Camp Cupcake: Tres Leches Cupcakes

Cinco de Mayo is pretty big in Lubbock.

I would like to think it is because of Lubbock's significant Mexican population. However, I recently learned that Cinco de Mayo is a much bigger deal in the US than it is in Mexico, so I think it falls under the same category as St. Patrick's Day: holidays that give people an excuse to drink in the middle of the week. If you want to know more about St. Patrick's Day, check out my other blog.

However, just because a) I don't indulge in margaritas, and b) it's a fake holiday, it doesn't mean I didn't want to celebrate.

With cupcakes.

And despite the fact that I had leftovers at my house for four days, I took no pictures. No Bloggie for me.

However, I do have some thoughts about this recipe:

• Just like the name suggests, there are three kinds of milk in this cake. It is not a cake for the lactose-intolerant (pretty sure I would never bring them to an Oka family function for this reason).
• It is really moist. Moister than the tres leches cake I have had before. If that creeps you out, you have been forewarned.
• It takes awhile to get the cake to absorb the milk mixture.

Here's the recipe:

6 large eggs separated, room temperature

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. coarse salt (I use sea salt)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 c. all-purpose flour, sifted

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin tins with foil liners. This is important because the liquid will soak through paper liners. With an electric mixer, whisk egg whites, baking soda, and salt together until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low. Add yolks and sugar, whisk until completely combined. Fold in melted butter. Add flour in four batches, folding until just combined after each.

Divide batter into lined cups, filling only halfway. Bake about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately poke holes in the tops.

Whisk together evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. With cupcakes still in tins, brush milk mixture over cupcakes. Repeat until all the mixture has been used. Allow cupcakes to absorb at least 30 minutes, or up to one day in the refrigerator tightly covered.

To finish, dollop with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon.