that the sponge cake itself is not overly sweet. The milk mixture is sweetened with condensed milk, so the sweetness really balances out beautifully.
The best part is it makes the perfect Eid dessert! It is so refreshing, and I find it so good after a long month of fasting. It is also perfect because you need to make it the day before serving so that the cake has a chance to soak up the milk mixture. This will save you time on the actual day of serving. All you have to do is whip up the whipped cream, spread over the cake, and that’s it!
Ingredients Needed
Here is a list of the main ingredients you will need to make this pistachio milk cake.
All-purpose flour: of course this ingredient is what makes the foundation of the cake.
Baking powder: helps the cake rise.
Sugar: adds sweetness to the cake.
Eggs whites + egg yolks: the egg whites that are beaten then folded into this cake help to add air in the cake, making a light and airy cake that soaks up all of the milky goodness, perfectly. The egg yolks helps to bind the ingredients together, and also adds moisture.
Whole milk: adds some structure and moistness to the cake.
Ground cardamom: adds a subtle hint of flavour, which is so good with the pistachio flavour.
Evaporated milk/sweetened condensed milk/whole milk/pistachio cream/ground cardamom: these ingredients are mixed together to form the sweet milky mixture that the cake will soak up overnight. It gives the cake sweetness and moisture. You can use whichever pistachio cream you can get your hands on. This is the pistachio cream I was able to get.
Whipping cream/heavy cream: used to whip up for the final cake topping.
Icing sugar: sweetens the whipped cream that goes on top of the cake. Also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
How to Make Pistachio Milk Cake
This is an easy tres leches recipe, but it does require some downtime in order for the cake to really soak up the pistachio milk mixture. It is totally worth the wait, though! Follow these simple instructions for the best Eid dessert!
Make the sponge cake
Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan; grease the bottom only. Greasing the sides will cause the cake not to rise properly, and may result in the cake shrinking and becoming too dense to absorb the milk mixture.
*Note: the eggs and milk should be at room temperature in order to get the best results.
Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom, and salt. Mix and set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Place the egg whites in a large metal or glass bowl. It is important that your bowl is extremely clean and grease-free, otherwise the egg whites will not whip up properly.
Place the egg yolks in another large bowl and set aside.
With a hand or stand mixer, beat the egg whites for 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 tbsp of the granulated sugar and continue to beat for another few minutes, or until you achieve medium to stiff peaks. Set this aside. Below are the stages that the egg whites will go through.
Add the remaining sugar to the egg yolks and beat until pale yellow and creamy. This will take a few minutes.
Next, add the milk and food colour and beat to combine.
Gradually add in the flour mixture, a little at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
Now with a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the egg whites very gently. The key is to be very gentle to not cause it to deflate. Repeat this with the remaining egg whites.
Gently pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. When you think it’s done, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and pull it out. If it comes out clean, then the cake is done. Place the pan onto a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool.
Make the milk mixture
When the cake is almost completely cool, make the milk mixture.
Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, pistachio cream, and ground cardamom. Whisk together really well. Taste the mixture and add more pistachio cream if you feel it is not strong enough to your liking.
Once the cake is cool, poke holes into the cake covering the entire surface. You can use a fork or skewer. Do not poke all the way down to the bottom, only about 2/3 of the way down.
Pour the milk mixture slowly over the top of the cake, ensuring you cover the sides as well. The cake should begin soaking up the milk mixture. Cover the the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Make the topping
Before serving the next day, make the whipped cream.
In a metal bowl, combine the cold whipping cream/heavy cream and the icing sugar. Beat on medium speed until you achieve stiff peaks, about 5-6 minutes.
Cover the cake with the whipped cream in any way that you’d like. You can slather or pipe it on. Garnish with chopped pistachios, edible rose petals, and pistachio cream, if desired. Store in the fridge and serve cold. That’s it!
Tips for Tres Leches Cake
Measure the flour correctly: this means not scooping the flour out with the measuring cup. The correct way would be to spoon the flour into the cup without packing it down then leveling it off with the back of a knife. Measuring flour incorrectly can alter the result of the cake and make it too dense.
