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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 :).
Thankyou for an amazing recipe i made this for my mother in laws birthday and she loved it! I didn’t have evaporated milk instead i used light coconut milk and shredded moist coconut on the side of the cake. Next time I will add more syrup y goodness! Yum!
You’re welcome Enza! I’m glad everyone loves the recipe as much as I do! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hello Natasha! I wanted to make this cake for my mother in laws birthday. The last time I made a tres leche cake, the whipped cream had contact with the milk, which left a weird after taste but this didn’t have a weird after taste till about 2-3 days after I’m assuomjng. How many days is the cake good for after milk gets mixed into the whipped cream? Is it supposed to effect the taste at all? Maybe it just happened to be on that piece of cake?
Please let me know if you have any tips. Her birthday is on the 19th and I work that day. I would definitely love to have it ready the day before but hoping it wont effect anything..
Thank you for your help?
HI Kristina, I have never had that happen where there is a weird taste after it touches the milk mixture. I wonder if maybe the cake was left in the refrigerator uncovered and took on some other food odor which made it taste weird? I’m not sure, I’ve just never experienced that before and since both are “milk” products, I don’t see how they could affect each other by touching.
Hi Natasha
Thankyou for this wonderful recipe. Have made it 3 times in the past and has turned out great everytime. Was hoping to bake it again for a birthday this weekend for 30 people. Is there anyway i could double this recipe to make it a 4 layered cake? Will the delicate layers hold the weight of 4 layers or collapse?
Thankyou in advance
Hi Cay, I would be concerned that the frosting on the bottom layers would get squished. I think it was brave enough to make a 2-layer with this cake considering how heavy the layers can be.
Fantastic cake, absolutely delicious! I made the cake one day and the next day I assembled everything about 5 hours before serving. I had one problem, the sides were perfectly flat and smooth when I put it together but when I went to cut I noticed the center bulged out slightly making it less smooth. I was very careful to not over frost the center or over strawberry. Any ideas? I would definitely make it again. Thanks for your always great recipes, they never disappoint.
Hi Kathy, If you want the perfectly flat top, you can either trim the top for a straight edge, or invert the layer so the bottom is facing up for a straight top. I hope that helps! 🙂
Can I purreed frozen strawberries and use that instead ?
Hi Anna, yes that should work ok but keep in mind, the cake may not last as long refrigerated using frozen.
Hi!
I attempted this cake tonight. All looked fine when I took it out of the oven. I let it cool and soon after it shrank from the 8 inch pan I used to just over 6 inches. What could I have done wrong? It’s not supposed to shrink that much is it?
Hi Amanda, I baked this in a 9″ pan so I wonder since you were using a smaller pan, if you needed to bake a little longer. If everything else was the same, that may be why.
I’ve made this cake twice (the first in a 9×13 and then in a Wilton Hello Kitty pan) and both times it really shrank up. It was the first time I’ve made a sponge cake and so I thought that’s just what they do. After it soaked up the milks it was a little bit better, and after frosting it looked like normal size. But yeah, it shrinks up a lot for me as well as it cools.
Thank god it’s not just me!!!
Since I have been baking for 67 years, I am guessing her oven was a little too hot or she baked the layers a little too long.
Made this for a work potluck on Friday…it was my first time trying Tres leches cake….and WOW! This is my new favorite cake! It was incredible! My co-workers devoured it and I had to print out multiple recipes ( you will have a new fan base following your recipes now😊). One co-worker said it was better than the famous Mexican bakery in our city! I ended up making 2 more cakes over the weekend for my household and neighbors. Delicious, beautiful cake!
WOW, I’m so happy to hear how much you and everyone else loves this recipe! Thanks for spreading the love and sharing your excellent review Amanda!
Natasha, you have never disappointed and I am so glad to find this layered tres leches recipe! I trust you enough not to do a trial run and just make it for the grooms cake tomorrow but my quesion is, do you think it would work as a 4 layer cake? I’d make 2 batches, instead of doubling, I’m just not sure if it would crumble with the weight of 4 layers.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Dayna, I think making it a 2-layer cake is already pretty brave considering how moist and heavy the cake is so I don’t think a 4-layer would work. I would be concerned about the bottom layers squishing the frosting out. Thank you for that lovely compliment though! 🙂
I was afraid you’d say that but I really appreciate your response. I have a feeling you saved me from a disaster 😊
No problem Dayna!:)
Hello I have a question.
