Tres Leches Cake

I do still cook. Really!

This is a cake I first made for our Cuban-themed supper club (since the only alternative I could find was Cuban Opera Cake and I was absolutely terrified by that prospect). I also made it for a co-worker's birthday once, and yesterday I made it for her farewell party, as she has decided to leave the paid-for-working world for a while.

This is a really, really easy cake. I have to admit it's not my favorite thing to eat (sue me, I am a chocolate person), but it's pretty good. The only tricky bit is the whipped cream topping; when I bring it to the office I bring canned whipped cream, and for supper club I whipped it at the host's house so it didn't have time to fall. I got it from someone on a bulletin board, but it's originally from Cottage Living.

MAKES: 15 servings

PREP: 10 minutes

BAKE: 30 minutes

CHILL: 4 hours

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking dish.

2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; mix in eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; add gradually to butter mixture, stirring to blend. Pour batter into prepared dish, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Pierce cake with a fork all over.

3. Combine the 3 milks, and pour on top of cake; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and remaining vanilla at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until thick; spread over cake, and serve.

Notes: There didn't seem to be enough batter for the pan at first, but it baked up to a reasonable height. It took a few minutes less than predicted to bake. The milk mixture seemed to be way too much liquid, but I took hold of my nerve and poured it all in, and a couple of minutes later it had all been absorbed.