Time to make tres leches blush! Yellow sponge cake is poked and infused with the familiar blend of three milks, infused with bright rhubarb syrup and rosewater. Fold the leftover rhubarb puree into aromatic whipped cream for dolloping.
Rhubarb Tres Leches Cake
Makes 1 9×13-inch Cake
RHUBARB SYRUP:
2 cups fresh rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp rosewater
PUREE:
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp rosewater
CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
TRES LECHES:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz can evaporated milk (nonfat)
WHIPPED CREAM:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3 heaping tbsp rhubarb puree
SYRUP:
Combine rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir rhubarb to coat. Rhubarb will release juices as it cooks; stir occasionally about 15 minutes. Place a sieve over a bowl and pour rhubarb over, using a spoon to press the rhubarb into the sieve. Juices will slowly drip into the bowl underneath. Reserve cooked rhubarb in a medium bowl to make puree. Pour syrup into a measuring glass and stir in rosewater. Set aside to cool.
PUREE:
Use a handheld mixer to pure rhubarb, honey, and rosewater. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, make cake.
CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9×13-inch pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, about four minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with whole milk, until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until a tester comes out clean with moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely in pan. Once cool, use a skewer or straw to poke little holes in the cake before preparing tres leches.
TRES LECHES:
Add heavy cream to rhubarb syrup, stirring to combine. In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Pour in rhubarb cream, whisking to combine. Pour over cake evenly, using a spoon to evenly drizzle any additional liquid that pools along the sides.
WHIPPED CREAM:
Whisk or beat together cream and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Spoon rhubarb puree in thirds, gently folding in with a spatula. Spread evenly over cake. Slice into squares and serve!
this is sacred space 