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Layered Tres Leches Cake is everything you love about the classic tres leches cake but it’s stunning as a layered cake. This is one of my favorite cakes. A.ma.zing. It’s super moist, not too sweet and incredibly satisfying. We usually make it as a single layer sheet cake but I’ve had so many questions about turning this into a layered tres leches cake that I couldn’t resist.
It worked out beautifully and would make an excellent special occasion cake. I took this cake to my sisters house and brought the cake platter home clean :). Kids seem to really love this cake too. I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients for Layered Tres Leches Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour *measured correctly
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 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup 2% or whole milk
Syrup:
8 oz (about 2/3 of a 12 oz can) evaporated milk
9 oz (about 2/3 of a 14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting & Decor:
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 lb fresh strawberries
How to Make Tres Leches Cake Layers:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour two 9″ round cake pans
1. Set up 3 mixing bowls: 1 medium and 2 large bowls. In the medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
2. Separate eggs into the other two large bowls. Egg yolks into one and egg whites into the other. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow (approx 2 min). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
3. Pour flour mixture over your egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed with the mixer until just combined.
4. With a clean, dry whisk, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (1 minute). With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff but not dry (1 minute).
5. Gently fold egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture until just combined. Divide evenly between two cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temp.
6. When cakes have cooled, trim the edges with a serrated knife to even out the edges.
Prep the 3-milk syrup:
1. In a large measuring cup with a pouring lip, stir together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
Assembling the Layered Tres Leches Cake:
1. Place one of the layers, flat side down, on a cake platter. Using a fork, poke the top all around, going all the way to the edges and poke through the depth of the cake. Use a spoon to pour on half of the 3-milk syrup. Let cake stand and absorb the syrup while you beat the frosting (see instructions below).
2 Generously frost the top of your first layer, then arrange sliced strawberries over the top of your frosting.
3. Your next cake layer will be placed with the flat side up; so before putting it over the strawberries, use a fork to poke the flat surface all around, going to the edges. Now place your poked cake top over the strawberries.
4. Spoon the remaining half of the 3-milk syrup evenly over your top layer. Let cake stand 10-15 minutes for the syrup to soak in for easier frosting.
5. Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth out frosting with a cake spatula. I decorated the top with halved strawberries, placed at an angle around the top border of the cake. It was simple and just perfect.
How to Make the Frosting
1. For best results with whipping cream, freeze your mixing bowl and egg beaters or whisk attachment for 15 minutes. Make sure your whipping cream is very cold.
2. Beat 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream and 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar on high speed until thick and spreadable (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Don’t overbeat or it will turn buttery. Refrigerate Tres Leches cake until ready to use.
Recipe Originally adapted from Ree Drummond’s tres leches sheet cake. Ree is an amazing, genuine and hilarious blogger; definitely one of my role models. If you haven’t yet discovered her, you’re missing out big!
Layered 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 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup 2% or whole milk
For the Syrup:
- 8 oz about 2/3 of a 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 9 oz about 2/3 of a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting & Decor:
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
Instructions
How to Make the Cake Layers: Preheat Oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9" round cake pans
- Set up 3 mixing bowls: 1 medium and 2 large bowls. In the medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
- Separate eggs into the other two large bowls. Egg yolks into one and egg whites into the other. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow (approx 2 min). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Pour flour mixture over your egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed with the mixer until just combined.
- With a clean, dry whisk, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (1 minute). With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff but not dry (1 minute).
- Gently fold egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture until just combined. Divide evenly between two cake pans and bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temp.
- When cakes have cooled, trim the edges with a serrated knife to even out the edges.
Prep the 3-milk syrup:
- In a large measuring cup with a pouring lip, stir together the evaporated milk, the sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
Assembling the Cake:
- Place one of the layers, flat side down, on a cake platter. Using a fork, poke the top all around, going all the way to the edges and poke through the depth of the cake. Use a spoon to pour on half of the 3-milk syrup. Let cake stand and absorb the syrup while you beat the frosting (see instructions below).
- Generously frost the top of your first layer, then arrange sliced strawberries over the top of your frosting.
- Your next cake layer will be placed with the flat side up; so before putting it over the strawberries, use a fork to poke the flat surface all around, going to the edges. Now place your poked cake top over the strawberries.
- Spoon the remaining half of the 3-milk syrup evenly over your top layer. Let cake stand 10-15 minutes for the syrup to soak in for easier frosting.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth out frosting with a cake spatula. I decorated the top with halved strawberries, placed at an angle around the top border of the cake. It was simple and just perfect.
