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 an EASY recipe your family will love! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or anytime you are craving THE BEST tres leches cake!
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 4-5 days, but note that the whipped cream topping will deflate over time. If you use Cool Whip or another whipped topping, not quite as much.
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). Although personally this isn’t a recipe I’d recommend for freezing.
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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.
Video
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, April 30, 2021, and May 3, 2024 with updated text.
Made this last night and it was excellent. We have a cuban restaurant we go to here and we love their tres leches. This recipe was equally as good. So glad to know I can make it at home now. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad my recipe was as good as the Cuban restaurant’s!
Hello, I tried it again today with 3 eggs + 1 yolk. And 3/4 cups sugar instead of 1 cup n it was THE best cake I’ve made so far. Made a mango tree leches for my Father-in-law n he absolutely loved it. Thank you 😊
Hi Avery,
So I noticed in one of your comments there was no need to use buttercream and fondant, however I’m making for a wedding and planned to make a hurrah with cream cheese and cover in fondant. Are you telling me this cake can not hold the buttercream and fondant?
Tres leches is a super super soft cake and really is not the cake I’d recommend adding buttercream and fondant to, as written. I am sure you can play around with it to get it to firm up to support what you want to do, but as written it’s cake soaked with the sweet milk mixture and is just too tender.
Can the tres leches cake be frozen prior to frosting? If so at what point before or after the milks have been added?
Hello, I made the cake today and it came out pretty okay. The only change I made was adding 4 eggs instead of 5. Although it wasnt bad, but still it was eggy. Any suggestions to get over with the eggy taste? Thanks in advance!
Hello, I made the cake today and it came out pretty okay. The only change I made was adding 4 eggs instead of 5. Although it wasnt bad, but still it was eggy. Any suggestions to get over with the eggy taste? Thanks in advance!
I have never had that issue with it so I can’t say for sure. Maybe you used XL or jumbo eggs rather than Large; or maybe your eggs are just really strong tasting and you might try a different brand.
Hello, I tried it again today with 3 eggs + 1 yolk. And 3/4 cups sugar instead of 1 cup n it was THE best cake I’ve made so far. Made a mango tree leches for my Father-in-law n he absolutely loved it. Thank you 😊
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was the best cake you’ve ever made! I bet the mango version was spectacular!
I’m currently in the process letting the cake cool but I’m so excited about this! It smells so yummy. I wanted to add for whoever is reading these reviews to really pay attention to your cake. Mine was done baking at 20 minutes. It totally depends on the quality of your oven, where it’s placed, and sea level! For example Im around 105 ft above sea level. Thank you Averie!
I’m currently in the process letting the cake cool but I’m so excited about this! It smells so yummy. I wanted to add for whoever is reading these reviews to really pay attention to your cake. Mine was done baking at 20 minutes. It totally depends on the quality of your oven, where it’s placed, and sea level! For example Im around 105 ft above sea level. Thank you Averie!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this smells great! But yes, good advice, always watch your item and pay more attention to what’s in front of you in the oven than approximate baking times given. My tres leches have never been done quite that fast but as you said, sea level, ingredients, oven quality, etc. Hope you enjoy it!
I made the Tres Leches cake but added fruit instead of the cinnamon, for Mother’s Day everyone loved it . My mother said it is the best she has ever had and this is her favorite cake. Thank you so much for shattering your recipe…..
I made the Tres Leches cake but added fruit instead of the cinnamon, for Mother’s Day everyone loved it . My mother said it is the best she has ever had and this is her favorite cake. Thank you so much for shattering your recipe…..
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was a Mother’s Day hit and that your mom said it was her favorite cake!
Me and my wife both love this decadent dessert. I’m a chocolate cake addict, but this is the best ever! Thanks Averie!
What about turning this into cupcakes??
Given the nature of what a super moist cake this is, and how the milk seeps into it, you’d have to be very particular when making the cupcakes and adding the milk mixture. For ease and simplicity, I never would personally. But it could be done if you are very patient and a competent baker.
I’ve made this cake 3 times now and each time its come out beautifully. Its my boyfriend’s favorite cake, I made it for his Birthday, for Valentines day and today he learned how to make it with me! (His first time baking or doing anything in the kitchen)
I usually leave it in the fridge overnight before frosting it so that it can soak up the milks but we were impatient today and ate it after 3 hours, and it was still so delicious! Thank you for the recipe, really easy to follow!
I’ve made this cake 3 times now and each time its come out beautifully. Its my boyfriend’s favorite cake, I made it for his Birthday, for Valentines day and today he learned how to make it with me! (His first time baking or doing anything in the kitchen)
I usually leave it in the fridge overnight before frosting it so that it can soak up the milks but we were impatient today and ate it after 3 hours, and it was still so delicious! Thank you for the recipe, really easy to follow!
Glad you love this cake and thanks for the five star review! How nice of you to help give your boyfriend a baking lessons as well.
I am planning on making this cake today. I have looked at several recipes and most call for butter in the cake mixture. I see this one does not call for ant butter. Is this a mistake or is this correct?
No mistakes in the recipe.