Tres Leches Cake is a classic Mexican dessert soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Moist, creamy, and delicious, tres leches cake is perfect for any celebration!
Growing up in a Mexican household, tres leches cake has always been the ultimate celebration cake. Do you have a quinceñera coming up? How about a wedding, birthday party, baptism, or graduation? Then it’s time to make a tres leches cake!
It’s my go-to cake for anything and everything, including a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and I know you’ll love it!
What is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches cake is a popular Mexican dessert made from a light sponge cake that is soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with whipped cream. Tres leches literally means “three milks” in Spanish, hence the cake’s name.
Tres leches is decadent and creamy thanks to the sweetened three-milk mixture made from sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and evaporated milk. It’s still very light and airy due to the sponge cake’s texture, which is similar to angel food cake in that the egg whites are whipped and then folded into the batter.
It’s typically topped with fresh strawberries and a pinch of cinnamon but is also sometimes garnished with chopped nuts or just left plain with whipped cream.
Ingredients You Need
- Whole milk: Regular milk helps balance the sweetness of the sweetened condensed milk, adds moisture, and helps create a lighter texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This milk is thick, sweet, and adds moisture.
- Evaporated milk: This milk is not sweet but has a caramel-like flavor. It adds a rich and creamy texture.
- Eggs: The egg yolks and eggs white are separated and whipped before folding into the batter. This create that beautiful light and airy texture that allows the three-milk mixture to really penetrate the sponge cake.
- Flour and baking powder: All-purpose flour and baking powder bring the batter together.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the cake batter and in the whipped cream topping to sweeten things just a bit.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: Both of these staple ingredients add those warm Mexican flavors to this cake.
- Heavy whipping cream: Used to make the delicious whipped cream topping.
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
Make the cake batter. Beat together egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl, then combine it with flour, baking powder, cinnamon salt, vanilla extract, and a little whole milk until it forms a smooth batter.
To make the sponge cake light and airy, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until shiny peaks form, then gently fold them into the cake batter. The air bubbles and volume of the meringue help keep the sponge fluffy and not dense, even after soaking in the three-milk mixture.
Bake, cool, and poke. Bake the cake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over the top with a fork, making sure to drive the fork all the way to the bottom. This will help the three-milk mixture soak fully into the cake.
Soak. Pour the three-milk mixture all over the top of the cake. I like to mix together the milks first to ensure that they get soaked in evenly.
Rest. Cover and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. This helps the cake completely cool and gives it enough time to absorb as much of the milk mixture as possible.
Prepare the topping. You only need a pint of heavy cream, a few tablespoons of sugar, and some vanilla extract to make the whipped cream. Beat everything together with a mixer until soft peaks form.
Serve. Once the topping is ready, slather it on top of the cake, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top, cut it into slices, and serve with fresh strawberries if desired.
More Tres Leches
There’s nothing like the classic tres leches cake, but if you want to try something new, try these other delicious versions!
Recommended Tools
- Stand mixer. One of my favorite baking tools. So helpful and can be used for so many different things!
- Measuring cups. A good set of glass measuring cups is essential in any kitchen!
- Mixing bowls. These glass mixing bowls are the ones I use all the time when I cook anything. They’re also freezer and microwave safe!
Store and Make Ahead
Tres leches cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you want to make it ahead of time for a party or celebration, I recommend leaving the whipped topping off until right before serving so it’s as light and fluffy as possible.
Ingredients
For the cake
- cooking spray, olive oil, or butter, for greasing
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 5 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole milk, divided
- 16 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
For the topping
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- *Optional* Ground cinnamon and strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, olive oil, or butter and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and ¾ cup of the granulated sugar on high using a handheld or stand mixer for about 2 minutes until the yolks are pale yellow in color. Add the vanilla extract and ½ cup of the whole milk and beat together on low until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the large bowl of flour and mix together with a fork until just combined to form a batter.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed using a handheld or stand mixer until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, gradually add in the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar and beat until the egg whites are shiny and stiff.
- Add the egg white mixture to the batter and fold together very gently using a silicone spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl until just combined and no white streaks remain.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes while you make the three milk mixture.
- In a medium bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup of whole milk, all of the sweetened condensed milk, and the evaporated milk. Whisk together to combine.
- Gently run a knife or spatula along the sides of the cake pan to unstick the sides. Using a skewer or a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Slowly pour the three milk mixture all over the top and sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the cake fully cool and absorb the liquid.
