Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

12 egg whites (1 1/2 cups)
½ cup sugar

12 egg yolks (1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
pinch salt

For the Tres Leches

1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups evaporated milk
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped

For the Whipped Cream

3 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tbsp dark rum

For the Compote

1 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 vanilla bean, split in half and scraped with knife
1 ½ quart of assorted fresh seasonal fruits chopped into 1/3 inch dice (strawberries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, apples, cherries, grapes, etc.)

Instructions

For the Cake

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder, set aside. In a separate bowl combine the water, egg yolks, salt, oil, vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Whip the egg whites to soft peaks in an electric mixer. Once the whites reach soft peaks, slowly add 1 cup of sugar a little at a time and whip to stiff peaks. While the egg whites are beating, combine 1/2 cup of sugar with the flour mixture in a large bowl. Whisk in the liquid mixture until smooth. Fold one third of the whipped whites into the yolk mixture. Then fold in the rest.

Pour into baking pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, rotating pan half way through cooking time. Bake until set and golden. Cool cake to room temperature, then cut the cake in half.

Soak the cakes in the tres leches mixture and chill.

For the Tres Leches

Simmer the milk and vanilla bean and seeds together for 10 minutes on medium low heat.  Allow to steep for one hour. Strain and combine with the sweetened condensed and evaporated milk. Chill.

For the Whipped Cream

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Chill and serve cold.

For the Compote

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Place vanilla bean in syrup and reduce heat to low.
Add fruits to simmering syrup and poach fruit, stirring gently from time to time until fruit is tender, but still holds its shape, for 15 minutes. Allow fruit to cool in the syrup. Remove vanilla bean. Serve compote chilled or at room temperature.

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