Tres Leches Lemon Cake

04bTresLechesCakebzLOI got this recipe in an email from the nice folk at Kraft and, since my husband loves him a citrus dessert, knew I would have to make it.

The thing is… the Kraft folk called for making this as a layer cake and, quite honestly, I see disaster going that way. I opted for a 13×9 pan, more for ease of storage in the fridge, but, after making the cake and soaking it in the tres leches (three milks), I am wicked pleased I did not try to make this a layer cake.

01aCakeMixbzLOStill and all, a rich, lovely cake, and I will most certainly make it again.

The nice Kraft folk also called for whisking some lemon juice into thawed Cool Whip for frosting, but I figured a real Irish butter lemon buttercream frosting was the only possible way to go.

02aTresLechesbzLOINGREDIENTS
Cake:
•1 white cake mix
•1-1/4 cup water
•1/3 cup veggie oil
•3 eggs
•1 (3 oz) pkg lemon Jello

Tres Leches:
•1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
•1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
•1/2 cup sour cream

02bCakePokebzLOFrosting:
•1/2 cup unsalted butter
•2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
•1/2 tsp vanilla
•3 cups confectioners’ sugar
•Pinch of salt

Heat your oven to 350º.

Follow package directions for preparing your cake batter then, once the batter is ready, mix the jello in thoroughly.

02dAddTresLechesbzLOPour batter into a 13×9 cake pa and bake according to package instructions, my mix called for about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and set aside to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled, combine the sour cream together with the evaporated and sweetened condensed milk in a blender until well mixed.

02eCakeOneHourbzLOPierce the cake with a large fork (I used my carving fork) every 1/4 inch, then slowly pour the tres leches over the cake.

Stash in the fridge for about an hour, until the cake has absorbed the tres leches mixture and looks a bit like this:

Now, we can make the frosting!

Note: if you don’t want to deal with making the buttercream, go ahead and thaw a tub of Cool Whip and whisk in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.

03aFrostingbzLOHow much better, tho, to top this kinda glorious cake with a real buttercream?

Soften the butter in a large mixing bowl (you can do this while the cake is baking and soaking up the tres leches), then add the lemon juice, vanilla, and pinch of salt.

04aTresLechesCakebzLOWhip until the butter is creamy, then add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to whip until the frosting is nicely creamy. If the frosting seems too thick, go ahead and add heavy cream or whole milk, by the tablespoon, until it is the consistency you are looking for.

Frost the cake and stash, covered, in the fridge until it’s dessert time.

I liked it best when I took it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving, but the husband likes his cakes cold, so, you do what you like.

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