Tres Leches Tea Cake with Honey Riesling Soaked Fruit

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan or several smaller pans. (Mine made two 9 inch loaf pans plus 8 of the 5 inch mini cake pans you see pictured).

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

* Note: If you have two bowls for your mixer, I highly recommend using them both for the two mixtures below. If not, you’ll want to use some handheld electric beaters for one or both of the mixtures below.

In one large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed until they’re pale yellow, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture becomes very thick. I tested mine every two minutes or so and knew it was ready when it required quite a bit of effort to stir.

Add the water and vanilla to the yolk mixture and beat briefly (about 30 seconds). Stir in the dry ingredients. Finally, gently fold in the beaten egg whites until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Bake the cake for 28-30 minutes (if using a 9 x 13) or 15 minutes if using mini pans or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake(s) cool in the pan(s) for about 15 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife then turn it over onto a serving platter. Use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake, then allow to cool completely.

For the tres leches:
In a medium saucepan combine the half-and-half and evaporated milk. Bring nearly to a boil over medium high heat then immediately remove from heat. Place the tea bags in the hot milk, cover the pan and allow to steep 5-7 minutes. Remove tea bags. Stir sweetened condensed milk and vanilla into other milks.

When the cake has cooled completely, slowly pour the milk mixture over it, pausing every now and then to allow it to soak in. Refrigerate the cake for several hours or overnight to allow the milk to soak in completely.

For the fruit topping:
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pear, apple and cranberries. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add honey and stir to coat. Pour in Riesling then allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half. Place on top of finished cakes. If desired, heat cake before serving.