Tres Leches Cake
Homemade Tres Leches Cake is decadently soft, sweet, moist, and topped with the most incredible fluffy whipped cream! This classic Mexican dessert is always a crowd favorite and is perfect for serving at any occasion.
Tres Leches Cake
You know that really exciting feeling you get when you see Tres Leches Cake on the dessert menu at a Mexican restaurant? I will specifically not eat all of my entree so I have plenty of room to enjoy a helping of it! Usually, I try to at least let friends or family at the table share with me… But if the cake is too good, then it’s all mine.
That’s why I’m so obsessed with this easy at home recipe for Tres Leches Cake! Now, I can have my cake and it it too (without having to share a slice)! Another reason I’m so head over heels for this recipe is because it yields the most amazing, authentic, and satisfying Tres Leches Cake every single time. It’s got the perfect ratio of moistness to fluffiness, and is made with only the key, essential ingredients that keep it classic.
Since Cinco de Mayo’s upon us, I’m planning out all of my favorite recipes to serve, and this is absolutely one of them! It’s a classic Mexican dessert that’s been around for ages, so I struggle to think of a better sweet treat to serve on that holiday, except maybe Chocoflan. Now, you don’t have to head to your local Mexican restaurant for the best Tres Leches Cake ever!
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with shortening and a little dusting of flour.
Combine the dry ingredients. Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl, set aside.
Cream the butter. In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, then and vanilla and mix well.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Using a rubber spatula, add the flour mixture to egg mixture in 3 batches until incorporated; do not over mix.
Bake. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool. Remove the cake from the oven and pierce the cake with a fork about every inch, and let cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack. Cool completely, another 20-30 minutes
Add the moisture. While the cake is cooling, mix together the 3 milks. Once the cake is cooled, pour the entire milk mixture into the holes of the cake.
Chill. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Make the topping. Whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until thick.
Top it off, and enjoy! Spread the whipped topping over the top of the cake and return to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Tips for the Best Tres Leches Cake
- When combining the wet and dry mixtures, it’s not recommended to beat in the flour additions, as sometimes stand/hand mixers will over beat the batter. This will come together quickly when mixed by hand.
- To cool the cake off faster, place it uncovered in the refrigerator.
- The cake will “float” after pouring the three milks on to the holes on top. Don’t worry! It will soak up in the refrigerator.
- The longer the cake can soak in the refrigerator, the better, but 1 hour is all it needs for soaking.
- The topping may be a bit of a sweeter whipped cream than you may be used to, so feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and vanilla to your liking.
Sometimes, the best dessert are chilled – not warm!
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Get the Recipe: Tres Leche Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups AP flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 whole eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk**
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 14oz
- 1 can evaporated milk, 12oz
For Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
- Optional Garnishing: Cinnamon sugar, Cocoa Powder, Fresh Berries/Strawberries
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with shortening and a little dusting of flour.
- Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl, set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, then and vanilla and mix well.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the flour mixture to egg mixture in 3 batches until incorporated; do not overmix.
- Pro Tip: It is not recommended to beat in the flour additions, as sometimes stand/hand mixers will overbeat the batter. This will come together quickly when mixed by hand.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and pierce the cake with a fork about every inch, and let cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack. Cool completely, another 20-30 minutes
- Pro Tip: The cake can be cooled, uncovered, in the refrigerator.
- While the cake is cooling, mix together the 3 milks.
- Once the cake is cooled, pour the entire milk mixture into the holes of the cake.
- Note: The cake will “float” after pouring the three milks on to the holes/on top. Don’t worry! It will soak up in the refrigerator.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Pro tip: The longer the cake can soak in the refrigerator, the better; but 1 hour is all it needs for soaking.
Make the topping: Whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until thick.
- Note: This may be a bit of a sweeter whipped cream than you may be used to; feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and vanilla to your liking.
- Spread the whipped topping over the top of the cake and return to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
- Sprinkle with Cinnamon or Cocoa Powder
- Great with fresh fruit or fresh berries.
Notes
- Yes, for this cake you can.
- It will ensure the milks are absorbed into the cake for the amazing flavor?
- Yes you can, yet I would not recommend adding the whipped topping until you’re ready to serve the cake.
- 2-3 days refrigerated, yet there probably won’t be a lot of leftover pieces; its that good!