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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 :).
Hey Natasha, I’m debating between two of your cakes for thanksgiving. Which one would you recommend, the layered Tres Leches or the Kiwi Berry cake?
Hmmm great question! They both taste great. The tres leches is a little easier, but the kiwi berry cake is so much a special occasion cake that I’m leaning towards that one. 🙂
Kiwi berry it is! Thanks!
P.S. do you think it would be ok to use Canadian flour?
Yes, Canadian flour will work fine 🙂
Amazing! My sister made this cake twice! It’s one of my favorite cakes now! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you Milana 🙂
Wat siZe pan r u using? Will 9by1.5 in work? Is it tall enough?
Yes that will work. Mine are just slightly taller than 1.5″ 🙂
Thank you for such a quick reply!!!!
We had friends over for dinner and I made and served this cake. It was a hit every one took seconds. It may look simple but is very delicious. Will be making it again for this weekend;D
I’m so happy you all enjoyed it! That’s the best! Thanks Aly 🙂
How do you make the frosting so tick and stiff? Mine turned out too liquidy and hard to work with :/
You want to make sure you are using heavy whipping cream rather than just whipping cream. The heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content and whips up better. If it’s not spreadable, just beat it a little longer until it is. For best results, freeze your mixing bowl and egg beaters 10-15 minutes before beating it. The frosting should not be liquidy or hard to work with. I hope those suggestions help 🙂
Hi Natasha. Is it ok to make the cake in 10″ pan with the same amount of ingredients?
Mariam, its ok to do that, but your cake won’t be as tall. Let me know how it goes :).
Hi Natasha. Do you think peaches would work instead of strawberries? Or are they too watery?
Peaches would work too as long as they are not too ripe :).
Hi Natasha. I made this cake back in august with peaches and it came out awesome! I love this cake. It’s not too sweet and light and satisfying. I want to make it again over the weekend but with raspberries instead of peaches and was wondering if I could bake the layers tonight and frost tomorrow morning? Do you think it will still be good?
I haven’t tried that with the tres leches but I think that would work fine. Now I can’t wait to try it with peaches! 😉
I made this cake with freshly picked raspberries and it was absolutely perfect! I don’t think you can beat raspberries, it’s the best fruit to use for this cake.
Eleonora, thank you for a great review, raspberries indeed are great addition to this cake :).
I love this cake! I made your single layer and it was incredible. Do you think this cake will be ok in the fridge for a couple days? Or will it be way too moist? And the strawberries?
It does refrigerate well overnight 🙂
I love your other Tres Leches Cake recipe its delicious! I was wondering if you really need to use strawberries or other fruit?
I thought the strawberries really made the flavors pop and gave it a great tanginess. It isn’t required but I thought it enhanced the cake 🙂
Holy CAKE!! That IS tres gorgeous!!! I want it all for myself!
Thank you Kate 🙂 You’re so sweet 🙂
Hi Natasha
Thanks a bunch for this awsome recipe. This is my favorute.
It’s one of my favorite cakes too! 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoy it 🙂
Is this recipe same as the first one you have listed a while back??? I’ve tried that first version with a double layer, but it was very hard because re cake was soo soft.
This is the same except there is less syrup and more frosting. I included some instructions on how to make it easier as a two-layer cake; like trimming it before assembling and poking the holes on both layers before assembling. I hope the tutorial is helpful to you! 🙂
Thanks. I am looking to baking it in the near future. It’s one of the best cakes I’ve tried.
Isn’t it wonderful? I think you’d love all of the moist biskvit cakes that I have posted on my blog if you love the tres leches. Have you tried any of the other European cakes?
Oh wow, that row of strawberries around the edge! Stunning!
Thank you! 🙂 I just kept it simple and I do like how it worked out since I couldn’t think of anything else.
Looks so good! When did you have time to make this delicious cake? Didn’t you just get back from camping?
We got back on Sunday and it did take some good motivation to get cooking again 🙂 Thanks Valya 🙂
Cant wait to make this and love how simple and beautiful the decor is:)
Strawberries never disappoint :).
I’ve never had this cake but I might have to make it now. The pictures are just so crisp and beeea-uuu-tiful! Pinned.
Thank you Julia, you just might have to make it now :).
Yummo!!! Looks soooo good! I just bought some raspberries to make the same cake with raspberries:) the strawberries on yours look gorgeous! One of our faves too!
Thank you Nata, raspberries would work great as well in this recipe :).
Would any other berries/ fruits work for this cake?
Yes! You can get creative and use raspberries, mango or mandarins… I think a lot of different fruit would work.
This looks so melt-in-your-mouth good! I have so many of your cakes on my to-make list, I think I’ll just start making Fridays “special occasions” just so I have a chance to try them all :)Mmmmmmmmmm!
That’s a brilliant idea! You could always be celebrating the end of a work week 😉 thanks Julia!
Oh WOW!! My favorite cake..in layers 😉 Thank you, Natasha
So you already know how good it is! You’re so welcome Galya 🙂