You might want to cover your ears for this one.
After the first bite I couldn’t stop exclaiming — this cake is that good. I’m a total basketcase over it.
See that fluffy texture? It comes from whipped egg whites folded into the batter. I attempted to beat them by hand — because why not — and my forearm protested for a while. In a moment of clumsiness I accidentally emptied the whites (and the tail end of a beer) down the sink, so I ended up using my electric mixer after all. Lesson learned, but the cake was still worth the effort.
I love tres leches. And yes, autocorrect insists on changing “leches” to “leeches,” which is delightfully wrong — this is a cake of milks, not creepy crawlies. I’ve even made a coconut tres leches cupcake variation before. For someone who usually reaches for cheesecake over cake, I can’t resist a slice of tres leches. It’s gloriously gooey and utterly delicious.
So I had to try a banana twist. I worried banana bread, already soft and tender, might get too soggy once doused with the tres leches mixture. But I was pleasantly surprised — the combination is incredible. The banana flavor pairs perfectly with the milky, creamy soak and a light whipped cream topping.
My inner skeptic ended up thrilled.
Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake
1 cake, serves 6-8
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) brown butter, cooled
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 2/3 cup milk (whole, 2%, soy or almond)
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Caramelized Bananas
- 3 firm, not too ripe bananas, sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×11 baking dish (or similar) with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a separate bowl or with a mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg yolks and both sugars. Beat on medium until creamy, then add vanilla and mashed bananas. With the mixer on low, add the cooled brown butter and mix to combine. Add half the dry ingredients, then the 2/3 cup milk, then the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the beaten egg whites with a spatula. Pour batter into the greased dish and bake 25–30 minutes, until set and slightly golden. (A 9×9 pan may need a bit longer; a 9×13 may need less time.) Let cool slightly, then poke lots of holes in the top with a fork.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Pour the milk mixture over the cake, letting it soak into the fork holes. Let sit about 45 minutes to absorb.
- For the frosting, beat the cold heavy whipping cream in a mixer until stiff peaks form (about 3–4 minutes). Add powdered sugar and beat briefly to combine. Spread whipped cream evenly over the soaked cake.
- For the caramelized bananas, heat a saucepan over medium. Add butter, then the banana slices, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar; toss to coat. Cook 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until golden brown. Let cool slightly. Serve the cake topped with the caramelized bananas or use them as a garnish. Store the cake in the refrigerator; because of the bananas it can become slightly dense, so let it sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before serving.
Notes
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Oh, and PS: hot caramelized bananas on fresh whipped cream will melt the topping slightly — deliciously inevitable.