The BEST Tres Leches Cake — This easy authentic three milk cake melts in your mouth and requires just 15 minutes of hands-on prep!! This is a recipe your family will love! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo!!
Table of Contents
What is Tres Leches Cake?
Whenever I’m in Mexico, in addition to lots of guacamole, salsa, black beans, and margaritas, tres leches cake is a must. I wanted to make one in advance of Cinco de Mayo because it’s one of my all-time favorite cakes.
This Mexican cake is every bit as good as the tres leches cakes I’ve had in Mexico — in fact, it’s the best ever!
It’s an absolute dessert highlight of my year and I highly recommend it.
Tres leches cake gets its name because after making a soft, tender cake (which ironically has no butter or oil, but you won’t miss them), you poke holes in the cake before pouring over a mixture of three milks — sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream.
I like to think of it as the original poke cake. It’s ridiculously moist, beautifully sweet, and perfectly tender. It just melts in your mouth.
Love Tres Leches Desserts?
I also have a recipe for tres leches cupcakes that I think you’ll love!
Ingredients for Tres Leches Cake
This authentic tres leches cake recipe has three main components: the sponge cake itself, the three types of milk that are poured over it, and the creamy whipped topping that’s spread on last.
To make this easy tres leches cake recipe, you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cinnamon
- Confectioners’ sugar
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
This tres leches cake recipe is so easy to make! You can use a hand mixer or a good old wooden spoon.
The cake itself is similar to your average cake recipe; the one major difference is that there’s no oil or butter in the batter. Instead, you have to whip egg whites until soft peaks form and then gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
This tres leches cake needs to bake for around 32 to 35 minutes. You’ll know when it’s ready to be taken out of the oven when the center is set but springs back when you gently press a finger into it.
Once the cake is out of the oven, make the tres leches mixture. Just combine the three milks in a bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
Then, poke lots of holes into the cake with a fork and pour the milk mixture over top. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature for a few hours before making the whipped cream topping and spreading it onto the cake.
I like the finish my tres leches cake with a sprinkle of cinnamon, but that’s totally optional!
Recipe Tips
Line your pan: To make clean-up a breeze, line your baking pan with foil before pouring in the cake batter. Tres leches cake is quite a “wet” cake since it’s a poke cake, and the foil makes serving the cake and cleaning up afterwards so much easier.
Whipped cream vs Cool Whip: While it’s not traditional, if you’re making this cake for a party or event and it’ll be sitting out for hours at room temp or in warm (outdoor) conditions, you may want to consider using whipped topping (Cool Whip) rather than real whipped cream for the topping. Real whipped cream is more prone to deflating and melting than whipped topping.
Make-ahead tip: If you’re making this cake in advance, I recommend waiting until the last minute to add the whipped cream topping. Again, you want the topping to be super fluffy when you serve this cake!
Recipe FAQs
Possibly, but the texture and flavor of this three milk cake would definitely change. You could maybe use full-fat canned coconut milk and make your own coconut whipped cream for topping the cake, but I’ve only ever made this authentic tres leches cake as written so I can’t say for certain.
Possibly, but again since I have only made the cake as written, I can’t speak to the results using gluten-free flour. If you try, I would only suggest using a cup-for-cup style replacement of all-purpose flour. No almond flour for this one.
Yes! If serving to a crowd, you’re welcome to make this cake the day before and keep it in the fridge overnight. The topping won’t deflate too much in just one day.
I avoid using specialty flours because I simply don’t want extra ingredients taking up space in my pantry. You might be able to use cake flour in this recipe, but I can’t say for certain since I’ve only tested it using all-purpose flour.
I like to dust the three milk cake with ground cinnamon and enjoy as is. However, you can also serve sliced strawberries or other fresh berries on the side!
Storage Instructions
This authentic tres leches cake should be stored in the fridge, covered. It will last for up to four days, but note that the whipped cream topping will deflate over time.
The bottom of the cake itself will become extremely moist as the milk has time to soak into it more. Leftovers are delicious, though!
