This Rose Milk Cake, also known as Rose Tres Leches Cake, is the most divine and moist dessert I have tasted, yet it’s simple to make and packed with flavors.
I tried it for the first time at a restaurant in Dubai and was immediately impressed. On the one hand, it looked original, decorated with rose petals, and very moist and flavorful. I remembered it fondly, and upon returning, I researched what I had eaten. This cake is in fact an authentic dessert that originated in Latin America and gained popularity in the United States in the 1980s.
I enhanced the original sweet cake by reducing the amount of sugar and using its raw variation. I was pleased to incorporate my rose syrup and rose powder into the recipe.
While I adore a moist cake infused in sweet rose milk, this cake tastes great without the soaking, too.
What is Rose Milk Tres Leches cake?
Rose Milk Tres Leches Cake is a delicious sweet and floral dessert that combines the flavors of a traditional Tres Leches cake with aromatic rose flavors. Tres Leches cake means “three milk cake” in Spanish and is made by soaking a sponge or butter cake in a mixture of three different types of milk. Thus, this cake is soaked in 3 milks – condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk or heavy cream. This soaking process gives the cake its signature moist and creamy texture.
This Rose Milk Cake and this Vintage Heart Cake serve as dessert cakes, especially as a birthday cake for those who enjoy the delightful taste of roses and a moist, sweet treat.
Rose leches Cake Ingredients.
Cake base
- eggs
- butter
- raw sugar
- flour
- milk
- baking powder
- baking soda
- vanilla bean, vanilla paste or vanilla essence
- rose syrup
- rose powder and/or rose petals
Rose Essence vs Rose water vs Rose syrup
When choosing between rose essence, rose water, and rose syrup for your Rose Milk Cake, consider flavor intensity, sweetness level, and color. Rose syrup and rose water add a delicate pink food coloring and a hint of rose flavors, while rose essence provides a strong rose taste without color. If you prefer a sweeter cake, the rose syrup is naturally sweetened, while rose water and rose essence allow you to control the sweetness separately.
The soak
- evaporated milk– you can purchase ready-made or make your own. Just place 2 cups of the milk of your choice in a pot over medium-low heat and simmer, occasionally whisking, until the amount of milk has been reduced in half, about 30 – 40 minutes.
- whole milk
- rose syrup
- condensed milk
- pinch of cardamon
The topping
- whipping cream
- powdered sugar
- rose syrup
- dried rose petals
- pistachios (optional)
How to make Rose Milk Cake
First step: preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Second step: Mix dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Third step: Separate egg whites from egg yolks
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites for 5 minutes until they form stiff peaks. In a clean bowl, mix sugar with egg yolks. Beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they turn pale and thick.
Fourth step: Mix wet ingredients with egg yolk and sugar
Add the melted butter, rose syrup or rose water, milk, and rose essence to the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.
Fifth step: Combine dry and wet ingredients
Gradually fold the dry ingredients (the flour mixture) into the wet ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
Sixth step: Fold the egg whites
Lastly, fold the egg whites into the batter. Don’t stir, as it will deflate your egg whites. Fold until the batter is uniform and fluffy.
Seventh step: Bake the cake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth it out evenly. Bake the sponge cake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Eight step: Make Milk syrup
While the cake is baking, prepare the milk syrup. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk. Add rose syrup, and pinch of cardamom. Mix well.
Ninth step: Soak the cake
Once the rose cake is out of the oven and still warm, use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Be sure to poke to the bottom.
Add the milk mixture over the warm cake, distributing it evenly. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight to allow the cake to soak in the rose milk mixture.
Tenth step: Frost the cake and Serve
Before serving, whip the whipping cream and rose syrup together until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake. Garnish the moist cake with rose petals or chopped pistachios. Cut the cake and serve with the remaining rose milk.
Note: I have seen some recipes that use food color to add vibrant shades of pink or red to the cake layers. However, I used rose syrup instead.
Tips for making the best rose milk-infused cake.
- While pouring the milk mixture over the cake, ensure the dense cake is still warm. This helps the cake absorb the liquid more effectively.
- Refrigerate the cake for several hours or overnight to allow it to absorb the milk mixture fully.
- use a separate small bowl to break each egg into before transferring the egg white into the larger bowl. This way, if you accidentally break the yolk while cracking the egg, you won’t risk contaminating all the egg whites.
Other Recipes Using Rose petals
Variations to Easy Rose Milk Cake Recipe
Incorporate fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or lychee pieces between the layers of the cake or on top. These fruits complement the rose flavor nicely.
Sprinkle chopped pistachios to make pistachio tres leches, almonds, or cashews on top of the whipped cream for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
Add a touch of ground cardamom and a few strands of saffron to the milk mixture for a more aromatic twist.
Spread a thin rose petal jam between the cake layers or on the top for additional rose flavor
Is Rose Tres leches cake eggless?
Traditionally, Tres Leches Cake is made with eggs as one of the key ingredients. However, it is possible to make an eggless rose milk cake by using egg substitutes like yogurt or applesauce. However, you need to experiment with these substitutes to achieve the desired texture and structure in your cake while maintaining the rose flavor.
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