How to Make the Frosting
- For best results with whipping cream, freeze your mixing bowl and egg beaters or whisk attachment for 15 minutes. Make sure your whipping cream is very cold.
- Beat 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream and 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar on high speed until thick and spreadable (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes). Don't overbeat or it will turn buttery. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Y’all have to try this one soon. It’s really really tasty! Have an awesome weekend, friends :).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hello! I was wondering if I could use my ten inch pans for double the recipe.
Hi Mackenzie, I haven’t tried this recipe in that size pan, but I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide.
I forgot to add the extra 1/4cup sugar – will it be ok?
Trying this today – I hope the extra sugar that I forgot will not affect it too much
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried it completely without sugar to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I made one yesterday for the family, and oh my! It was quickly gone. I’m making it again today for my cousins birthday. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Raissa!
Hi Natasha,
I have made this cake earlier too, and everyone loves it… I just baked another one for a friend’s birthday, but the cakes deflated… I used two 8 inches pan… Can you please tell me, what possibly would have gone wrong? Many thanks 🙏🏻
Hi Romi! I used 9” pans for this. If the cake tin is too small, often times this can cause the batter to deflate or collapse in the middle. It would also require longer baking time since the batter would be thicker. Other reasons could be if the oven is not hot enough, the cake will rise and then fall if it’s not set in the center yet- which could also be the result or using a smaller tin, it needed additional baking time.
It’s normal to have a little bit of shrinkage since it’s a sponge cake, but not much. I would also ensure you’re getting stiff peaks with the egg whites and gently fold the egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture until just combined. If you over-mix the batter, it will deflate.
I hope that helps. You may consider using an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure you’re oven is heating correctly.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for your quick reply. My oven is pretty big, so don’t think that should be a problem… But may be for 8 inches pan, I should reduce the proportions a bit… And I baked the cake for 20 mins because the cake was cooked through… Should I have kept it for longer even though the cake was well baked?
If the cake was fully baked through, then there is no need to bake it longer. You can try to reduce the proportions if you’re using a smaller pan to see if that helps.
Would do that next time, thanks! But all in all the cake was again a big hit, and it got over in few minutes ☺️… a have tried many of your cakes, and all the cakes are always a big hit… thanks a lot Natasha for sharing such amazing and supremely delicious cake recipes… all love to you ❤️❤️❤️🥰
Can’t wait to try! Can these be made as cupcakes? I would love to make them as a cake and as cupcakes.
Hi Jessica! Yes, you could make cupcakes with it. I have a cupcake version of this recipe in my new cookbook, Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook that uses this very similar recipe. Bake them at 350 for 15-20 mins.
Do you think this would work with 1:1 gluten free flour? I’ve made it with regular flour but I’ve gotten a request for a gf version. ☺️
Hi Toni! I haven’t tested GF flour. One of my viewers said, “I substituted gluten free baking mix instead of flour, and it still turned out perfect!” I hope that helps, thank you.
My favourite cake and am trying it for the first time for a friends birthday. Could you add a third layer or would that be too heavy?
Hi Moyra! Because it’s a wet cake, it may be a bit too heavy or hard to serve without falling apart.
A favorite young man requested tres leches cake for his birthday. I’m posting here to say that I used 2 round 8″ pans for the layers, and it worked out perfectly! I used Wilton pans that are 2″ high; I think any less than that would be problematic.
Hi, I’ve made this before and it’s delicious! But I’m wondering if I could replace the 1/3 cup of milk with almond milk?
Hi Priscilla! I haven’t tested it myself, but I think that would be fine.
Family begs me to bring this cake to every occasion. They all love it and all say it’s the perfect amount of sweetness. We’ve all had our fair share of Tres leches in our lifetime and I’m so happy everyone loves this homemade recipe! I first tried the single layer and it served its purpose but always found myself making 2 cakes to ensure all were fed. Was so glad I found the layered cake. The only thing I do differently is that once I release the cakes from the pan, I put them back in the pan and add the milks. I let them soak in the pan and I found that this best distributes and absorbs the milks. I tried doing it outside of the pan the first time and the edges were a bit dry. Other than that I stick to the recipe and decorate to my liking.
Great tip, Edith! Thank you so much for sharing that with us. I’m so glad this recipe is being enjoyed.
Edith..may i ask..do you poke holes in your cakes, before you spoon over the milks? How long do you leave in tins?
Hi Debbi,
I poke holes covering every inch of the cake, and let it soak in the pans for 24 hours, although I’m sure less time would be fine.
I have no clue what type of frosting is actually used for the pictures but it’s definitely not the recipe unless it’s frozen. This was a hot mess and I don’t mean temperature. Ruined a cake for a client.
