Tres Leches Cake has a soft and ultra-moist crumb. It is soaked with a rich 3-milk mixture and topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cream. This is an authentic Tres Leches Cake recipe and the best I have tried. It beats any store-bought version all day long!
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Helpful Reader Review
“I have been making Natasha’s tres leches cake for years now and I literally won’t make another recipe! She also has a video that helps you along the way if you need it! Best cake ever!!! Truly one of my family and friends favorites!” – Cat ★★★★★
Tres Leches Cake Video
Watch my Tres Leches Cake video tutorial, and you will crave it until you make it. You’ll love the simplicity of this cake.
What is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres Leches is a popular, authentic Mexican cake. I am a fan of moist cakes and the first time I made this Tres Leches Cake it blew me away. The syrup is made of – you guessed it – tres leches (which means three kinds of milk). You poke holes into the cake before pouring over the syrup so every bite is decadently moist. The cake is rich but has a light feel to it and is balanced by the lightly sweetened whipped cream.
My cousin Katerina sent me this Tres Leches Cake recipe 15 years ago. She adapted it from the Pioneer Woman. I love this recipe so much that I developed a Tres Leches Cupcake for my Cookbook and bravely turned it into a Layered Tres Leches Cake (the cake is heavy with the syrup, but I did it!).
I love the simple, crowd-pleasing desserts that come together in a casserole dish like classic Tiramisu, our popular Strawberry Pretzel Salad, and of course, this easy Tres Leches Cake. They are easy to make and perfect to bring to potlucks and parties. They transfer well and are always the first to disappear.
Ingredients for Tres Leches Cake
This recipe calls for very simple ingredients, most of which are refrigerator and pantry staples:
- For the Cake: I use all-purpose flour (although several readers have reported excellent results with 1:1 gluten-free flour), along with baking powder for leavening, salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and whole milk.
- For the Syrup: 3 types of milk are poured over the cake for moisture and rich flavor: evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream, and sweetened condensed milk.
- The Topping is a simple whipped cream frosting sweetened with sugar. Traditionally, people sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top, but I love using fresh berries over the top for a prettier presentation and for the tangy and sweet contrast with the cake.
Tips for the Best Tres Leches Cake
- Watch the video tutorial below before beginning to gauge the process and tools needed before starting.
- Measure Correctly – For the flour, spoon it into a measuring cup and level off the top.
- Cold eggs are easier to separate into whites and yolks.
- Fold gently with a spatula just until it is well incorporated then stop. Do not overmix since the cake relies on the volume of the eggs to rise.
- Avoid draft – While cooling the cake to room temperature, avoid any outdoor draft. Any egg-based cake can take on an “eggy” aroma if it gets outdoor air.
- Let the cake rest 30 min after pouring on the syrup so it can absorb every drop.
- Bake in a ceramic or glass casserole dish for the best rise and it’s easier to serve right out of the casserole dish.
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a casserole dish. Set up 3 mixing bowls.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the first bowl. Separate egg whites and yolks into the other 2 bowls.
- Beat yolks with 3/4 cup sugar using an electric hand mixer on high speed, until pale yellow (2 min). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and vanilla.
- Beat whites with clean and dry egg beaters on high speed until soft peaks form (1 min). With the mixer on, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until whites are stiff but not dry (1 min).
- Pour the yolk mixture over flour mixture and use a spatula to blend together. Gently fold in egg white mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared casserole and bake 30-35 minutes.
- Make the 3-Milk Syrup: In a large measuring cup (or a bowl with a pouring lip), combine 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 12 oz evaporated milk and 9 oz condensed milk. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake. Let the cake rest 30 minutes to absorb and distribute the syrup then top with whipped cream and berries.
Is Tres Leches Cake Soggy?
It is supposed to be very moist, but not soggy. The cake base is a sponge cake, so it can absorb a generous amount of syrup without getting soggy – this is why I avoid using a boxed white cake mix, which can quickly become “soggy” since it’s not meant to absorb liquid. Letting the cake rest for 30 minutes after applying the syrup also helps to ensure the syrup is distributed evenly throughout the cake.
Make-Ahead Tips for Tres Leches Cake
Once the syrup is added to the sponge, you can cover and refrigerate overnight. You can also fully assemble the cake with the frosting 1 to 2 days ahead – as long as you beat the whipped cream topping to stiff peaks, it will keep well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add fresh berries just before serving, especially if the berries are sliced.
