Tres Leches Cake
Tres Leches Cake is soft and moist, with a trio of 3 sweet milks that soak into the light and fluffy sponge cake. Make it ahead and let it soak overnight for an easy dessert that can be prepared in advance for a party.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Additional Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 12 -15 Servings
Calories: 455kcal
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (188g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided (200g)
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup whole milk
For the tres leches mixture
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- ½ cup whole milk
To finish
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for topping
- Strawberries or maraschino cherries, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prep a 9x13-inch baking dish with baking spray. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and set aside.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat ¾ cup of the sugar with the egg yolks on medium-high until creamy and light. Add the milk and vanilla and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mixing just until combined.
Whisk the eggs whites, gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cake batter.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-35 minutes. Cool completely, then poke all over with a fork.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and milk. Pour over the cooled cake. Let soak for 2 hours in the fridge.
Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla, then spread over the cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with strawberries.
- Cupcake Variation: You can even turn this cake into about 24 cupcakes by baking the batter for 15 minutes. Then poke the cupcakes with a fork and fill with the milk mixture just like you would the cake and top with whipped cream.
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.
Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 1mg