Tres Leches Cake
This Tres Leches Cake is a light, airy sponge cake soaked in a mixture of three kinds of milk, then finished with a soft blanket of whipped cream. Every bite is cool, milky, and just sweet enough, and it only gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. It is simple, make ahead friendly, and always gets asked about at every potluck, birthday, and Sunday dinner.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish Glass recommended so you can see the cake browning evenly
- Stand mixer or hand mixer Used for whipping egg whites, beating yolks, and whipping cream
- Two large mixing bowls One for egg yolks, one for egg whites
- Whisk For mixing dry ingredients and the milk mixture
- Rubber spatula For gently folding ingredients
- Wooden skewer or fork For poking holes in the cake
- Fine-mesh sieve For sifting dry ingredients
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Offset spatula For spreading whipped cream evenly without tearing the cake
Ingredients
For the Sponge Cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour 120g
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs separated, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g, divided
- 0.333 cup whole milk 80ml
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Mexican vanilla recommended
For the Three Milk Soaking Mixture
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 1 can, 354ml
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 can, 397g
- 0.25 cup heavy cream 60ml, divided
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream 240ml, remaining
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
For Garnish
- ground cinnamon Ceylon cinnamon recommended, for dusting
Optional Serving Suggestions
- fresh strawberries sliced, for serving
- mango diced, for serving
- mixed berries for serving
- dulce de leche for drizzling
- vanilla ice cream for serving
- toasted coconut flakes for sprinkling over whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish generously with butter or nonstick spray, then lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs, placing yolks in a large bowl and whites in a separate clean, dry bowl. Beat yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until pale yellow and thickened. Add whole milk and vanilla, mix on low just until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture in two batches, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain; do not overmix.
- Using a clean, completely dry bowl and whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar while beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Add about a third of the whipped egg whites into the batter, folding gently to lighten. Fold in remaining egg whites in two more additions, just until no white streaks remain. Batter should be light, airy, and pale yellow.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly when touched. Cool in pan for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 cup heavy cream in a large measuring cup or bowl until fully combined and smooth.
- While cake is still just warm, poke holes all over the surface with a wooden skewer or fork, spacing about 1 inch apart. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake in sections, allowing liquid to soak in evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Once cake is fully chilled, beat remaining 1 cup heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft, billowy peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Spread whipped cream evenly over the top of the chilled cake using an offset spatula. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon. Slice into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- Make sure your egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks for the lightest, spongiest texture.
- Poke the cake while it is still slightly warm so the milk soaks in more evenly.
- Pour the milk mixture slowly and in stages rather than all at once to ensure even soaking.
- Chill the cake for at least 3 hours, but overnight gives the best flavor and texture.
- Use a completely grease-free, dry bowl when whipping egg whites, since any fat will prevent them from reaching stiff peaks.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the cake in its baking dish, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, to prevent it from drying out or absorbing fridge odors.
- This cake is not recommended for freezing once it has been soaked and topped with whipped cream. If you want to freeze ahead, freeze the plain baked sponge cake before soaking, then thaw and soak it the day you plan to serve.
- Always serve this cake cold, straight from the refrigerator.
- Whole milk can be used in place of heavy cream in the soaking mixture, though the texture will be slightly less rich.
- Variations: Add cocoa powder to the sponge for chocolate tres leches, use coconut milk in place of one of the milks for coconut tres leches, layer with sliced strawberries for strawberry tres leches, swirl dulce de leche into the milk mixture, or add a pinch of cinnamon to the batter for cinnamon spiced tres leches.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 140mgSugar: 29g
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