Name: Vanilla Chai Tres Leches Cake
Total time: 20302 min
Yield: Serves 12
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 25g Drink Me Chai Vanilla Chai Latte powder (1 standard serving, for the soak); For the sponge: 150g plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of fine sea salt, 5 large free-range eggs (separated), 200g golden caster sugar (75g for yolks, 125g for whites), 75ml whole milk, 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract; For the three-milks soak: 1x 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk, 1x 410g tin of evaporated milk, 250ml whole milk; For the cream top: 300ml double cream, 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, 1 teaspoon of natural vanilla extract; A generous dust of mild ground cinnamon, for the finish (about a half teaspoon); 1 30cm x 20cm baking tin, lined with non-stick parchment with a 2cm overhang; 1 electric whisk, 1 large mixing jug, 1 fork or skewer

Tres leches is the Latin American 'three milks' cake, a light sponge drenched in a mix of condensed, evaporated and whole milk until it is soft and wet through. Here a vanilla chai powder is whisked into that soak, shifting it into warm, spiced territory. It is easy and made ahead: chilled, then dressed with just whipped cream and a dust of cinnamon.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Vanilla Chai Tres Leches Cake recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/chai tea/vanilla chai tres leches cake/

It is meant to eat wetter than a normal sponge; that softness is the whole point of a tres leches.

⏱ 20 min plus 30 min bake plus 2 hours fridge 🍽 Serves 12 📊 Medium 📚 Chai Recipes

You'll need

25g Drink Me Chai Vanilla Chai Latte powder (1 standard serving, for the soak)
For the sponge: 150g plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of fine sea salt, 5 large free range eggs (separated), 200g golden caster sugar (75g for yolks, 125g for whites), 75ml whole milk, 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
For the three milks soak: 1x 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk, 1x 410g tin of evaporated milk, 250ml whole milk
For the cream top: 300ml double cream, 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, 1 teaspoon of natural vanilla extract
A generous dust of mild ground cinnamon, for the finish (about a half teaspoon)
1 30cm x 20cm baking tin, lined with non stick parchment with a 2cm overhang
1 electric whisk, 1 large mixing jug, 1 fork or skewer

Method

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, gas 4) and line a 30x20cm tin with parchment, leaving a 2cm overhang.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks with 75g of the sugar for about three minutes until pale and thick, then whisk in the milk and vanilla.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 125g sugar to firm, glossy peaks.
Fold the dry mix into the yolks in three additions, then fold in the whites in three more, with a light figure of eight to keep the air in.
Pour into the tin and bake for thirty minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, then cool for ten minutes.
For the soak, whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk and chai powder together until smooth.
Pierce the cooled sponge all over with a fork, then pour the soak over slowly, letting each addition absorb before the next, until it is all used.
Cover and chill for at least two hours, or overnight, so the sponge drinks it all in.
Just before serving, whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, spread over the cake, and dust with cinnamon.
Tip: lift it out by the parchment and wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat squares.