Can Tres Leches Cake be frozen?
You can make the cake base ahead of time. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then cover the casserole dish tightly with a couple of layers of plastic wrap and freeze the tres leches cake base up to 2 months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter before using it. I don’t recommend freezing the cake once the syrup and frosting are added.
This has to be one of the moistest cakes around. It has such a lovely soft and spongy texture that it disappears fast – you’ll savor every bite. Make this for your next party, and you will become known for your Tres Leches recipe.
More Cinco de Mayo Recipes
If you’re a fan of authentic Mexican recipes as much as I am, you’ll love these reader favorites for your Cinco de Mayo menu.
Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, or substitute 1:1 GF flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 eggs, (large)
- 1 cup sugar, divided into 3/4 and 1/4 cups
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
Syrup:
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 9 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup berries, to garnish, optional
Instructions
How to Make Tres Leches Cake Base:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F and butter a 9×13 casserole pan. Set up three mixing bowls.
- In a large bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 salt. Separate egg whites and yolks into the other two bowls.
- Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, until yolks are a pale yellow (2 minutes). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla.
- 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)
- Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and combine gently with a spatula. Gently fold in egg white mixture with the spatula until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface and bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the 3-Milk Syrup:
- In a large measuring cup (or a bowl with a pouring lip), combine 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 12 oz evaporated milk and 9 oz condensed milk. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake. Let the cake rest for 30 minutes to absorb the milk. You can cover and refrigerate overnight at this point if desired.
To Make the Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Pour 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream and 2 Tbsp sugar into a large chilled mixing bowl and beat on high speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until thick, whipped and spreadable. Spread over the cake with a spatula then decorate with berries if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Hi! Can you make this in a disposable aluminum 9×13 inch pan or should you use a glass casserole dish?
Hi Hina, I imagine that should work fine too
Natasha the cake looks amazing !! I was wondering if I could use cake flour instead of all purpose?
Hi Melanie! I haven’t tried this with cake flour only because cake flour produces a finer crumb and this cake gets pretty heavy with all of the soaking syrup.
I tried it with cake flour and it turned out great. Honestly this cake blew my mind 💥.
Awesome! Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback.
I’ve made this cake so many times because I know it will turn out delicious and light. Today I decided to experiment and added three very ripe bananas. It didn’t fluff up like it normally does because of the weight of the bananas but goodness it still is pretty perfect. Like a banana sponge cake!
That’s nice to know, thank you for sharing that with us Tammy!
Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe. It is very simple and just delicious. I’ve made this twice in the space of a few weeks for my husband’s and toddler’s birthdays because everyone loved it.
So great to hear that they really enjoy this cake! Thanks for sharing your good feedback with us!
Hi Natasha,
I made this cake for my daughters bday , it came out great and was so moist. Thanks for the perfect recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, I have made the cake base yesterday & store it covered in the fridge, but I haven’t add the syrup yet, which I plan to do it tomorrow. One question to you, should I make sure the cake base to reach room temperature before pouring the syrup? Or I can just pour it when the cake base is still cool right after taking it out from the fridge? Can you please enlighten me on this? Thank you for this great recipe.. it is very easy to follow.. You’re so awesome !!
Hi Thang, you can add the syrup onto the chilled cake. That will work. It may take a few minutes longer to soak up the syrup, but will work fine. You can also add the syrup and then refrigerate. Both ways will work fine.
I doubled this recipe and it tasted amazing. After they came out of the oven, they deflated a little bit. Do you have any tips to prevent this because I’d love to make this cake again.
Sorry to hear that, Katie. Some tips, it’s best not to open the oven when cooking this cake – the heat escaping quickly can cause the cake to sink in the center. Also, try mixing another couple of minutes – if you are using a hand mixer or anything other than the highest speed, the cake won’t rise properly since it relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise. Also, are you making sure to measure your dry ingredients properly? I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha,
This recipe is great! I made it twice with 2 small smaller baking pans but for both times the center of the cake sunk while cooling. What could i have done wrong? The cake tastes good on both times though.
Hi Love, It should not sink in the middle, should be pretty leveled. Some tips, it’s best not to open the oven when cooking this cake – the heat escaping quickly can cause the cake to sink in the center. Also, try mixing another couple of minutes – if you are using a hand mixer or anything other than the highest speed, the cake won’t rise properly since it relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise. Also, are you making sure to measure your dry ingredients properly? I hope that helps!
Can I substitute vanilla extract for anything? or omit it out?
