The best coffee tres leches cake with dalgona cream

Coffee adds a twist to this delicious tres leches cake with dalgona cream. This makes a perfect dessert. A blend of three milks infused with coffee is absorbed by the delicate chiffon-like sponge to make the most indulgent texture. This one is set to impress.

What is a tres leches cake?

Tres leches is a celebration cake that originates in South America. The name “Tres Leches” translates to “Three Milks” in English, referring to the three types of milk used in its creation: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and cream.

Ingredients for coffee tres leches:

Eggs: I use large free-range eggs at room temperature for this recipe.

Sweetened condensed milk: This is a traditional ingredient and gives the tres leches cake its sweetness.

Evaporated milk: Tinned evaporated milk is used here and has a distinctive flavour. I have always used it in tre leches cake and not substituted it with regular whole milk.

Caramel treat (or caramel made from boiled condensed milk): I have topped this cake with caramel treat and this gives it a much-needed sweetness to offset the bitterness of the coffee. If you don’t live in South Africa and don’t have the pleasure of being able to buy ready-made caramel, you can make your own by boiling condensed milk in a can for 3- 4 hours. Use dulce de leche as an alternative.

Fresh whipping cream or double cream: The whipped cream gives this cake an essential bed for the dalgona cream to rest on. Dalgona coffee is designed to be stirred through a tall glass of warmed milk so is quite intense in flavour. It would be too bitter as a topping for this cake without the cream

Instant coffee granules: Instant coffee granules are used in the milk soak mixture as well as in the Dalgona. I used Jacobs new Latin America or South East Asian instant coffee granules. They have rich aromatics that give the coffee amazing flavour and complexity.

How to make coffee tres leches cake

There are three components to my coffee tres leches cake with Dalgona cream:

1. The cake
2. The milk soak
3. The topping

As this is a very light and chiffon-like cake, it’s important to follow the techniques specified in the recipe. Whipping the eggs white separately and sifting the flour helps to retain the air bubbles in the cake batter.

First, separate the eggs and using an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks. Add two tablespoons of the sugar and whisk for a further minute until dissolved.

Then, using the same bowl and whisk you used to whisk the whites, beat the egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture and very briefly mix to combine.

Add the milk and vanilla extract and once again mix very briefly to combine. This can also be done by hand. The most important thing is not to over-mix the batter.

Gently fold the beaten egg whites through the cake batter by hand until combined retaining the light and air texture of the batter.

Tip the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth out the top. Tap the tin on a table to knock out any air visible bubbles.

Cover the cake from about 10 minutes into the baking time with foil to prevent over-browning.

While the cake is baking, make the milk soak. Put the evaporated milk and coffee into a jug and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir to dissolve the coffee granules. If it doesn’t dissolve, continue to heat for a further minute or two. Add the condensed milk and cream to the jug and stir to combine.

When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately poke the surface all over with a skewer or knife. Pour the milk soak over the surface and allow it to soak in.

Once cool, cover and store in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until all the liquid has been absorbed.

About an hour or two before you are ready to serve, finish the cake off with the topping. First spread the caramel treat over the surface to evenly coat, then whip the cream to soft peaks and lightly spread this over the caramel. Finally, swirl the Dalgona cream into the whipped cream layer and serve.

What is Dalgona coffee?

Dalgona coffee (originating from South Korea) was one of the food trends that took the world by storm during the early days of the pandemic. People were looking for creative ways to enjoy cafe-style beverages at home.

Dalgona coffee quickly gained popularity due to its simple preparation and visually appealing layers. Named after a traditional Korean honeycomb candy, the coffee’s frothy whipped coffee sits on top of milk to create a striking resemblance.

The trend was widely shared on social media platforms, turning it into a global sensation.

How to make Dalgona coffee

Dalgona coffee is made from only three ingredients: instant coffee granules, sugar and warm water.

You simply whisk these up until thick, pale and fluffy. It is easier to do this with an electric whisk, but it can be done by hand too.

A few other recipes you might like

My best tres leches cake

Amarula tiramisu

Mocha mousse parfait

Coffee loaf cake with Romany Creams streusel

My best cake recipes

You can bake this in any square 20cm x 20cm baking or ceramic dish. I adapted my favourite tres leches cake recipe (linked above) to make a smaller cake here.

Recipe – 6 – 9

The best coffee tres leches cake with dalgona cream

This Coffee Tres Leches Cake topped with whipped cream and dalgona coffee is a delicious twist on a classic tres leches. It makes a perfect dessert.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:23 minutes mins

Ingredients

Cake:

• 3 large free-range eggs separated
• 130 gms Muscovado sugar or brown sugar, divided
• 90 gms cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 50 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
• 80 ml 1/3 cup caramel treat (dulce de leche) for the topping
• 250 m 1 cup whipping cream for the topping

Milk soak:

• 250 ml / 1 cup evapourated milk
• 1 Tbsp Jacobs Latin American or South East Asian instant coffee granules
• 125 ml // ½ cup condensed milk
• 125 m/1/2 cup cream

Dalgona:

• 2 Tbsp Jacobs Latin America instant coffee granules
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp hot water

Instructions

• To make the cake preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
• Lightly grease or spray a square 20cm x 20cm (8inch x 8inch) baking tin or ceramic/glass oven-proof dish.
• Separate the eggs and using an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks. Add two tablespoons of the sugar and whisk for a further minute until dissolved. Decant the egg white to another bowl and set aside.
• Using the same bowl and whisk you used to whisk the whites, beat the egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture and very briefly mix to combine.
• Add the milk and vanilla extract and once again mix very briefly to combine. This can also be done by hand.
• Gently fold the beaten egg whites through the cake batter by hand until combined.
• Tip the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth out the top. Tap the tin on a table to knock out any air bubbles.
• Bake for 20 – 23 minutes covering the cake after about 10 minutes with foil to prevent over browning.
• The cake is done when it’s golden brown, firm to the touch and when a knife is inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, make the milk soak. Put the evapourated milk and coffee into a jug and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir to dissolve the coffee granules. If it doesn’t dissolve, continue to heat for a further minute or two.
• Add the condensed milk and cream to the jug and stir to combine.
• When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately poke the surface all over with a skewer or knife. Pour the milk soak over the surface and allow it to soak in.
• Once cool, cover and store in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until all the liquid has been absorbed.
• About an hour or two before you are ready to serve, finish the cake off. First spread the caramel treat over the surface to evenly coat, then whip the cream to soft peaks and lightly spread this over the caramel.
• Finally, make the dalgona cream. Add the coffee granules, sugar and hot water to a small bowl and using an electric whisk, beat until thick, pale and fluffy (about 3 – 5 minutes). Dollop the dalgona cream onto the whipped cream in spoonfuls’s and using a spatula, swirl this into the cream. Place in the fridge to firm up.
• Slice and serve.

Servings: 6 -9

Author: Sam Linsell

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