Tropical Rum-Soaked Pineapple Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Salted Perfection Chili Lime Finishing Salt
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• 1 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x9-inch baking pan—no shortcuts here, or your cake’s gonna stick like a rat in a trap.
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp Salted Perfection Chili Lime Finishing Salt. Set aside.
3. Separate the eggs. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar, continue whipping to stiff peaks. This is your cloud, so don’t rush it, paisan.
4. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Add milk and vanilla extract, mix well.
5. Gently fold flour mixture into yolks, then carefully fold in egg whites, preserving all that airy goodness.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
7. While cake cools, combine pineapple juice, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and rum in a bowl. Stir to mix the tres leches soak.
8. Poke the cake all over with a fork or skewer. Pour the tres leches mixture slowly over the cake, letting it absorb every drop like a sponge at a speakeasy.
9. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and diced pineapple. Cook, stirring, until caramelized and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
10. Spread caramelized pineapple evenly over soaked cake. Sprinkle a pinch of Salted Perfection Chili Lime Finishing Salt on top to balance that sweet heat.
11. Chill the whole shebang for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld and the cake get nice and cold.
12. Slice, garnish with fresh mint if you fancy, and serve with a big smile. Remember: life’s too short for boring desserts!
13. Visit www.saltedperfection.com and leave a Five Star review. DUNZO!