Can You Freeze Tres Leches Cake?
No, you cannot freeze the assembled cake. The tres leches mixture will make the frozen cake unpleasantly soggy.
You CAN, however, bake the cake and then let it cool completely before freezing. When ready to finish assembling, thaw on your counter before continuing with the recipe (i.e. pouring over the tres leches mixture, chilling, and topping with whipped cream).
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The Best Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Tres Leches Mixture
- one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- one 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Whipped Cream Topping
- 2 cups 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- cinnamon, optional for garnishing
- 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl and handheld electric mixer) add the 5 egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and doubled in volume, about 4 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add 1/3 cup whole milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and beat on low speed until combined, don’t overmix; set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add the egg whites and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form but egg whites are not dry.
- Gently fold egg whites into the cake batter.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 32 to 35 minutes (I baked 33 minutes) or until cake is set in the center, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack. While cake cools, make the tres leches mixture.
Tres Leches Mixture
- To a medium bowl, add the 3 milks and whisk to combine.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake. I stuck the cake with the fork about 100 times. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the top of the cake letting it soak in as you go. Try to pour as much over the cake as possible, without neglecting the edges. All of the milk mixture for my cake soaked in, but if yours is pooling excessively and you have any leftover, the milk mixture is wonderful served in a small ramekin alongside the cake.
- Allow cake to cool at room temp for a 1 to 2 hours before covering and refrigerating until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight. Tip – If making the cake in advance of an event, don’t add the whipped cream topping until the day of.
Whipped Cream Topping
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and handheld electric mixer) add the heavy cream and beat on high speed until thickened and spreadable.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat to combine.
- Evenly spread the whipped cream over cake and optionally garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon and serve any extra tres leches mixture on the side. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cake will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days, noting the whipped cream will lose volume as time passes and the bottom of the cake will become increasingly moist.
- Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Even More Easy Cake Recipes:
Caramel Cream Poke Cake — Poke cakes are always supremely moist and this one reminds me of a cheater’s version of Tres Leches Cake because it’s sweet and creamy.
Sweet Cream Vanilla Coffee Cake – You’ll never guess what special ingredient keeps this fast and easy cake so soft and moist!
Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze – You won’t miss chocolate at all after trying this cake! The glaze is just heavenly!
Easy Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting – If you’ve never made a scratch cake, try this one!! Fast, easy, foolproof, one bowl, and tastes so good! It’s a keeper!
Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake – Move over, store-bought cake mix!! This easy cake only takes minutes to make and tastes wayyyy better!!
Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Glaze – An easy little cake with big lemon flavor! Soft, fluffy, and foolproof if you like puckering up!
The Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – So soft, moist and really is The Best! A cheery, happy cake that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face!
Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake – Have ripe bananas? This cake has their name all over it! Dripping with rich, buttery, caramel sauce!
Pineapple Poke Cake with Pineapple Glaze — Fast, easy, one-bowl, no mixer, from-scratch cake that’s easier than a mix! The glaze soaks into every inch and you’ll be in juicy pineapple heaven!
Recipe originally posted in 2015 and reposted April 29, 2020 and April 30, 2021 with updated text.
I had been planning to make just such a cake for the upcoming holiday so it’s fun that you have posted your version. I, too, have never made it before. First, I referenced the Pioneer Woman’s original recipe that you worked from and noticed that she only lists a quarter cup of heavy cream for making the tres leches mixture, and then calls for topping the cake with just a portion of that with one cup left unused. I wonder what kind of difference these two changes have on the finished cake? Did you make the original first and felt the cake needed a “heartier” milk topping as well as more of it?
Yes definitely needed more liquid than her recipe called for in my opinion; this should be a very ‘juicy’ cake and that’s why I upped the ratios for sure.
We’re missionaries to Mexico and Nicaragua, have made this cake many times. In my cookbook I’ve included a recipe very similar but my GO TO is to use a cake mix instead, then adding the 3 milks. I also don’t poke holes (as I learned in h.s.) but just pour over cake. Soaks right in.