- While the cake is chilling, make the whipped cream topping. Add the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Beat on high speed using a handheld or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake and sprinkle a dusting of cinnamon on top if desired. Garnish with sliced strawberries and serve.
Video
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
Photos by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
Wow,
What a great taste! Easy to follow recipe and easy to make.
Thanks
Great recipe 👍 it was a winner 🏆! I have had this in restaurants before it was not as good. I am guessing it may have been sitting in the fridge for awhile fresh is best. This cake only lasted three days l will make this again.
I would like to make a cake 3x bigger how do I do this and what size pan? Thank you love all your recipes… Natalia
This is an absolutely perfect tres leches cake — we licked the plate clean, every last one of us!
Perfect end to our tamale supper (used your recipe for Instant Pot tamales-yum!)!!! I had never made – nor eaten – this cake before. I baked the cake late on Thursday and added the whipped cream and topped it with strawberries for supper Saturday. My daughter-in-law had eaten Tres Leches cake before – and said this was perfect. I’ll be sure to make it again. It’s absolutely delicious!!!!
Amazing! I made this yesterday for my family & it was gobbled up in minutes! I only let it sit for 4 hours & it was delicious. Can’t imagine what letting it sit overnight would taste like. Don’t think I have that kinda patience lol
The taste is amazing but it didn’t turn out as moist as I expected. I followed the recipe exactly and let the cake set overnight. Any suggestions to make it more moist?
Hi Fernanda! We suggest maybe making a second batch of the three milks mixture and adding it to your cake gradually after the cake has set overnight and absorbed the first mixture. Let us know how it turns out!
By far THE best tres leches cake I’ve ever made/eaten, and I have eaten many in Mexico and at home here in Canada. The whole family loved it and it has been requested as the Christmas dessert. Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. Thanks so much for this one!
Can this recipe be doubled for a 12” round pan?
Hi Tarra! Yes, it can!
Delicious! I made it for Father’s day and everybody loved it.
I’m just wondering if I can make it chocolate f I just add chocolate powder?
I loved this recipe! So did my family. Thank you so much, definitely a new staple in my kitchen.
That makes me so happy, Veronica. Thank you so much for the feedback! Enjoy 🙂
Best one I’ve ever made!!
Thank you so much!
Tres Leches is not originally from México, it is originally from Nicaragua. I would call it a Latin American desert.
My favorite tres leches bakery is closed indefinitely and this recipe is very close theirs. I have tried several other recipes prior to this one. This is by far the best, thank you!
SO GOOD! I made this to serve at my restaurant and got tons of compliments on it. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hello!
Your recipe looks great. I want to try it but want to start off with a smaller pan, maybe an 8×8. Do you recommend I halve the recipe for a smaller 8×8 cake?
Thanks!
Hi Denise! You can go either way! You can use the original recipe and have a thicker cake with a longer cooking time, or half it and use a shorter cooking time.
Hi! just made this, followed the directions to a tee… Baked in a coated non-stick pan at 350 for 35 min. The cake burnt around the edges and the bottom, and it’s flat, maybe an inch tall. I just re-read all the instructions to be sure I didn’t miss an ingredient or step. But I can’t see anything I missed.
Any advice?
Hi Christina! It sounds like there may have been a problem with incorporating the egg-whites. They are what give the cake height and a fluffy texture. Sometimes when the egg-whites are over whipped or not gently folded into the mix it can kill the air that’s created when they are beaten, making the cake flat. In regards to it burning, I’m not really sure why it did that! Try this recipe again and let us know how it goes.
Hi there!
Can you make this the day before? Or will it get too soggy? Hoping to make this for my mother in law for mothers day!
Thanks!
Yes, you can make this the day before. Nope, it shouldn’t get too soggy. In fact, tres leches is meant to be wet!
Could I split this into two 8×8 pans?
Yes, you could. The baking time may be a little shorter though, so I would check it around 25 minutes and keep a close eye on it.
I’ve made a few different tres leches recipes and this is hands down the easiest and most delicious. The first time I made it I forgot to bookmark the page and spent an hour trying to find it again because it’s that good! I like to top my slice of cake with a little extra cinnamon on top, but otherwise follow this recipe to the tee. Just made it today for my husbands birthday as tres leches is his fave. Thanks again for sharing!
OMG! It looksa amazing! Next party I`m treating everyone!