Can you use buttercream with this cake?
Hi Lauren, I think a lighter whipped cream works better since the cake is pretty rich. It should work to use a buttercream if you prefer it.
Natasha, can I substitute baking powder with baking soda and vinegar/lemon juice?
Hi Natalia, I haven’t tested that so I can’t say how it would work. Keep in mind that baking soda is about 4x stronger than baking powder.
Hello! I made Ree’s recipe and am delighted that you’ve successfully made this into a layer cake! I never thought it would work with whipping cream. Do you think the berries help to support the 2nd layer, or could this work with only whipped cream in between layers?
Hi Kim! I’ve had so many questions about making it a layered cake over the years that I knew I had to experiment and I was surprised it works so well. The berries don’t really support the cake – it would work without them. I just like the pop of berry flavor inside 🙂
I made this cake today for Father’s Day and despite all of the detailed instructions I managed to botch my first attempt. After putting the cakes in the oven I found a bowl of the flour mixture on my counter! I was somehow just baking eggs and sugar 🙁
Ok … clean out the baking pans and start again. On my second attempt I remembered to add the flour mixture and was wondering why the batter was so thick and gummy … well I forgot the milk and vanilla. No problem, I added them in and mixed well until smooth, then folded in the egg whites.
After that, smooth sailing! I really found it hard to believe that the cakes could soak up all of the milk syrup, but no problem at all.
The cake turned out so light and delicious, and was a big hit! Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
I’m glad to hear it was a success Sandi! You’re welcome and thank YOU for following and sharing your great review!
Hi, could this cake be done a day prior or will it be too soggy? We have a Mexican theme party tomorrow night and was trying to get ahead. Maybe bake cake tonight and then soak/assemble tomorrow mid morning?
Thanks again
So sorry I missed your question earlier! That should work fine. I would bake the cake the day before, cover and keep at room temperature overnight then assemble the next day.
Hey, I know this is the best recipe EVER so thank you Natasha first of all. I have baked the cake and pre-made my frosting EVERY time the night before and it was WONDERFUL each time. I bake the cake, soak my bottom layer, frost and add strawberries to the top of first layer, add 2nd layer and soak. I let it soak overnight and keep the extra frosting in the fridge until the next day to finish assembly. Never had an issue and ended only in smiles. Thanks again and good luck!
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for the recipe. I followed it to a T and the cake came out perfect!
My pleasure Ash! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha – Thanks for the layered tres leches recipe! I was really nervous because I’ve never layered this cake, but your recipe and suggestions in the comments were great. I substituted gluten free baking mix instead of flour, and it still turned out perfect! Thank you!
You’re welcome Nancy! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Hi Natasha, is there any chance of you putting UK measurements up as we don’t recognise or understand US cups here. Thanks, Linda
Linda, I will keep that in mind next time I make the cake since I have to re-measure all the ingredients.
Could I substitute raspberries for strawberries?
Yes! Absolutely 🙂 That would be great 🙂
Am I able to make the layers the day before and then add the syrup and cream the next day? Thank you!
Yes that would work fine 🙂
I’m going to make for a birthday next week. I was thinking about making it “quatro leches” by drizzling some dulce de leche syrup on the cake – or maybe drizzling a little on each plate before plopping a piece down. Alternatively, I could put some on each layer before the whipped cream….Thoughts?
Mmmm that sounds good – I don’t think you could go wrong with either option 🙂
Hi Natasha, I would love to make this cake tomorrow…Could it work with two 8 inch pans?
Thank you!
Hi Nina, I have not tested it in 8 inch pans, so I’m not sure if it would overflow the pan. I think you could make it work if you have taller walls on your cake pans. You would also want to bake a little longer since the cake layers would be taller.
Hi Natasha, I took a risk and the cake came out fabulous in two 8 ” cake pans!!! I used 80% of the cake batter.. and the rest I made cupcakes, it took just 20 minutes to bake and the cakes came out super moist and just perfect, Thank you again! 😀☺
That’s great to hear Nina! 🙂 My pleasure!