Delicious Tres Leches cake recipe. Three milks cake with cool whip and strawberries. Rich, sweet, milk cake recipe for all skill levels.
It was only a couple of years ago that I was first introduced to Tres Leches cake. Moving to our new duty station, we made a few new friends and I was lucky enough that both wonderful ladies would bring this cake to holiday events.
I was instantly hooked on this cake! It was time for me to put this recipe in my own dessert rotation.
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The sweetness of the milk and the perfect amount of liquid, makes this cake moist, but not heavy or soggy.
So if I can learn to make this amazingly delicious cake, so can you!
TRES LECHES CAKE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 cup plus ½ cup sugar (divided)
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 14 oz condensed milk
- ⅔ cup whole milk
Topping
- Cool Whip
- Strawberries
- Toasted coconut flakes (optional)
MAKE YOUR CAKE SPONGE
Preheat your oven to 350°. Separate your egg whites from the egg yokes.
Place your egg yokes in a mixing bowl or KitchenAid. Beat egg yokes for 2-3 minutes on medium high. Add pineapple juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 ¼ cup flour, sifting the flour in ¼ cup at a time. Mixing it in with a spatula. Set aside.
In clean KitchenAid bowl or mixing bowl beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Between 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar to egg whites. Mix.
Add egg white mixture to yoke mixture. Using a spatula, carefully fold them together.
Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in your cake mixture. Bake for 25-35 minutes.
*Fun fact- I love watching The Great British Baking Show and on one season a contestant said he would listen to his cakes to know when they were ready. If you hear a lot of bubbles, the cake isn’t quite ready. If you hear a few bubbles, the cake is ready. Believe it or not, but I have started listening to my cakes and he’s absolutely right! Give it a try. Just make sure the dishwasher isn’t going. The bubbles are very quiet.
POKE HOLES INTO CAKE
Once your cake is done, poke holes in the top using a fork or skewer. This will allow the milk mixture to spread throughout the cake. Allow cake to cool.
THREE MILKS
Tres Leches means three milks. In a large bowl combine 12 oz evaporated milk, 14 oz condensed milk and 2/3 cup whole milk. Whisk together and pour over the cake taking care to get around the edges. While whole milk is best I’ve also used 2% just because that’s what we had on hand.
Set your cake in the refrigerator and allow the milk to soak into the cake. At least 2 hours, but overnight tastes even better. Add your whip cream and top with your favorite fruit.
TRES LECHES TOPPINGS
Tres Leches can either be topped with Cool Whip or homemade whip cream. The benefit of using Cool Whip is that it is a bit more stable if you’re making this for a BBQ or gathering where it might be out for 20-30 minutes.
Although, if you’ll be serving this at home where it can be popped back into the refrigerator, then homemade whip cream is delicious and very light.
Homemade whip cream
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2-3 TBS sugar granulated
We love homemade whip cream! Using either a KitchenAid or electric mixer, pour in heavy cream and mix on medium high speed. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 2-3 TBS sugar granulated sugar. Continue to mix until medium to stiff peaks form.
Be sure to watch it closely. If it begins to curdle you’ve gone too far. If you do notice this happening you might be able to save it by add a little more heavy cream and mixing it on low.
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Fruit
Our favorite topping is fresh strawberries with toasted coconut flakes, but you can also use:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pineapple
- Rasberries
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Cinnamon
Tres Leches might feel a little intimidating at first, but once you make it a time or two you’ll be hooked on how delicious, and easy, this recipe can really be.
So be brave! Try something new and be the one to bring Tres Leches to the holiday party.
Best Wishes,
Sara
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup sugar (divided)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 14 oz condensed milk
- 2/3 cup whole milk
Topping
- Fresh fruit
- Cool whip or homemade whip cream
Homemade whip cream
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 TBS granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Place your egg yokes in a mixing bowl or KitchenAid. Beat egg yokes for 2-3 minutes on medium high.
- Add ½ cup pineapple juice, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup sugar.
- Add 1 ¼ cup flour, sifting the flour in ¼ cup at a time. Mixing with a spatula. Set aside.
- In clean KitchenAid bowl or mixing bowl beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Between 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar to egg whites.
- Add egg white mixture to yoke mixture. Using a spatula, carefully fold them together.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in your cake mixture. Bake for 25-35 minutes.
- Once your cake is done, poke holes in the top using a fork or skewer.
- Allow cake to cool
- In a large bowl combine 12 oz evaporated milk, 14 oz condensed milk and ⅔ cup whole milk. Whisk together and pour over the cake, taking care to get around the edges.
- Set your cake in the refrigerator and allow the milk to soak into the cake. At least 2 hours, but overnight tastes even better.
- Add your whipped cream and top with your favorite fruit.
Homemade whip cream
- Pour 1 pint heavy whipping cream into a bowl and mix on medium high speed.
- Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 2-3 TBS granulated sugar. Continue to mix until medium to stiff peaks form.
- Add your whip cream, top with fresh fruit. Chill and serve.
Notes
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pineapple
- Rasberries
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Cinnamon
- The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will very based on different brands of ingredients that are used along with cooking methods.
Nutrition
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