Coffee Tres Leches Cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Course: Dessert | Servings: 6

These coffee, cinnamon and tres leches marinated cupcakes will make you swoon. Topped with meringue and a sprinkle of cinnamon cappuccino sugar. Don't forget a ladle of the sauce in a rimmed plate for serving this sumptuous dessert. These would be a great make a day ahead dessert. 

*These cupcakes were large and dramatic; see note below to make smaller cupcakes. Inspired by Alisa at family meal https://familymealblog.com/2013/08/17/coffee-infused-tres-leches-cake/ 

Cupcakes:

1 cup flour

¾ cup sugar, divided in half

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cream of tartar

Tres Leches:

1 cup cream

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 12-oz can evaporated milk

½ cup espresso or strong brewed coffee

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Salt, a pinch

Meringue:

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup water

5 eggs

½ tsp cream of tartar

Salt, a pinch

1 Tbsp sugar cinnamon

½ tsp espresso powder

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix the flour, 6 Tbsp of the sugar, baking powder and salt together with a whisk in a large measuring bowl. Beat the egg yolks, oil and vanilla together and add to the flour mixture. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar gradually adding the remaining sugar 1 Tbsp at a time to stiff peaks. Fold half the egg whites gently into the cupcake mixture to lighten the dough; fold in the last half until just incorporated. Spoon into 6 giant cupcake wells or ramekins if you don’t have an oversized cupcake pan. Line the cupcake wells or ramekins with a parchment tulip or cupcake liner so the cakes don’t stick to the bottom. Bake for 20-25 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Allow to cool to room temperature before peeling parchment or liners off.

In a 9x13 baking dish, combine the cream, evaporated and condensed milks, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon and salt; whisk well. Place cupcakes in the pan to soak up the liquid, ladling some sauce over the tops too. Allow to soak for an hour covered with plastic wrap or even overnight in the fridge.

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil. You do not need to stir. Bring it to the soft ball stage of 240*. While the sugar is cooking, whip your egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks in a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer). When you have reached 240* slowly pour a steady stream over the whites avoiding the beaters or whisk attachment. Continue to whisk eggs until cool. 

Spoon meringue into dramatic billows over the cupcakes. You could toast the edges a bit with a culinary torch if you have one, but it's not necessary. Whisk the cinnamon sugar and espresso powder together and dust with a fine sieve over the meringue.

* These are large enough to split and I think you could easily use a regular cupcake pan and parchment liners to get 12 tres leches cupcakes if you reduced cooking time to say 12-16 minutes.