Hi Via, I haven’t tested this but a couple of our readers mentioned they were planning on trying it with almond or lemon extract. I would love to know how you like this recipe if you try either of those.
Hi Natasha, can I use 9inch cake pan with this recipe?
Hi Grace, yes that should work
this recipe was the bomb. I made it and I couldn’t stop eating.. This recipe always a good combo with hot tea or black coffee … Yummylicous..
That’s so great Grace! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
yes. thanks to you
I just wanted to share.
My husband(is a navy nurse) had a potuck in the hospital since they been working so hard with this pandemic. So I decided to make tres de leche round cake. Oh boy! they finished the whole cake not even finishing the main course. It was successful. They were thinking to order from me. But honestly, I am new in baking cakes so my confidence is not that great😂. Esp on doing frosting. but hey quality over quantity😅. More recipes to try from your blog, Natasha. I am making more tonight and my 1st time to try”russian tiramisu cake” since my sister and nephew’s birthday.Goodluck to me. Such a winner recipe🥰😍..Aloha🥰
That is so inspiring, thank you for sharing that with us. It really helps motivate us to do more content.
I haven’t tried to recipe yet but can I substitute granulated sugar for brown sugar?
Also, I’m not a fan of overly sweet things and I’d like to know how to reduce the sweetness of this cake.
Hi Alisha, I have not tested that with brown sugar to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I will! Planning on making it Wednesday. But any advice on how to reduce the overall sweetness of the cake?
You may try reducing the amount of sugar in the cream and using less sweetened condensed milk in the syrup. I hope that helps
I made the cake and it was so good! Family and friends love it! However, I did not have a 9×13 casserole pan and only have a 7×10 so I adjusted the ingredients to 60% of the actual amount. Luckily, it still turned out great! Just that I should have also reduced the bake time as the bottom and top became too brown. I reduced the condense milk and also the sugar in the cream as advised, which works in balancing out the sweetness of the cake. Also, I would add more syrup next time! Will try again next time! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay I am so glad you were able to make it work. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Daphne.
if i make this today but im eating it tomorrow, should i put the whip cream on today or tomorrow?
Hi Alice, I have done it both ways and it will work to do it ahead if you beat the cream sufficiently so it isn’t runny. The safest way is to make it the day you are serving and I would apply the berries (if using) just before serving.
I have made this cake a few times and its a super hit with the family. My daughter loves chocolate so I’m experimenting and adding some cocoa powder I hope it will works
That’s just awesome Aneesa! Thank you for the wonderful review! I’d love to know how you like the chocolate version!
Hi Natasha, I made your Tres Leches Cake and served it to our friends last night. We all said this cake is delicious! How can the frosting be made a little sweeter? Thank you! Angela
Hi Angela, I’m so happy to hear you all enjoyed this recipe! You can add more sugar to the cream if you would like.
Hi Natasha,
I am making this for tonight. Can I use cool whip instead of 2 cups of heavy whipping cream for the frosting? If yes, how much cool whip should I use and how long before serving should I put the frosting? Can I also use cool whip for the syrup as well? Thanks!
Hi Janki, I haven’t tried this with cool whip to be honest. I suspect it would work but the flavor of the cream would be different.
I don’t have a ceramic or glass pan, will it still come out if I use a dark metal pan?
Hi Colleen, I bet it could still work in a metal pan.
Hi Natasha,
I just baked the cake Friday night. It’s for Sunday evening. After cooking it could I just store it in the refrigerator covering it with cling wrap and then add the three milk Saturday night? Would appreciate if you could kindly respond the soonest
Hi Nazia, that should work! Make sure to keep it covered and refrigerated.
Dumb question: Could you beat the eggs and make the frosting using a Kitchen Aid instead of an electric hand mixer. Sadly, I have the kitchenAid but not the hand mixer and want this badly!
Hi Yadid, this may work with a stand mixer but do your best to not over beat it.
Hi Natasha! I made the layered version of this and it was A HIT.
I just want to ask how I can adjust this if I’m using a ceramic dish measured 14 3/4 x 11 in?
Thank you so much!
Hi TC, we used a 9×13 for this recipe. Making it to fit a 14×11 will make a much slimmer cake. You may want to increase the amount of batter by a bit.
Thank you! Do you think increasing it by 1.5 will be good?
I haven’t tested it that way but it should work. You might need to mix a little longer to beat things adequately and make sure to use a pan that is proportionally larger.