With Cinco de Mayo coming up in a few days, I wanted to share this cupcake version of my Tres Leches Cake. Like the cake, these cupcakes feature a light, fluffy cake, soaked in three milks (tres leches), topped with whipped cream frosting and unlike the cake, these have a dash of cinnamon and a strawberry slice! They are extremely easy to make and come together quickly. They taste best next day, when the milks have had a chance to really soak into the cake. These keep best in the fridge (up to a few days) and taste fantastic chilled!
TIPS: Make these a day or two in advance of when you plan to eat them – when the three milks have a chance to soak in, the flavors really meld. Use a squeeze bottle with a nozzle tip to soak each cake in the three milks. If you don’t have one and can’t get one, carefully pour the milk mixture using a spoon or ladle; however, it will take longer and make a bigger mess than the squeeze bottle. The whipped cream frosting is make with unflavored gelatin which helps the frosting keep it’s shape, even after a few days. If you plan to eat these day of, you don’t have to use the gelatin in the frosting.
Tres Leches Cupcakes
30 cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
5 large eggs, separated
1 ⅔ cups sugar
1 ⅔ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
⅜ cup whole milk
¾ teaspoon vanilla
8 oz evaporated milk
11 oz sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients
½ cup water, cold
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- Line cupcake tins with 30 liners. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form – about 7 minutes.
- Gradually add the sugar with the mixer running and beat to stiff peaks.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. In another small bowl, whisk the milk and vanilla together.
- Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk in two portions – dry, wet, dry, wet, dry.
- Using the large Oxo scoop, fill the lined cupcake tins, place in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown, about 16-18 minutes.
- While the cupcakes are baking, mix up the three milks. In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the heavy cream and blend on high.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and while still warm, poke 5-6 holes in each cupcake using a chopstick. Then, using a squeeze bottle, lightly soak each cupcake with about ⅛ cup of the milk mixture.
- Place the soaked cupcakes in the fridge to chill. While the cupcakes are chilling make the frosting.
- Whipped Cream Frosting: Stir the cold water and unflavored gelatin and let sit for 5 minutes. It will look a little bit like applesauce.
- Microwave the gelatin mixture for about 30 seconds, stir to smooth. Let sit until cool to touch, about 8 minutes.
- While the gelatin is cooling, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat to soft peaks.
- With the mixer on medium speed, pour the cooled gelatin into the soft whipped cream in a slow, steady stream. Beat to stiff peaks.
- Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill the bag with the whipped cream frosting. Pipe the frosting on to each cupcake.
- To finish off the cupcakes, sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon and top with a slice of strawberry.
