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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Absolutely BEST Tres Leches cake recipe that I have found! Tastes amazing, lots of compliments and relatively easy. I will say that I think that this cake needs to be refrigerated and the three milks need to soak a little longer than 30 minutes prior to serving. When we ate another piece in about 4 hours, it was PERFECT!!! I wish she would post a chocolate version of this recipe.
Hi Shannel! Thank you, I’m so glad you loved this recipe! This cake is even better the next day or after it’s been soaking overnight! 🙂
Hopefully, in the near future, we will have a chocolate version as well. It’s been very much requested!
As much as I feel “meh ” about regular chocolate cake, chocolate tres leches is even better than white! I would love to see a chocolate version of this as well.
I have never made this before and in looking at recipes, I see Joanna Gaines recipe (for the same size) calls for 3 cups flour and 6 eggs and your recipe calls for 1 cup flour abd 5 eggs. That seems like a big difference and wonder how the density of the cake changes the the liquid poked in. I do LOVE and follow your recipes, videos and website but figured I’d ask.
Hi Cynthia! I haven’t tested the other recipe so I am not familiar with the method/process she uses. This cake has a sponge consistency/texture and absorbs the milk syrup very well.
I want to bake this for a potluck. Have you ever baked in aluminum disposable pan?
Hi Maribel, I haven’t tried baking this in disposable bakeware so I’m not sure if the baking time would change. You might check the instructions on our layered tres leches cake, which we baked in 2 9-inch pans to help gauge the baking time.
I just baked this today in an aluminum disposable “half pan” from Sam’s. Was done in 25 mins. My husband said “this cake is dangerous!” as he was eating his 2nd piece!! Absolutely delicious.
Thank you so much for sharing!
It has become my go-to potluck dessert! Soo easy and pleases everyone! Delicious!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Would a stand mixer work okay for this? I kept my beaters for my hand mixer. Would the paddle or whisk attachment be best?
Hi Amanda! You can use the whisk attachment for this. Just be sure to fold with a spatula when you get to step 5.
I would like to make a smaller version of this recipe. Can you give me any advice?
Hi Melinda, I haven’t tried that, but you can click on the serving size and scale the recipe down to half of the recipe, which should work then bake in a smaller square baking pan.
Can this be made in a disposable aluminum cake pan? Want to make it for someone without them having to worry with returning the pan.
Hi Masha! I think so, but I haven’t tested it myself. You could also bake it and then assemble it in a disposable pan.
I really love this recipe, have made many times for the parties now…guests love it….thanks alot….also posted a pic on ur fb page
Thanks for sharing! So glad it’s a hit.
Hi Natasha,
My daughter made the tres leches cake and it was really good. There was one thing though which could be improved. Somehow the cake was a little hard it wasn’t soft. Any tips you would like to give?
Hi M! Do you mean it was hard/dry even after adding the milk syrup? Some of my readers prefer to add more milk syrup than the recipe calls for and this will help.
I have made this cake three times now and everyone raves about it each time. The first time was a little tricky but I have it down now! Thanks for such a great recipe for Tres Leche cake!
That’s wonderful, Lynette! I’m so glad it was a hit.
Your recipe is very easy to follow. The cake was very light and decadent. It was a hit! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your great comments and feedback, Amanda.
Heyyy,
I just made this yesterday for my mom in law’s bday and everyone loved it today! it was yuuumm! u were spot on in saying that u feel good about urself after eating this. i really did! such an amazing job by an amateur baker like me i felt! i added some dessicated coconut, white choco chips and toasted pistachios as garnish and they took this cake to a totally different level. thank u so much☺️
Turned out pretty good ! Everyone loved it…. Not as sweet as I would have thought of. Just the right balance.
Glad that this recipe was a huge hit!
I made the cake this afternoon. So far it looks exactly like the one you made in the video. I’m refrigerating it overnight. I’ll be presenting it to my fellow students and to my Spanish teacher from Mexico. She said she loves that cake… stay tunes for the final review tomorrow evening…
We’re excited to hear how it goes!
It was fantastic! Everyone loved it ! Not too sweet which I like but very creamy! Thank you 🙏
That’s wonderful! I’m glad it was a hit!
Hiya! Planning on making this recipe today but I apparently don’t have a 9×13 casserole dish like I thought I did, my closest substitutes are a 9×13 metal pan and a 7x11x2 casserole dish. Which would you recommend and how should I adjust the baking time/temperature to accommodate it?
Hi June! I think the metal pan would be fine but you’ll have to watch it in the oven. It will be done when you stick a toothpick in the batter and it comes out clean.
Did you ever try it in the casserole dish? I only have that and would like to know if that works!
Hi Natasha. I want to make this recipe for Christmas, but I can’t find evaporated milk. Is there a substitute for it? I have tried Tres Leches Cake before and it’s so good and I really want to try your recipe.
Hi Janice! You can substitute for regular milk.
BEST tres leches cake I’ve ever had and so easy to make! Very refreshing and not too sweet.
So glad you loved it, Crystal! Thank you for the review.
Is it possible to make the cake with the three milks mixture poured in the night before, then make and add the whip topping the next day – just in time to serve the cake?
Looks so yummy – can’t wait to try it!
Hi Kim! Yes, that is possible. This cake is best the next day when it’s had time to rest and adsorb all the milk syrup.
I have made and tried other Tres Leches cakes. NONE come close to this one. It’s dangerously delicious. Thanks for the great recipe.
It sounds like you have a new favorite, Sandy! Thank you for your great feedback!
I made this for my sister’s birthday and everyone loved it. I used a knife to poke bigger holes and stretch them out so the sauce soaked in better. I was worried that it might be too sweet but this recipe is perfectly balanced. Definitely a keeper!! Thank you!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, BD!