This Easy Tres Leches Cake is a delicious yellow cake that is soaked with a combinion of three different milks, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and evaporated milk. It is topped with a homemade whipped cream and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.
Tres Leches Cake is a great cake to make as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration, or as a part of a birthday celebration or special family dinner.
A Cake Soaked With Three Milks
I never thought that pouring the equilivant of over 6 cups of milk over top of a cake would ever be anything other than complete mush. However, I had tried these Tres Leches Muffins several years ago and decided that since they were a hit, then I should at least give this three milk soaked cake a try!
This reipe for Tres Leches Cake is a yellow cake base that is super easy to make. It is egg heavy, making it more of a sponge than many other cake recipes.
Tres Leches Cake: The Milk In The Recipe
Evaporated Milk is a stablized cow milk product that has had 60% of the water removed. It is similar to sweetened condensed milk with the exception of sugar. It is a milk used in a lot of baking and was very popular during the time before the time of refigeration.
Sweetened Condensed Milk is very similar to evaporated milk, except it has added sugar. It goes through the same process of having 60% of the water removed and is also shelf stable. It is a popular ingredient in a lot of baking recipes. One of my favortite recipes with this ingredient is 7 Layer Cookie Bars.
Whole Milk is milk as it comes straight from the cow before it is processed (pasteurization and/or homogenization).
Equipment Needed To Make Easy Tres Leches Cake
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Electric Hand Mixer, I have this brand (and have used it over 30 years!)
Mixing Bowls, you will need a large mixing bowl to mix the cake and another for the whipping cream.
9x13 cake pan, I use a glass cake pan like this one. I love it has a lid so I can bake and store the cake without transferring it to another dish.
Table fork
Tips and Substitutions
- When making the whipped cream, be sure the bowl is clean and chilled. A metal bowl is best as it will hold the chill while mixing the cream.
- Be sure the cake is completely cooled before poking the holes.
- A table fork is great for poking the holes into the cake. Poke several holes (see photo) to ensure the milk seeps down into them all over the cake.
- Allow the cake to sit at least 4 hours or longer (if possible) before serving. The longer the cake sits, the more the milk will absorb.
- There may be some milk in the bottom of the cake pan. This is ok, it will continue to soak into the cake as it sits.
- Top the cake with the whipped cream just prior to serving.
Other Easy Cake Recipes You May Enjoy
Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
Classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake
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Easy Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 2 cups whole milk
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the cake batter into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely. Pierce the cake with a fork over the entire top surface.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk.
- Pour the milk mixture over top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Prior to serving, using an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy and the cream holds its shape. Spread over top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Store in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
Tips and Substitutions
- When making the whipped cream, be sure the bowl is clean and chilled. A metal bowl is best as it will hold the chill while mixing the cream.
- Be sure the cake is completely cooled before poking the holes.
- A table fork is great for poking the holes into the cake. Poke several holes (see photo) to ensure the milk seeps down into them all over the cake.
- Allow the cake to sit at least 4 hours or longer (if possible) before serving. The longer the cake sits, the more the milk will absorb.
- There may be some milk in the bottom of the cake pan. This is ok, it will continue to soak into the cake as it sits.
- Top the cake with the whipped cream just prior to serving.
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