Tres Leches Cake is a traditional Latin American dessert that consists of a sponge cake soaked in three types of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. It’s a moist and decadent treat perfect for any celebration.
The name “Tres Leches” means “three milks” in Spanish, referring to the three types of milk used to soak the cake, giving it its signature moist and creamy texture.
Yes, because of the dairy content, this cake should be refrigerated. It’s best served cold and can be stored in the fridge for up to 4–5 days.
Absolutely! In fact, Tres Leches Cake tastes even better after it’s had several hours—or overnight—in the fridge, allowing the milks to fully soak into the cake.
Yes, you can substitute the three traditional milks with plant-based alternatives like almond, coconut, and oat milk. However, the texture and flavor may differ slightly from the classic version.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 5 units eggs separated
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 1 can
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 can
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream for topping
- 1 cup white sugar for topping
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
- Cream butter and 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add flour mixture to the batter, alternating with 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the batter gently.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Check cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean.
- Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and 1 cup heavy cream. Pour this mixture over the warm cake until it is absorbed.
- To make the topping, whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until thick.
- Spread over the cake and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy your Tres Leches Cake!
Nutrition
⭐ Top Tips for Tres Leches Cake
1. Use a sturdy sponge cake.
Choose a sponge or genoise-style cake with minimal fat (no butter or oil). These cakes are best at absorbing the milk mixture without becoming soggy.
2. Poke lots of holes.
Use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over the cake before pouring on the milk mixture. This helps the liquid soak in evenly and completely.
3. Pour the milk slowly.
Add the milk mixture gradually, allowing the cake to absorb it bit by bit. Pouring too fast can lead to overflow or uneven soaking.
4. Chill overnight.
Letting the cake sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours—or overnight—intensifies the flavor and ensures the texture is perfectly moist and creamy.
5. Add whipped cream just before serving.
For the freshest topping, whip and spread the cream just before serving, or within a few hours of presentation. Optionally, garnish with cinnamon, fruit, or toasted coconut.
Very tasty, but the heavy cream is way too much for me.
Too much cream? No such thing! Just enjoy it, it’s a tres leches cake. The cream makes it special!
I agree, the amount of heavy cream is a lot! Maybe next time I’ll try it with less. Still tasted great though!
Simply delightful! Perfect for parties! 🎉
I found the recipe too complicated. Maybe reduce the steps?
Yum! I put strawberries on top, best decision ever! 🍓
Strawberries sound so good! I never thought of that, thanks for the idea! 🍰🍓
I dunno about strawberries on tres leches, it’s a lil weird. Like, isn’t it too liquidy for that? 🤔
Great recipe! The only thing I changed was I added a bit of cinnamon. So good!
Cinnamon?! That sounds interesting, I bet it adds a nice twist!
I don’t know if cinnamon belongs in tres leches, but whatever works for you! 😂
I love Tres Leches Cake! Best dessert! 💖
This cake is SO GOOD! My family loved it! 😍
Amazing! I used coconut cream instead of heavy cream!
Tres Leches? Isn’t that just tres leches? Whatevs.
I don’t know what I did wrong, the cake fell apart. 😢
It was okay, but not worth all the effort. Just buy a cake.
I actually love making this cake! It’s a bit of effort, but the taste is worth it. There’s nothing like the homemade version! 😍
I dunno, I think it’s one of those fancy cakes that just tastes better when someone else makes it. 🙄
I don’t know about this recipe. Does it really need that much milk? Seems like a soggy cake to me.
MY KIDS went crazy for it! I doubled the sugar tho, coz why not? Sugar is life! 🥳
Was expecting a more buttery taste. It’s ok but next time I would try adding more sugar in the mix maybe?
Buttery? I don’t think this cake is supposed to be like that. Tres leches is more about the milk! You added too much sugar and it changes the flavor.
I totally get what you’re saying! The cake is super moist, but I think it could use a lil’ more sugar for sweetness too. Maybe a drizzle of honey on top would be nice!
Yum! Super moist! But holy cow, so much sugar! I felt like I was on a sugar high 😂
I know, right? But it’s so good! Just need to balance it out with some veggies or something 😂
I don’t get all the hype around this cake. It was okay, but not special. Maybe I did something wrong?
I totally get you! Tres Leches can be kinda bland if you don’t get it just right. Maybe try adding some fruit on top next time?
Honestly, it’s just cake. People act like it’s food from heaven but it’s just soggy bread to me. You’re not alone!
Tres leches? I thought that meant three kinds of milk! Turns out it’s just two and cream!? What’s up with that?
I don’t know why they call it ‘tres leches.’ I added more milk and it turned out too soggy!
You definitely need to stick to the recipe! Adding more milk will just make it a mushy mess. Try following it next time!
Haha, soggy cake! That sounds like a disaster! But tres leches is supposed to be moist. Maybe try it again without the extra milk?
Tres leches sounds fancy but I made it in a regular pan and it worked fine. Just adjust baking time! 😄
We loved the cake but it was really wet. A bit too much milk maybe? Idk. Just a thought!