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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Can you make this in 9in round pans? If so should I divide it into 2 or could I split it into 3?
Hi Jordan, we have a recipe for that; this layered Tres Leches Cake HERE is what you’re looking for 🙂 I hope that helps.
Made this last weekend – did use full can of sweetened condensed milk & full can of evaporated milk. Very good! My son doesn’t usually like cake & he said this was to die for!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review.
Hi! Would want to make these into cupcakes, any idea how many this recipe would yield 🙂
Hi Kristia, I haven’t tried turning this into cupcakes to advise of the measurements. You might need to do an experiment on that one. Please share with us how it goes if you try it!
OMG Amazing – I have wanted to make this for so long but was a little intimidated by the process. You made it easy & fuss-free – thank you Natasha. It was everything I hoped & dreamed it would be but more… So delicious – such a pleasing, moreish cake that absolutely everyone loved from the young to the very old.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Paula!
Made this for new years and it was sooooo good! Definitely a keeper to do again and again and a new favorite in our house. So easy to make too! Made it in the morning and let it soak up the syrup in the fridge during the day, then frosted it before serving. I decorated it with raspberries and shaved dark chocolate. I was worried as I hate anything soggy but it was just moist and delicious.
I halved the recipe as it was just 2 of us in an 8×8 casserole dish, it was ready in my oven after 25 mins. I also switched the qtys for the 2 milks as I don’t like overly sweet desserts and used normal milk instead of the evaporated milk as I couldn’t find it.
Thank you for sharing this feedback with us, Linda! I’m happy you enjoyed that.
This cake come out so nice and my family love it. I am so glad I find your recipe!
I enjoyed the cake. Thank you so much for the recipe and video. I just got a mixer, and I’m not well-versed in what things like “peaks” and “ribbon” refer to in the kitchen. However, watching your video was a great learning experience.
As a Dominican, I’m used to the cake being even more wet than what this recipe rendered. I also wonder about the amount of heavy cream in the syrup. It certainly gives the syrup a taste I’m not accustomed to. Would whole or almond milk be okay to use as the third leche instead of heavy cream?
Thanks again!
Hi Raymon, the heavy cream will give it a richer flavor but I think you can experiment.
10/10 recipe. Followed the instructions to a t and I’m in love. Can’t stop thinking about how amazing this cake is. Even before adding the cream mixture, the sponge reminds of sponge cakes I had when I was little. Recipe’s a keeper and this won’t be my last time making this for sure. Thanks for this!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I’ve made this plenty of times and comes out perfect !
Will there be any issues in using those silver foil disposable trays ? Figured it be easier to bring it to a party than use one of my casserole dishes and forget to bring it home!
Hi Jenn, one of our readers wrote: “Aluminum Foil Tray works perfect! I tried it over the weekend”. I hope that helps.
Made this and first night was great, second was fantastic, but the third was unbelievable (and we finished it) Not many cakes have this longevity. Thanks!
Wow, that is awesome! Thank you so much for your great review.
Hi Natasha,
This recipe is perfect. Thanks for the step by step flawless instructions. I adapted the recipe to make a chai spiced version and it came out perfect!
You are very welcome, Vandy. Glad to know that it came out perfect!
I’m in the process of preparing this cake, but only plan on serving tomorrow. Should I made the whipped cream tomorrow?
Hi Jade, you can fully assemble and make a tres leches cake 1 to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add fresh berries just before serving, especially if berries are sliced.
Hi! I made the cake but it turns out my glass pan was not tall enough. It’s all the way up to the edges! How do I fit the frosting? Should I take it out?
Thank you! Cake is amazing but I need help ASAP.
Hi Alina, I have taken it out in the past and put it onto a rimmed platter and ended up frosting the top and sides and it still worked great so that is an option for sure.
I never comment on any blog or vblog. But I had to, for this one. Tried this for my son’s birthday and it turned out so very delicious. Never made such a moist cake before. It’s just perfect!!
Awww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. & Happy Birthday to your son!
Hi Natasha, I am hoping to make this for Christmas. I have some left over cake flour from a previous recipe. Is it fine to use that instead of all purpose flour?
Thank you
Hi Michael! 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.
Hi Natasha! I want to make this cake tomorrow morning for a birthday. How long should I allow the cake to cool before adding the milk mixture?
Hi Dee, yes you should cool the cake to room temperature before applying the milk mixture.
Hi Natasha! If I divide the batter into 2 smaller casseroles, how long should I bake it for?
Thanks!
Hi April, It’s hard to guess without testing that through myself, but I would probably bake for the same amount of time if the two smaller dishes make up about the same size as the 9×13 and they will be the same height of the cake.
Hi Natasha,
A quest question, i baked the cake and kept out to cool down and it turned sticky when i was poking the cake with fork.
Can you tel me how this happened?
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Nisha
Hi Nisha, Are you making sure to measure your dry ingredients properly? I hope that helps!
I had the same problem as this person I used exact measurements and followed the video step by step. When I sticked the fork in the cake, it was sticky and coming off. I felt the cake was a tad bit dense too. I wonder why this happened. I was very careful with my measurements
Hi Sharda, It is difficult to guess without being there. I would suggest watching the video to see where things started to look different in your process.
Hi Natasha! Quick question – can the cake be made a day ahead (baked/drizzled with milk) and be left in the refrigerator tightly covered? And then a day later be topped with cream/berries before serving? Or is it best to keep it refrigerated after it has been topped with cream? Thank you!!
Hi Julia, you can fully assemble and make a tres leches cake 1 to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add fresh berries just before serving, especially if berries are sliced.
tried this recipe – so simple and fairly quick! i loved ittt!
Thank you so much! I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try from my website.