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Lightened-Up Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

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A lightened-up pumpkin tres leches cake that gives you all the cozy, spiced flavor of fall without the heavy feeling afterward. It’s the kind of recipe that proves you don’t need a ton of cream or sugar to make something truly special.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 can (12 oz / 354ml) evaporated milk
  • ¾ cup (180ml) low-fat milk (2%)
  • ½ cup (150ml) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 ½ cups light whipped topping (like Cool Whip Lite)
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan lightly with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with ½ cup of the sugar until thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
  6. Gently fold about a third of the whipped whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest until no white streaks remain.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Poke holes all over the top with a fork or skewer.
  9. In a pitcher, whisk together the evaporated milk, low-fat milk, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
  10. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, covering the entire surface. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
  11. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the chilled cake. Dust with cinnamon. Slice and serve cold.

Notes

For best results, let the cake soak overnight in the refrigerator. The texture improves and the flavors deepen. Do not reheat the cake; it is meant to be served cold.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin tres leches, lightened-up pumpkin cake, fall dessert, easy pumpkin dessert, healthy tres leches

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/lightened-up-pumpkin-tres-leches-cake-the-best-easy-fall-dessert/