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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I usually double it. for a half size pan and triple it for a full size. This makes for a nice treat. Big hit every time
That is the best when the family love what we moms make. That’s so great!
I make this cake every month for my office co-workers. BIG HIT every time. Even my daughter is a fan now. No other recipe comes closer to this.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I have made this cake many times. My family and friends say it’s their favourite cake now. It’s beyond delicious. Thanks Natasha!!
I’m glad to hear that, Nicki. Thank you for the awesome feedback!
Hi Natasha,
This cake came out so good and delicious. I made on Mother’s Day and everyone loved it. The cake was so spongy. This was my first time making Tres Leches. So, addicting and the next day was even delicious.
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe❤️
You’re so welcome! I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes that you have tried from us!
I’m thinking of doing a 2 layer cake so 2 of the 9″ round pans, I’m thinking I should double this recipe so the layers come out thick enough?
Hi Glenda, I have a Tres Leches Cake recipe that is layered. You may try that if you’re planning on using two 9″ rounds.
Made this recipe for our small group yesterday. It was a hit! Everyone liked it. So moist. So good. I used 2% milk as that’s what I had on hand. Also the can of sweetened condensed milk said 14 ounces but when I poured it into my liquid measure it came out to be about 10 ounces so I just dumped it all in. Is there a 9 ounce can to purchase or was it supposed to be 14 ounces? The cake looked beautiful when I removed it from the oven after it tested done but then it fell. Is that normal? Or do you think the 2% milk or too much sweetened condensed milk caused it to fall? It still tasted great. I used powdered sugar rather than granulated in the whipped cream because that’s what I always do. The whipped cream frosting covered up that it fell.
Hi Joyce! I’m so glad the cake was a hit. Depending on the brand of sweetened condensed milk, you may be able to find it in a smaller quantity. However, I’ve found most cans to be about 14 ounces. The recipe only uses 9 ounces.
I’ve had some viewers report good results using 2% milk as well. I don’t think that caused any issues here unless you made and used more milk
syrup than recommended, sometimes that can weigh down a cake too much.
If the cake collapsed prior to adding the syrup, there could be several reasons. This is a sponge cake and some shrinkage is normal however, other things that help avoid this are, making sure to beat your egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale, beating the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed but not dry (watch my process in the video). Also, don’t over mix the batter when adding the dry ingredients or it can deflate, resulting in a flatter cake. Use the correct size pan and be sure the oven is fully pre-heated and the temperature is right. I like to use an internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to check. Don’t open the oven during baking, the fluctuation in temperature can cause the cake to collapse. If you did everything correctly, you could also try cooling the sponge cake upside down on a cooling wrack. I hope that helps.
To follow up on my previous comment: The reason my cake fell after removing it from the oven must be because I used all of the 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk rather than 9 oz as I did everything else per your recipe and your comments. But why does a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk only measure about 10 oz. That’s what confused me. I used the ounces on a glass measuring cup to measure. Should I have used something different? Sure glad it turned out anyway! It really was delicious despite that it fell. I’ll try using only 9 oz next time and I’ll also try turning it upside down to cool. One last question: do you line the baking dish with parchment paper? I did and then had trouble removing pieces because the paper tore.
Hi Joyce. I did not use parchment paper. I lightly buttered the casserole dish.
Hi I just wanted to add that I have made this version of a Tres Leche at least 2 dozen times, always a MASSIVE HIT, but I always use all of the sweet condensed milk in the 14 ounce can that I can possibly get out of it plus a little extra whole milk and mine has never fallen apart so I’m not sure that was the issue but I’m not a professional!
I can’t find evaporated milk here in my country ,what can I use to substitute or is there a recipe for evaporated milk that I can use ?
Hi Alessandra! I haven’t tested an alternative but you may be able to use plain milk in its place or make your own evaporated milk. This is what I found online with a quick search: “Make evaporated milk by heating 2 ¼ cups of regular milk and gently boiling it down until it reduces to 1 cup. This exact method is used to make evaporated milk for commercial retail.”
Let it cool before using. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha. Has anyone tried this with a gluten free 1-1 flour? I need to eat gluten free now. Thanks.
Hi PJ! I haven’t tested this with gluten-free flour, but here’s what one of my readers wrote: “I have made this cake more than a handful of times using a 1 to 1 gluten free flour (I just use the Walmart brand) and it works perfectly! Everyone loves this dish and can NEVER guess it is Gluten free!” I hope that helps.
Hi Natashia! I’m so excited to try this recipe. Can it be made ahead of time, the day before before?
Hi Marie! Yes, this cake is actually better on the second day when it’s had time to absorb the milk syrup. I have added the fruit on and then refrigerated it for a day, but you can also add the fruit on before serving.
Hi Natasha! I appreciate your quick response! I’m making this cake today and using
Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I’ll keep you posted on my results…hopefully, they will be heavenly! I have been using this flour and it’s been a proven winner! Appreciate you and all your delicious recipes!!
I can’t wait for your feedback! I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha, I’ve baked the cake and am ready to make the syrup. I have a 14 oz. Can of sweetened condensed milk. In order to measure 9 ounces should I use a liquid measuring cup or a scale (which I don’t have)? Lol
Hi Patrice. Yes, a liquid measuring will work great. I hope you love the recipe.