Glad that you’ve made this cake many times. I agree that boxes mixes can be handy and this one for me is similar to tres leches but with some caramel added https://www.averiecooks.com/caramel-cream-poke-cake/ I agree, that if the cake is soft enough you probably technically don’t need to poke holes but I do it because I always have and it’s insurance it will for sure soak in.
I was looking for the recipe for a cake that we used to buy from the Mexican store in the city. Still haven’t found it but I tried this one tonight and WOW! Easy and delicioso! I sided it with my favorite strong cup of coffee using the left over heavy cream. Perfect pairing. Definitely my familias new favorite. Gracias.
I was looking for the recipe for a cake that we used to buy from the Mexican store in the city. Still haven’t found it but I tried this one tonight and WOW! Easy and delicioso! I sided it with my favorite strong cup of coffee using the left over heavy cream. Perfect pairing. Definitely my familias new favorite. Gracias.
I’m glad it’s a new family favorite for you!
Hi Averie! I’ve been comparing yours and The Pioneer Woman’s recipe ahead of baking it myself. Does the foil lining help with removing the cake and putting it in a serving platter? Do you think parchment paper would work? Just wondering for presentation!
I personally prefer foil to parchment paper because I feel like I can get it to seal and stick on the pan tighter than I can with parchment, but you can use whatever you prefer and yes I definitely recommend using something to help with the sticking and transferring onto a serving platter.
Thank u so much for your reply! I will try the foil if that worked well for u :-)
This looks amazing! Do you think this would work as a muffin/ramekin recipe? If so, what (if any) tweaks would you suggest? As always, thanks for sharing such deliciousness! :)
Liz
This cake really is intended to be made as a large cake rather than as muffins. I would make it as written for best results.
Averie.
I baked this yummy cake for a friend’s birthday. It was a HUGE hit.
I’ve made several of your recipes and they are always so delicious
Thankyou so much for your wonderful blog
Sue
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for the nice compliments!
Hi Averie,
DV here again…i must tell you this cake is a big big big hit in my family…everyone just simply loves it….
I had two doubts
The recipe states 5 large eggs if we have to use medium eggs do we use 6 eggs.
And if on the carton it says Egg size medium-large,then do i stick to 5 or 6 eggs
Please advise need to bake it again
Thanks in advance for your help
DV
If your eggs are smaller than a what is called a ‘large egg’ then you may need to use an additional egg but since I’ve only made the recipe with large eggs, I can’t say for sure. Glad you love the cake.
Thank you for the recipe! Tres Leches cake is my mom’s favorite. I made your recipe for her birthday last year and again today for Mothers Day. Followed the directions exactly and they came out perfect each time. She loves hers with fresh thinly sliced strawberries on top!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad your mom loves this cake and so nice of you to make it for her!
Hi averie,
Second time success. ..god this cake is yummy in my tummy..?
Can we half this cake and prepare a smaller cake ?
Thanks in advance for your reply
DV
I think that you could probably halve the recipe and bake in a 8×8 or 9×9 pan. Haven’t tried it personally though. Glad you love this cake!
hi averie,,,i baked this cake and it was yummy,,,absolutely fantastic .i baked it for husband’s birthday(he does not really like sweet stuff…weird right:)) and he loved it !!!!in fact my entire family and friends loved it.the party was a hit thanks to your fab recipe…i have to bake it again for a friends birthday in two weeks…..i sprinkled it with cinnamon powder ,wow,,
thanks once again.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I am glad that it was a hit for his birthday with all your guests!
Hello Avie, I have a little tip for the next time you make it, to avoid the cake “suck” the 3 milk, let it cool, for about 1hr, then poke it, the cake will absorb it and let some of it remain on the bottom, also, you can add 2 tbs of dark rum to them, so it will bring an amazing scent and taste. I am from a latin country so this is a very traditional cake in here.