Hi Adina! It’s whipped cream frosting made with heavy cream. This recipe has had great success and it is the same frosting you see in the images above (not frozen). I am not sure what caused your issue. I would be more than happy to help troubleshoot if you can provide some information. This is not a very stable frosting like buttercream.
Hi Adina,
I highly recommend using stabilized whipped cream instead of the plain whipped cream frosting mentioned in this recipe. I added 3 oz mascarpone for every cup of heavy whipping cream. I first mixed a small amount of cream with the mascarpone before pouring the rest of it in. I also used powdered sugar for the whipped cream frosting instead of granulated, although this may make not much of a difference. I would whip the cream until it’s on the stiffer side, although make sure to stop before it becomes over-whipped (whipping with a whisk instead of an electronic mixer near the end may help with preventing this).
Additionally, refrigerating the cake after frosting for several hours helped to stabilize the frosting and layers.
I have never made or tasted a TRES LECHE CAKE before, but my son’s Wedding was November 25, and my new daughter-in-law in from the Dominican Republic, and that’s the cake she requested I make for their wedding.
I was extremely nervous because I was making a 3 Tier Wedding cake, bit it turned out perfectly. One quest stated, “It’s so good, I don’t want to swallow it!”😊
Although, I made some adjustments, I love ❤️ this recipe. I wish I could post a picture 📸.
I’m so happy it was a hit! Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ronnie! Feel free to post your photo on social media and tag us or use #natashaskitchen
Hi Ronnie! I am making this cake for my sister’s wedding and also wanted to do 3 layers. Can I ask what adjustments you made, and any tips for the layering to make sure it doesn’t fall apart?
Hello. I’ve made this recipe a ton of times and it’s turned out to be amazing every time!
However this time I need to make a much smaller cake. Maybe 5 or 6 inch.
How many cups of batter does the original recipe yield? If I exactly halve the recipe, can I bake it in one go in a six inch removable base pan? Or should I do two fifths/ using two eggs?
Hi Noama! I have not tested this in different size pans to advise on adjusting the quantities. You’d have to experiment with it.
I have made this cake over 50 times, but for some reason my cakes are sinking when they come out of the oven. they rise beautifully but when they come out they “shrivel/sink” I just started having this problem and cannot seem to figure out the issue.
Hi Novella! Are you using a smaller pan by chance? Sometimes this can happen if there is too much batter for the size of pan. Sponge cakes contain a large amount of air, when they cool after baking they do deflate more than other types of cakes. Something that might help is to cool them upside down on a cooling wrack.
Hello Natasha!
I apologize, I did not see your reply until now. I actually was using a bigger pan. So I increased my cooking time and that helped (I got an oven thermometer and discovered my temperatures are off). I am going to decrease the amount of batter I put in as well. That will allow me to have another layer :). Thank you for your feedback!
Do you have a gas oven? The ‘moist’ heat makes ‘sinking’ a problem.
Linda, Yes I have a gas oven. I did not know this. Is there anything I can do?
Hi! If i made this using three 6 inch pans would i have enough batter? Also how much of the milk mixture would i need?
Hi Jess, I haven’t tried this recipe in that size pan, but I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide.
I made this cake four times already and everyone loved it! I always give your recipe to all of my friends!
I wanted to ask. How can I change this into a chocolate tres leches for my niece coz she loves Chocolate.
Hi Ian! That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing the recipe! A chocolate version has been a very popular request and that is something we’re hoping to be able to do in the future.
Hi Vanessa! I want to make this cake for my daughters birthday however ide love to decorate it hello kitty do you have a recipe to use food coloring in the whipped cream icing. I’ve done it before and the whipped cream always splits or isn’t solid enough.
Thank you!!
Hi Lorena! It’s best to use powder or gel food color, or an oil based food safe color.
Keep in mind that adding liquid (like food color liquid) can change the consistency and texture of the frosting. I hope that helps.
First, I love this recipe and have made it several times and it’s delicious! Question for you. I was hoping to make this cake for 50 people. Do you think a 14 inch pan would work for the amount of batter it suggests?
Hi Vanessa! I’m sorry, I haven’t tested this in many sizes of pans to give the exact measurements for those servings. You may try looking at a cake pan conversion chart to see if that helps with better estimation. Also, since it’s for such a large group of people, you may consider my sheet cake version of Tres Leches Cake. In the recipe card, you can scale up the recipe and change the number of servings at the top. I hope that helps.
Hello, This cake has become a part of my norm. I have made this over 30 times and every time it has come out perfect! I have taken a picture of almost every one that I made.
Thank you!
Hi Novella! That’s amazing. I’m so glad you love this recipe. You can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see a picture. #natashaskitchen