Hi Natasha!
Well, I made the cake using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free flour and it was divine! Even the next day it was still delicious and so moist…..not gritty at all, as sometimes happens with gluten free flour. Definitely, making this again…it’s a winner!
Hi Marie! That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi! i’m looking to make this recipe but i need it for a sheet cake do you have any idea now many times i’d multiply the recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Gina! I’m sorry, I do not. I have not tested this in different sizes to know how to adjust the quantities.
Can I substitute coconut milk for one of the milks? Can I use cake flour instead of AP? I have a LOT of cake flour with use by date approaching and wondered if it would make a big difference? Thanks, BTW , love your cookbook, haven’t made a dish yet that my husband and/or kids won’t rave over and demolish!
Hi Colleen! Using coconut milk would be ok. I haven’t tested this with cake flour but I think that would result in too light of a crumb for this cake which is normally a fairly sturdy/heavy cake with all of the milk syrup.
I absolutely love this recipe! My mom shared it with me a while ago and it’s been our got to dessert. However, the last few times I’ve made this cake, it seems like the milks go straight to the bottom leaving the top half of the cake very dry. I’m not really sure what I’m doing wrong…? Any thoughts?
Hi Faith! I’m not sure. Generally it soaks up the milk syrup evenly but depends on how it’s poured over. You can try using a paddle and apply the syrup evenly, repeating spots with the leftover.
Some of my viewers also double or use more milk syrup since they prefer it more wet. I hope that helps.
Delicious! Best tres leches recipe. Our family favorite. Thanks Natasha!
This has been my go to tres leches recipe for the last 2 years! I am making one for Easter but contemplating making into cupcakes instead for this occasion. I have seen them done using the aluminum type cupcake holders. Curious if you have ever tried cupcakes with this recipe? I would imagine the baking time may be leas but not sure I want to take the risk lol
Hi Amanda! Yes, you could make cupcakes with it. I have a cupcake version of this recipe in my new cookbook, Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook that uses this very similar recipe. Bake them at 350 for 15-20 mins.
Good Evening Mam
I was searching for this recipe since my daughter liked this cake after having in cake shop
Could you please tell the 12oz 9oz and 1/3 cup measurements
I could not get that measurements
Hello! I’m not sure I fully understand the question but I will try to clarify.
I purchased canned evaporated milk and canned sweetened condensed milk from the store. The ounces mentioned is the size of the can or the amount that I used from the can. You can click on “evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk” in red lettering on the recipe card and it will take you to the item on Amazon so you can see what I purchased.
If you need the measurements in milliliters, click on the “metric button” in the recipe card and it will convert the ingredients for you.
I hope that helps.
Just follow the recipe to the T and you will end up with the most delicious Tres Leches cake ever!
I made this, and it is delicious!! Do you think I could add cocoa powder to the cake mix to make a chocolate tres leches cake?
Hi Amanda! Without testing it, it’s hard to advise. Cocoa powder absorbs more water so I’m not sure what modifications would need to be made to accommodate that.
Hi Natasha. Have you tested Tres Leches with Cocoa yet? I love your recipe for tres leches but want to try it in choclate.
Hi Cynthia, not yet, but its on my list!
I would think maybe swap out the same amount of coaco powder for flour. Maybe 1/3rd of a cup???
Hi Krista! I haven’t tested a cocoa version yet to advise. If you experiment, please let us know how it turns out.
Well, I took it out of the oven, and it looked just like yours. Turned my back to make syrup and turned around and the cake pulled away from the sides of Pyrex baking pan and created a lip around all sides. No drafts in kitchen. What happened do you think. Hopefully, it will taste ok, but it won’t look too good.
Hi Lisa! Because this type of sponge has make air incorporated in the batter, it’s normal
For some shrinkage to happen. It should be excessive. Things that can make this worse: opening the oven door during baking- the loss of heat doesn’t allow the cake structure to set properly and it causes collapsing and shrinkage, baking at too high of a temperature, or baking for too long, over mixing your batter causing it to deflate. I also recommend using an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure proper oven temperature.
This sponge is fairly forgiving. Since it acts like a sponge soaking up the syrup it will also expand a bit while it soaks it up. I hope you love the cake and I hope this helps troubleshoot.
Thanks for your reply. I have an internal oven thermometer. I treated the batter correctly. However, I did open the oven door at 30 minutes and it needed 5 minutes more of time. Perhaps that was the problem. I will definitely try again because the taste was delicious! My daughter ate two large pieces for breakfast!!!
Can I use 2% milk for the recipe? Or does it have to be full fat?
That would be fine.
Can you make this into cupcakes? How long would I cook them?
Hi Miranda! Yes, that would work. I have a cupcake version of this recipe in my new cookbook, Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook that uses this very similar recipe. Bake them at 350 for 15-20 mins.
Hi. The eggs and milk don’t need to be room temperature for this recipe?
Hi Nina! They do not, but if you’d like to leave the eggs out that would be fine. I’ve had good results both ways.
Thank you so much for the quick reply. Can’t wait to try it! 🙂