Tres leches cake is famous for its decadently moist layers, soaked in a trio of creamy milks that give it a luxurious texture unlike any other dessert. Originating from Latin America, this sweet treat embodies the spirit of indulgence and festivity. Enjoy this treat during a celebration like Cinco de Mayo or Dia de los Muertos, or any other festive occasion where a touch of sweetness and cultural tradition adds to the joy of the gathering.
Quick Tips for Tres Leches Cake
First of all, don’t take shortcuts and make a standard white cake or box cake mix as the base for your recipe. The reason you need to follow the steps and make an egg-heavy cake recipe is so it can stand up against being soaked in the three-milk syrup. A standard white cake will just turn into soggy mush.
Make sure you’re using real Mexican vanilla for the best flavor! If you’re not planning a trip to Mexico any time soon, try visiting your local shops that sell authentic Mexican goods.
Tres Leches Cake Ingredients
- For the Cake Layers:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 whole large eggs, separated
- 1 cup sugar, divided into 3/4 and 1/4 cups
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- For the Syrup:
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- Frosting & Decor:
- One small container of whipped topping (like Cool wEhip)
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
Preheat Oven to 350F. Put parchment paper in the bottom of two 8″ round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt then set it aside.
Separate 5 eggs into two more large bowls, egg yolks into one and egg whites into the other. Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow. Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1.5 tsp vanilla extract.
Pour the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture, then mix it until just combined.
With your electric mixer, beat the egg whites on a high speed until they form soft peaks; this will take about 1 minute.
With the mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup of sugar and then beat it on a high speed until the egg whites are stiff.
Gently fold egg whites into the yolk & flour mixture until it is just barely combined.
Divide the finished batter evenly between two 8” round cake pans and bake it at 350˚F for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Release the cake from the sides of the pan and then turn it out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Once the cakes have cooled, trim the edges with a serrated knife and flatten the tops out.
Prep the 3-milk syrup:
Stir together ¼ cup of evaporated milk, ⅓ cup of sweetened condensed milk and ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream.
Assembling the Cake:
Place one of the cake layers on a platter. Using a fork, poke all over the top of the cake, going all the way to the edges. Use a spoon to pour on half of the tres leches syrup. Let the cake stand and absorb the syrup and then add whipped topping to the top of this first layer.
Stack your second cake on top of the first layer and repeat the previous steps, poke the top of the cake, spoon the rest of your syrup on top and then add a generous layer of whipped topping and sliced strawberries to finish the cake.
Store the cake in your fridge until you’re ready to serve.
More Cinco De Mayo Party Ideas and Tips
Have you noticed that Cinco de Mayo is being celebrated more and more in the USA in recent years? We recently took a trip to Mexico and learned that it’s a fairly Americanized holiday that’s celebrated to a lesser degree in Mexico.
It seems to be an American celebration of Mexican heritage, culture and food, which makes this cake a great recipe for you to consider adding to your party menu.
Historically, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla.
While you’re planning your Cinco de Mayo party, don’t forget some Mexican games like Loteria (a Mexican bingo game suggested to us by our pal Xochitl, who was working at the Iberostar Punta Mita).
To heighten the ambiance of your event, consider grabbing some of these Papel Picado banners to decorate with. Traditionally, they’re cut from paper by hand, but you can easily buy them online these days.
Final Thoughts
Tres leches cake is such a delicate balance of ingredients and techniques. This recipe was inspired by discussion around tres leches cake with chef Christian Napoles in Punta Mita. By incorporating traditional methods with a touch of modern flair, we aim to honor the culinary heritage while making it accessible for home cooks like me!
Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
- bowls
- spoons
- Measuring cups
- 2 8" round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Spatula
- Electric mixer
- cake plate
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 whole large eggs separated
- 1 cup sugar divided into 3/4 and 1/4 cups
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
For the Syrup:
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting & Decor:
- One small container of whipped topping like Cool wEhip
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350F. Put parchment paper in the bottom of two 8″ round cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt then set it aside.
- Separate 5 eggs into two more large bowls, egg yolks into one and egg whites into the other. Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until the yolks are pale yellow. Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1.5 tsp vanilla extract.
- Pour the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture, then mix it until just combined.
- With your electric mixer, beat the egg whites on a high speed until they form soft peaks; this will take about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup of sugar and then beat it on a high speed until the egg whites are stiff.
- Gently fold egg whites into the yolk & flour mixture until it is just barely combined. Divide the finished batter evenly between two 8” round cake pans and bake it at 350˚F for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Release the cake from the sides of the pan and then turn it out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once the cakes have cooled, trim the edges with a serrated knife and flatten the tops out.
- Prep the 3-milk syrup:
- Stir together ¼ cup of evaporated milk, ⅓ cup of sweetened condensed milk and ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream.
- Assembling the Cake:
- Place one of the cake layers on a platter. Using a fork, poke all over the top of the cake, going all the way to the edges. Use a spoon to pour on half of the tres leches syrup. Let the cake stand and absorb the syrup and then add whipped topping to the top of this first layer.
- Stack your second cake on top of the first layer and repeat the previous steps, poke the top of the cake, spoon the rest of your syrup on top and then add a generous layer of whipped topping and sliced strawberries to finish the cake.
- Store the cake in your fridge until you’re ready to serve.
