This is as fun summer cake - and would be so festive for Canada Day or 4th of July (or one of the many birthdays we seem to have throughout the summer).  It's great because it's best served fresh from the refrigerator, which makes it a nice, cool treat.  We love it! This homemade gluten-free cake is a nice, fluffy sponge cake.  It's robust enough to withstand being poked with a fork a million times in order to have the tasty syrup poured on top.  Yum!  Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake, ready to serve!  

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

(technically it's a Cinco Leches Cake, since there's a bit of milk and yogurt in there, too!)

Makes one 9 x 13 pan.   If you double the cake recipe, you can make an extra sheet cake to use with the leftover tres leches mixture. (I recommend doing that).

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 13 glass pan (or similar).   You can also use a large cookie sheet pan - line with parchment paper if you don't want to butter.

Whisk together in a large bowl: 

2/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot starch OR cornstarch

2 Tbsp potato starch

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together: 

6 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

Add and mix in: 

1/2 cup milk 

2 Tbsp plain yogurt OR sour cream

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Let them mix for 2-3 minutes, so it's nice and smooth. 

Spread batter in your buttered pan.  

Cake, ready to bake!

Bake at 350 F for ~22 minutes, until golden brown.  If baking in a large cookie sheet pan, it needs about 15-17 minutes until golden brown.  

Fresh from the oven - a nice golden brown

While the cake is baking, whisk together: 

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz can evaporated milk

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

*Note: you will only use 2 cups of this tres leches mixture.  If you make an extra cake, you can use the extra cup on the second cake for a lighter treat.*

Once the cake has finished baking, place it on a cooling rack.  While hot/warm, poke the top of the cake with a fork.  You want lots and lots of holes poked all over the cake.  Spoon 2 cups of the tres leche syrup over the cake.  Take your time, so the syrup can soak evenly over the cake.  

This was poked with a fork A LOT - hard to tell from the picture. I'd say you want to poke a hole with your fork every 1/2" so the syrup really spreads evenly through the cake. 

Once the cake has cooled a bit, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator - at least 3 hours, or overnight.  

One hour before serving, whip until nice and stiff peaks (don't overwhip or you'll make butter): 

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake.  (Once the cake is fully chilled, you can add the whipped cream the day before to have it ready in advance - but I like making it nice and fresh).

Topped with fresh whipped cream, ready for adding the cherries

Decorate, if desired with:

maraschino cherries, sliced in half

Refrigerate until serving.  Slice and serve!  Enjoy! 

A yummy slice of gluten-free tres leches cake. Mmmm... 

Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake by Successfully Gluten Free!