Cardamom Tres Leches Cake - Dish with Drew

 Cardamom Tres Leches Cake

The classic tres leches is undeniably sweet, creamy, and deeply nostalgic, but this special Cardamom Tres Leches version takes everything you already love about the original and elevates it in a way that feels warm, cozy, and incredibly aromatic. This cake is truly a transformation, moving beyond simple sweetness into something sophisticated and complex. The addition of cardamom, often described as a floral, citrusy, almost vanilla-meets-spice flavor, blends absolutely beautifully with the richness of the condensed and evaporated milks. When paired strategically with cinnamon, the result is a tres leches that tastes deeper, warmer, and far more nuanced than the traditional version. Instead of being just sweet and creamy, this cake becomes intensely fragrant and complex, with subtle layers of spice and warmth that unfold beautifully with every bite. The spices don’t overpower the cake; they enhance it, adding a gentle heat that makes each bite feel truly luxurious and comforting.

What makes this recipe so special is the dedicated step of steeping the whole milk with cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick, which is the key to creating that authentic, infused warmth before the other milks are even introduced. This ensures the spices penetrate deep into the sponge. And despite all the added flavor, it still maintains the soft, ultra-moist texture of a classic tres leches that melts in your mouth. The whipped topping, which is itself lightly flavored with cardamom, ties everything together with a light, airy finish that prevents the cake from ever feeling heavy. It still has that comforting, familiar structure, but the added cardamom transforms it into something that tastes like a dessert from a high-end bakery: completely familiar, yet far more interesting and sophisticated! I really hope you enjoy this elevated classic! ❤️

🧾 Ingredients 🧾

For the Cake:

215 grams all purpose flour
165 grams white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
130 grams sour cream
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Tres Leches: 

2 cups whole milk
8 to 10 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick, two to three inches long
One 14 ounce can condensed milk
One 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Whipped Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons powdered sugar

For the Powdered Sugar Topping: 

1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

👨‍🍳 Instructions 👨‍🍳

For the Cake:

1) Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. If your flour is clumpy, sift it before adding the remaining dry ingredients.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, whole milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil until the mixture is smooth.

4) Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until the batter is fully combined and no dry spots remain. Do not overmix, as this can make the cake dense and tough.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and level the surface. 

6) Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes.

7) Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes all over the surface of the cake. This helps the milk mixture absorb evenly.

For the Tres Leches:

1) In a medium saucepan, add the whole milk, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and vanilla extract. Place the saucepan over medium-to-medium low heat. Warm the mixture for five to ten minutes, then turn off the heat. Leave the pan on the stove to steep so the spices fully infuse the milk.

2) Pour the warm milk mixture, including the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, into a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids.

3) In a bowl, combine the strained milk mixture with the condensed milk, evaporated milk, ground cardamom, and ground cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.

For the Whipped Topping:

1) In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, ground cardamom, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. You can use a hand whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer. Be careful not to overwhip or the mixture will turn grainy.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1) Mix equal parts powdered sugar and ground cinnamon until fully combined.

For the Assembly: 

1) Pour one third of the tres leches mixture evenly over the surface of the cake. Let the cake sit for five to ten minutes so it can absorb the liquid.

2) Pour another third of the tres leches mixture evenly over the cake. Let it sit for another five to ten minutes.

3) Check the cake for saturation. If the cake looks fully soaked or if milk begins pooling around the edges, you may not need the final third of the tres leches mixture. If the cake is absorbing everything cleanly with no pooling, pour the final third over the cake. The exact amount your cake absorbs can vary depending on baking time, weather, and the cake structure itself.

4) Cover the surface of the soaked cake with the whipped topping. You can spread it with an offset spatula or pipe it decoratively around the edges and across the top.

5) Dust the top of the cake with the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure it is evenly distributed.

6) Cover the cake with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap does not touch the whipped topping. Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of two hours but overnight is preferred for best absorption and flavor.

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