How To Amp Up Whole Foods' Tres Leches, According To A Pastry Chef

Tres leches cake is one of the most decadent desserts out there. It's hard to think about how it can be improved on, since it's already close to perfect. Dense layers of vanilla sponge cake drenched in sweet milk, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon. It's rich and inviting while somehow still feeling light and airy. It's the perfect dessert to follow up a plate of tacos al pastor, or to cap off your summer barbecue.

Tres leches quite literally means "three milks" and refers to the three ingredients that you use to give the cake its flavorful sauce: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. Of course, proper tres leches cake also requires heavy cream for the whipped topping. This is definitely a cake that wants you to indulge in completely. It is also a fun cake to make (and eat), being so easy to dress up for any reason — or no reason at all.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of making your tres leches cake from scratch, there are some store-bought options out there, including one from Whole Foods. It's a tasty option on its own, but it's super easy to take it to another level with a few ingredients. How about adding some warm, tropical flavors to that cake?

Deborah Racicot, pastry chef at Locanda Verde, shared her secret with Kitchn: "I'll buy a Whole Foods Tres Leches Cake and serve it with vanilla-rum soaked pineapple and a glass of Champagne." Don't worry, you don't need a special occasion for you to enjoy this dessert. The pineapple will add a pop of bright flavor whenever you serve it. But don't limit yourself to pineapple: Tres leches is a cake you can really get creative with. Not a fan of pineapple? Try some strawberries.

Of course, rum-soaked pineapple may not be for everyone, but that's the beauty of tres leches. It can be literally what you make it. The simplest way to kick it up a bit is by serving it with fresh fruit: berries, mango, and fresh kiwi, to name a few. The cake's simple flavor will complement most fruit, so feel free to experiment. Another classic way to dress it up; drizzle some chocolate sauce across the top to add a rich point of contrast to the whipped cream and vanilla.

Another popular choice is adding some dulce de leche to your tres leches. Dulce de leche gives you another level of decadence with its thick caramel, and the texture works with the lightness of the cake. Shredded coconut flakes mixed in with the whipped cream will give you another great variation of this classic. There are really no limits to how you can dress up this popular favorite. You should try them all!