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.
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!
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. 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! 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.
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! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! 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.
