Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

A square slice of pumpkin cake with a thick layer of whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon on a beige plate.

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

🍁🥮 A tender pumpkin sponge cake with a rich three-milk mixture that soaks into it for the moistest cake ever! Topped with vanilla whipped cream and cinnamon, this cake is the pumpkin spice version of classic tres leches cake! And excellent entertaining cake all fall or make it for Thanksgiving dessert! Baking shortcut options are also provided to save time and energy.

Prep Time1

Cook Time25

Soaking Time6

Course: Cakes & Cupcakes, Dessert

Keyword: pumpkin tres leches cake, tres leches cake with pumpkin, tres leches pumpkin cake

Servings:

Calories: 336cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or to taste
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
5 large eggs separated
1 cup granulated sugar divided
¾ cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
⅓ cup whole milk
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Tres Leches Mixture

12 ounces 1 can evaporated milk
14 ounces 1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup whole milk half-and-half may be used for a richer option
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt

Whipped Topping

1 ½ cups heavy cream must be cold (do not substitute with another type of dairy)
3-4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar sifted if lumpy
½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon optional for dusting

Instructions

Cake Shortcut: Make a spice cake with pumpkin puree like I do in this Pumpkin Poke Cake, using the same measurements. Bake it, cool it, poke it, and then carry on with making and adding the Tres Leches Mixture and Whipped Topping as outlined below.
Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Pumpkin Cake: To a large bowl, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking, soda, salt, whisk to combine; set aside.
Flavoring Tip - Add the pumpkin pie spice to taste, and many times I'll add additional ground cinnamon and ground ginger because I like those flavors the most but it's up to you and personal taste preferences.
Separate the Eggs: Use 3 bowls to separate the 5 eggs. One bowl to crack into, one for yolks, one for whites, so that one bad egg or bad cracking doesn't ruin the whole batch.
Tips - Crack eggs when they're cold and straight from the fridge because the yolks are less likely to break. Not a single drop of yolk can get into the whites, or they won't whip properly. Make sure your mixing bowls are EXTREMELY clean. Any residual grease, natural oils, etc. are bad for whipping eggs. Eggs whip best when they're room temp so if you want to wait a bit between cracking and whipping, you can.
Beat Yolks: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer, add the 5 egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until pale and thick; about 3-4 minutes.
Tips - This takes a few minutes, and it matters because the air you build here is part of what gives the sponge its light texture. Don't rush it.
Add the pumpkin purée, milk, vanilla, and beat to incorporate, about 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, and stir by hand or beat on low just until combined; don't overmix or cake will be tougher. Set aside.
Beat Egg Whites: To a separate separate medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, about 5-10 minutes depending on your mixer and speed.
Tips - Soft peaks aren't enough. The whites need to hold their shape firmly before they go into the batter. Stiff, glossy peaks that don't droop when you lift the beaters are what you're looking for. Room temp egg whites whip easier than cold but by now they're likely at room temp. Make sure your bowl is fastidiously clean because any residual grease or natural oil will prevent stiff peaks from forming; as will any drop of egg yolk.
Sugar: Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat it into the stiff peaks.
Fold Carefully and Gently: Gently fold the egg whites into the pumpkin batter and do not overmix.
You don't want to deflate those glorious egg whites that you've taken the time to whisk to stiff peaks because this is what's going to keep your cake light and spongy.
Bake: Turn out the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is fully set and the top is springy to the touch. Rotate pan once midway through baking for even browning. Start checking at about 20 minutes.
Cool: You must cool the cake fully. Depending on your climate and kitchen temp, this may take 1 hour or 6 hours. Hard to say, but it needs to be fully cooled because a warm cake absorbs the milk mixture too fast on the surface and not evenly throughout. Whereas a fully cooled cake soaks gradually and evenly all the way through.
Poke: Poke the cooled cake all over with a skewer (wooden or metal) or the tines of a fork. Make a lot of little holes, I'd say about 100; poke down nearly to the base of the cake but don't go to the very bottom.
Tres Leches Mixture: To a medium bowl or 4-cup glass measuring cup, add all the ingredients.
Whisk well to combine.
Pour: Slowly pour the three milk mixture over the cake, letting it absorb gradually as you're pouring. Don't rush.
Soak and Set: Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, which is why this is such a great make-ahead dessert. You can make it up to 48 hours before you plan to serve it.
Tips - Overnight is optimal because the tres leches mixture distributes fully, the texture sets, and the spices meld into something that tastes completely different from a cake that's only had a few hours resting.
Whipped Topping Shortcut: Use at least 1 tub or thawed Cool Whip or a similar type of whipped topping (store brand) and if you like a lot Cool Whip like m, you may need to use about half of a second tub. You can use lite or fat free if preferred.
Whipped Cream: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer, add the cold heavy cream and beat for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens. Gently fold in the sugar to taste, vanilla, and beat to incorporate.
Spread: Evenly spread the whipped cream or whipped topping over the surface of your chilled cake lightly with a spatula or offset spatula.
Cinnamon Dusting, optional for serving: If desired, evenly sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top.
Serving: Slice and serve your cake making sure to spoon any unabsorbed tres leches mixture from the bottom of the cake pan to the pieces of cake.

Video

Notes

Storage: This cake must be stored airtight in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4-5 days. It actually gets better over the first couple of days as the soak continues to distribute and the flavors deepen.

Nutrition