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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 :).
Hi Natasha , I was wondering if I could place the cake layers directly on a cake board round or if there will be an excess of the 3 milk syrup that will potentially drip off the board.
Hi Jennifer. Yes, there is access liquid that may come out making the board soggy and possibly dripping off.
Hi there! How long would it last in the fridge? Making it for my daughters first bday and I need to make two so wondering how long it would last 🙂 thanks!
Hi Natalia, this will be good for a couple of days. I would wait and put fresh fruit on the day of or the night before it’s served.
Hi Natasha, keen to bake this layered cake. 1) Your cup and teaspoon measurement-are they US metric cup, or Imperial?
2) will it work if I increase your recipe to a 6 egg recipe for 2 x 9” round cake pans? And how long and at what temperature shall I bake them at? Use fan force oven?
Thanks
Hi Ellen, we use US metric measurements, but if you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it takes some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help. I haven’t tried to increase it to 6 eggs, but I bet that could work. If you experiment, I’d love to know how you like that.
Wow! Made it first time for my husband birthday. Had doubts about too much syrop… Was really surprised when it was not suggy. It came out PERFECT!!! Thank you Наташенька!! Very delicious!!! Very light cake . Not too sweat ! Easy to make
PS if I could , would give 10 stars
You’re so welcome, Dina! I’m so happy this was a hit with your family!
Can pineapples be used in place of the strawberries? Might attempt this for husband’s birthday!
Hi Alyssa! Yes, that would work. Just drain them if you are using canned pineapple.
This cake was delicious and so easy to make! My husband loves tres leches and he celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday. I made it on the day of and it tasted amazing. One alter I made was do less sugar in the frosting as I used fresh berries, which already made the cake much sweeter.
Hello Althea, good to know that it turned out well with the minor changes that you made. Happy birthday to your husband, I hope he had a great one!
Can I make this cake the day before? and keep in refrigerator
until ready to serve?
Yes, that would be fine. I usually like to add the fruit on the same day it is served to keep them looking and tasting fresh.
I used this recipe using a heavy gluten free flour, first I sifted out the heavy grains
(Flax) then replaced the amount of grains sifted out with corn starch. The recipe made this way made a lovely light and fluffy 2 layer six inch cake. The whole family LOVED it.
Happy to hear that your whole family enjoyed the cake! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us.
Everyone loves my tres leches cake and I have used this recipe to make cupcakes (minus the filling).
It’s always a hit! I make it for birthdays all the time!
That’s wonderful! So glad to hear it is enjoyed. It’s one of my personal favorites 🙂
I made this cake last night using 3-8in cake pans and they were very tasty. I used the whipped cream for the inside with the strawberries and an ermine frosting for the outside. I cannot wait for my nephew to try it today for his 16th birthday!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Monica!
Hi Natasha! So excited to try this recipe. One question; when you say “Turn cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temp” does that mean to leave the cakes in the pan turned upside down until they cool down? or does that mean to flip them out of the pan and then let them cool?
Thank you!
Hi Chloe, I would invert them onto a wire rack and remove the pan so the cake can come to room temperature without the baking pan.
I’m looking forward to trying this cake for my sisters birthday (who loves Tres Leches)! Is the whipped cream frosting sturdy enough to pre-assemble / hold up for leftovers? Or would you recommend stabilizing it if not all being eaten immediately after serving?
Hi Kathryn, It should work great for the next day or two! We have enjoyed the cake for a couple of days after assembling it. I wouldn’t go past 2 or 3 days.
Recipe was a hit! Cake was super light and fluffy, no sinking and no domes. I made these adjustments for high altitude and it came out perfect: added 1 tbsp flour and an extra egg, subtracted 1/4 cup sugar from the cake, and increased baking temp to 365 for the first 20 mins. Cakes were done at about 28 mins. Can be hard making the elevation changes but this definitely worked out.
I’m so glad that you loved the cake, Morgan! Thank you for your awesome review.
Can I double the syrup part of the recipe to wet the sponge cake just enough ?
Hi Marlene, we have always felt the amount written was plenty for a very moist cake and it should be just right without pooling too much on the bottom. Double would be too much with a layered cake. It would really weigh down the frosting.
Natasha,
I wanted to make this into a 10” 3 layer cake, any recommendations on how to multiply recipe and if you think it will be stable with the extra layer? Any help would be appreciated
Hi Tessie, I have only made this in a 9″ pan. If you happen to experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
I have made this same recipe in 3 8 inch cake pans and it turns out great. I just reduce the baking time by 5-10 mins as the batter in each cake pan is lesser . If you use 3 10 inch cake pan, you might have to increase by 2 eggs and all other ingredients accordingly
Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
I have used this for Tres Leches Wedding cakes 10” 2 layers & 8” 2 layers 1 recipe for 1 of each pan Fabulous
I have been asked to do a 2- layer 10” Tres Leches cake. This has always been my go to Tres Leches recipe. Do you use all the syrup for each layer? I’m concerned about the syrup coming from the sides of the cake. Any advice is very appreciated!!
Hi Hope! Yes, I do. The cake sponge does a very good job absorbing the syrup. This recipe has been created with a good amount of syrup so this shouldn’t be too much of a concern but you can start with less and add more as it absorbs. If you don’t use it all, the cake can be too dry. You can also prepare this in a plate with an edge to catch any leakage if you are concerned.
Hi!
I’m planning to bake this cake Friday night and giving it for my friend’s birthday on Sunday. Since I have no time on Saturday. Would it work to assemble everything Friday night? That would mean 2 days in the fridge before serving. Or is there a better way that would ensure the cake is in best shape by Sunday.
Thank you! This is my 2nd time making this recipe.
Hi Kristy, It should work great for the next day or two! We have enjoyed the cake for a couple of days after assembling it. I wouldn’t go past 2 or 3 days.
Hi Natasha
I’ve made this recipe so many times with amazing success. I was wanting to make this gluten free for a friend and was wondering if I can swap out all purpose flour with equal amount of gluten free flour for this recipe? (Please note gluten free flour in my country contain xanthan gum I.e vegetable gum 415)
Hi Akbar, I haven’t tried that substitution myself to advise the process or outcome. I skimmed through the comments, and here’s what one of my readers wrote: “I substituted gluten-free baking mix instead of flour, and it still turned out perfect! Thank you!” I hope this helps!
Hi there, I’m going to make this one for my partners birthday in a few days. I have only 1 spring form pan and a small oven so I need to do it in 2 halves. I suspect if I make my batter at once then the second half will loose the air while it waits for the first half to bake. Should I try and divide all of it and make the batter in 2 parts completely to retain the fluff? It seems like smaller quantities might be harder to keep consistent or something. Any advice about this? Thank you
Hi Ren, you’re on track! I recommend making 1/2 at a time since I anticipate the batter sitting in the second pan will likely lose its volume.
This is the worst tres leches cake I have ever tasted! I do not know how this cake got good reviews. It is tastes like rubber. I will never make it again. Find someone else’s recipe that you trust. Trying this cake ruined my daughter’s birthday.
Hi Stephanie, this is a popular recipe for us and I haven’t had that result, but I am happy to help troubleshoot. I highly recommend watching our classic Tres Leches single layer cake recipe video to see where things may have changed or gone wrong in the process. I hope that helps.
omg, chill. Don’t blame her. You over-mixed the batter, it’s easy to do on accident. a sponge like this takes practice.
Can I make this cake a day or two before serving?
Hi Sandy, It should work great for the next day! We have enjoyed the cake for a couple of days after assembling it. I wouldn’t go past 2 or 3 days.