High Protein Tres Leches Cake

There was a taco place across the street from my first apartment that had meh tacos but an amazing tres leches cake. I think about it a lot, so naturally I decided to put the Lean Kitchen twist on it.

You'd be shocked to find out this slice has 17g of protein. The sponge is light & airy (not at all rubbery), and perfectly absorbs the milk mixture. My recipe keeps the classic tres leches experience while subtracting the empty calories. 

I think I'm in love.

Cake Batter

- 1 large egg  

- 100g egg whites  

- 150g 0% plain Greek yogurt  

- 80g unsweetened applesauce  

- 60ml skim milk  

- 10g oil (I used Cobram Estate olive oil)  

- 1 tsp vanilla extract  

- 75g all purpose flour  

- 35g vanilla whey protein powder  

- 20g vanilla casein protein powder  

- 15g nonfat dry milk powder  

- 2g salt  

- 3g baking soda  

- 2g baking powder  

- 2g cinnamon  

- dash nutmeg  

- 80g sweetened condensed milk  

- 150ml skim milk  

- 15g vanilla whey protein  

- 145g Sugar Free Cool Whip 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease or line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk together:

3. In a separate bowl whisk together:

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until combined and smooth.

5. In a third bowl, whip the 100g egg whites until soft peaks form. This step creates the airy sponge that allows the cake to absorb the milk mixture.

6. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in 2–3 additions until fully incorporated.  Avoid over mixing to keep the batter light.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for 20-30 minutes.

8. While the cake is cooling, prep the milk mixture by whisking together:

- sweetened condensed milk  

- skim milk  

- whey protein  

9. Using a chopstick or skewer, poke deep holes all over the cake. Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake so it can fully absorb. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. The cake gets better as you let it sit (duh).

10. Top with your favorite whipped cream (I used a sugar free Cool Whip) before slicing and serving. The cake should be cold, soft, and fully soaked with the milk mixture.

Calories: 205 

Protein: 17g

Carbohydrates: 23g

Fiber: 0.5g