This cake is how we're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!
Hispanic Heritage Month means something a little different to everyone. For me, Hispanic Heritage Month starts with my dad.
My father was born in Lima, Peru, and grew up very poor. There wasn't much money, and there weren't always many reasons or opportunities to celebrate. But he came to the United States determined to build a different life.
He came here with very little, earned an education, built a successful career and made education one of the most important values in our family.
That stayed with me.
I grew up in an upper-middle-class suburb where there weren't many Hispanic kids in my school. In some ways, my upbringing looked very different from my dad's. But I was also fortunate to grow up close to New York City, surrounded by people, food, music and traditions from across Latin America. I had my Peruvian roots at home, family connections in Mexico and plenty of trips there over the years, while living close enough to New York to experience Puerto Rican, Dominican, Colombian, Mexican, Central American and other Hispanic cultures all around me. It's always felt like a heritage made of two worlds. As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate more and more that the opportunities I had were built on sacrifices made before me.
Eloy Y, CFO/COO & papa
My dad's emphasis on education eventually took me to the University of Maryland for college and later to USC for my MBA. I went on to work in banking and consulting before eventually taking a very different path with Spread The Love.
When I look at where my dad started and where our family is today, it's hard to believe how far we've come. There is his success: leaving Peru with very little and building a life, career and family in America. There is my own journey: taking the opportunities he fought to give me and building on them through education, my career and now a family business.
Cakes are for celebrations!
And that is why a cake feels especially fitting for this Hispanic Heritage Month.
My dad may not have had much to celebrate, or much with which to celebrate, when he was a kid in Lima. Today, our family has plenty to be grateful for. And one of the best ways we know how to celebrate is by gathering around a table and sharing something delicious.
So this year, we're celebrating with a Spread The Love twist on one of Latin America's most beloved desserts: Peanut Butter Tres Leches Cake.
What Is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches cake has always felt like a dessert made for a celebration.
It's rich, sweet, comforting and, most importantly, meant to be shared. Known for its incredibly soft, moist texture, the cake is soaked in a mixture of three milks that transforms a simple cake into something indulgent and special.
Why Spread The Love Naked Organic Peanut Butter Works So Well in Tres Leches
We blend our creamy peanut butter directly into the tres leches mixture, giving every bite a subtle roasted peanut flavor. Then we finish everything with a generous drizzle of Spread The Love Drizzable Peanut Butter.
It's familiar and a little unexpected at the same time, which, in a way, feels pretty appropriate for my own story too.
Spread The Love Peanut Butter brings richness and nuttiness without overpowering the classic flavors of tres leches. Whisking the peanut butter directly into the evaporated milk, condensed milk and whole milk distributes that flavor throughout the entire cake while keeping the texture incredibly moist.
Then comes my favorite part: the drizzle. A little, or a lot, of Spread The Love Drizzable Peanut Butter over the top gives the finished cake an extra layer of peanut flavor and makes it feel even more worthy of a celebration.
Peanut Butter Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Makes approximately 10–12 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box white cake mix
- Eggs, oil and water according to package directions
For the peanut butter tres leches mixture:
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 capful vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter
For topping:
- Spread The Love Drizzable Peanut Butter, as desired
Instructions
✔ Step 1 - Bake the cake
Prepare the white cake mix according to the package directions using the listed eggs, oil and water. Pour into your prepared baking pan and bake according to package directions, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
✔ Step 2 - Make the peanut butter tres leches mixture
In a bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, vanilla extract and Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter until smooth and fully combined.
✔ Step 3 - Poke the cake
Allow the cake to cool slightly. Using a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the cake. This allows the peanut butter tres leches mixture to soak deep into every bite.
✔ Step 4 - Soak the cake
Slowly pour the three-milk mixture evenly over the cake, giving it time to absorb through the holes and throughout the cake.
✔ Step 5 - Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours, or until the milk mixture has absorbed and the cake is thoroughly chilled.
✔ Step 6 - Finish and serve
Just before serving, generously drizzle Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter over the top. Slice, serve chilled and, most importantly, share it with someone you love.
More Than a Recipe: What Heritage Means to Me
When I think about my dad as a kid in Lima and the life he ultimately built, I feel nothing but gratitude. He came to this country, got an education, and made sure his children understood the value of opportunity. That's what heritage means to me: not just looking back at where your family came from, but building on it. Today, we get to celebrate what grew from his sacrifices.
This is a recipe for Peanut Butter Tres Leches Cake. But it's also a story that started with very little in Lima and became more than my dad could have imagined. That's worth celebrating.
From our family at Spread The Love to yours, Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! May your table be full and your family close, however you choose to celebrate!
The Author: Eloy Yndigoyen
Eloy Yndigoyen oversees Finance, Operations, and eCommerce at Spread The Love Foods, where he leads financial strategy, day-to-day operations, and the brand's online sales channels.
