Quince Cakes, From Simple to Spectacular

Ordering a quince (KEEN-say) cake is an important part of one of the most important celebrations in a Hispanic girl's life. The difficult part: deciding the flavor. Will it be a fruit cake; a tres leches, or three milks; or a combination of both? There's also pineapple, chocolate, strawberry, mocha and mango.

The most popular quince cakes in the Washington area are the Salvadoran-style fruit cake, a white layer cake filled with fresh fruit; and the tres leches, a light sponge cake soaked with a mixture of three kinds of milk. Many customers like their cakes very moist, which explains why the tres leches are big sellers, say some bakers. Prices vary depending on size, style and flavor, with many shops charging by the serving, the way wedding cakes are priced. On average, a cake for 200 to 250 people sells for about $650. Decorations cost extra.

Here are some area bakeries that sell the specialty cakes:

CASA BLANCA BAKERY & CAFE 5037 Columbia Pike, Arlington, 703-820-1907

Latino bakers work with Korean owners and specialize in tres leches cakes; order one week in advance. Cakes start at $40.

CASTRO'S BAKERY 6276 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, 703-531-1340, and 5515-A Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-465-9401.

Owner Guadalupe Castro, from El Salvador, says the chocolate, fruit and tres leches are the most popular.

A cake for 80 people costs $175. Order three days in advance.

CHAPINA BAKERY 1401 University Blvd. E., #G21, Hyattsville, 301-408-3700.

Alba España, from Guatemala, makes mango mousse that she uses on the tres leches and fruit cakes.

Fruit cake is $2 a slice; other flavors are more expensive.

Order 1 to 3 days in advance depending on size and decoration.