Measure with the correct utensils: different cups should be used for liquids vs. dry ingredients, in order to get the correct measurement.
Use an extra clean bowl for egg whites: in order for the egg whites to whip up properly, the bowl and whisk needs to be very clean and free from any grease. Grease can prevent the whites from whipping up. Wash the bowl with hot water and soap, then dry thoroughly. You can also wipe the bowl with a tiny amount of vinegar to cut through any leftover grease.
Do not grease the sides of the baking pan: this will cause the cake to pull away from the sides. The cake needs to be able to grab on to the sides in order to rise properly.
Use a cold metal bowl for the whipping cream: this will help your whipping cream whip up faster and better.
Add more sugar to the sponge cake if needed: as mentioned earlier, this pistachio tres leches cake recipe results in a cake that isn’t overly sweet. I find that the milk mixture really makes up for it because of the sweetened condensed milk. If you are someone who likes your desserts very sweet, you can increase the sugar from 3/4 cup to 1 cup.
Don’t poke holes too deeply: if you poke holes too deeply, the milk mixture will just sink all the way to the bottom and the cake wouldn’t have soaked up all that pistachio milky goodness. I would poke holes that don’t go down further then 2/3 of the cake.
Refrigerate overnight: this will allow the cake enough time to soak up the milk mixture and will result in a moist and flavourful cake.
Storage
Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
It is not recommended to freeze this cake, as the milk will crystallize and the cake will also likely be mushy once thawed. Instead, wrap the cooled sponge cake alone, without soaking in milk, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then you can make the milk mixture and follow the recipe as normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although it is best to refrigerate overnight to give the cake enough time to soak up the milk mixture, you can let it soak in the fridge for at least one hour, if you must.
More Eid Recipe Ideas: Sawine, Beef Haleem, Trinidad Kurma
Pistachio Tres Leches Cake
Description
Soft and moist sponge cake is smothered in a 3-milk mixture that is flavoured with pistachio cream, then topped with delicate whipped cream.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
Milk Mixture
Topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Do not grease the sides. Set aside.Â
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In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cardamom. Set aside.Â
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Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl and the whites in a large metal bowl. Set aside the yolks for now.Â
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Beat the egg whites with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium for 1-2 minutes. Add about 2 tbsp of the granulated sugar and continue to beat for a few more minutes, until medium-stiff peaks are achieved. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without any of the whites dropping out. Set this aside.Â
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Add the remaining sugar to the bowl of yolks and beat until pale and creamy, which takes a couple minutes.Â
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Add the milk and food colouring (optional) to the yolks and beat until combined.Â
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Add in half of the flour mixture and beat to combine. Add in the other half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined.Â
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To the batter, add in 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and fold in very gently with a spatula. Add in another 1/3 of the whites and fold in. Add in the last 1/3 of egg whites and fold in gently once again, until just combined. This part is important: you want to be very gentle and do not overmix because the cake will not be fluffy and it will deflate.Â
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Gently pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick. Stick the toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done.Â
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Once finished, place the pan on a baking rack and allow the cake to cool.Â
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While the cake is cooling, make the milk mixture. Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, whole milk, pistachio cream, and ground cardamom, and whisk until everything is thoroughly combined. You can taste the mixture at this point. If the pistachio taste isn't strong enough for you, add another tbsp of pistachio cream and whisk once more. Set aside until cake it cool.Â
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Once cake is cool, you can use a fork or skewer to poke multiple holes over the entire top of the the cake. Just do not poke all the way down to the bottom. The cake should not be removed from the pan.Â
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Slowly pour the milk mixture all over the top of the cake, ensuring you pour over the edges as well. It will take some time for the cake to fully absorb the milk.Â
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Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.Â
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The milk should be fully absorbed by now, but it is okay to have a small amount of milk not absorbed.Â
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In a medium sized bowl, combine the whipping cream and icing sugar. Beat together using a hand or stand mixer until you get medium to stiff peaks.Â
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Spread the whipped cream onto the cake any way that you'd like. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios, edible rose petals, and pistachio cream, if desired.Â
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This cake should be kept in the fridge and served cold. Enjoy!
Equipment
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