Tres Leches Cake
Latin American three-milk cake — a light sponge soaked in three types of milk (evaporated, condensed, and heavy cream). Surprisingly not soggy when made right; the sponge is structured enough to hold the liquid. Best chilled.
Prep Time
23 min
Cook Time
28 min
Servings
2
Calories
536 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Milk½ cup
- Flour1 cups
- Sugar¼ cup
- Cream¼ cup
- Eggs1
- Butter¼ cup
- Baking Powder½ tsp
- Vanilla Extract½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Milk0.5 cup
- Flour1 cups
- Sugar0.25 cup
- Cream0.25 cup
- Eggs1
- Butter0.25 cup
- Baking Powder0.5 tsp
- Vanilla Extract0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- 2
Make the sponge: whisk 1½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt. In a stand mixer, whip 5 egg whites to soft peaks with ½ cup of sugar gradually added. In another bowl, beat 5 egg yolks with ½ cup of sugar until pale. Add ⅓ cup of whole milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- 3
Fold the yolk mixture into the whites in 3 additions, deflating as little as possible. Then fold in the flour mixture gently. The batter should still be airy.
- 4
Pour into the pan, smooth top. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
- 5
Make the milk mixture: whisk 1 can (12 oz) of evaporated milk, 1 can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a fork. Pour the milk mixture slowly over — the cake will absorb it all. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- 6
Just before serving: whip 1.5 cups of heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar to stiff peaks. Spread over the entire surface. Garnish with fresh berries, cinnamon, or maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve chilled. Best within 3 days.
Watch how to make Tres Leches Cake
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Sponge cake, not pound cake. The light airy structure is essential to absorb the milk without becoming a sodden mess.
- 2.Egg whites whipped separately. This is what gives the cake its structure. Don't skip.
- 3.Pour milk over cool cake. Hot cake melts away. Cool cake absorbs properly.
- 4.Refrigerate overnight. The milk needs time to fully penetrate. 4 hours minimum; overnight is better.
🔬 Why It Works
Tres leches succeeds when the sponge is structured enough to absorb 2+ cups of milk without dissolving. The whipped egg whites + careful folding creates the airy structure. The three milks combine to create the unique flavor — sweet (condensed), rich (evaporated), and fresh (cream). The chilled cake has the texture of a wet sponge — moist throughout but not falling apart. The whipped cream topping provides lightness against the rich cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
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4.4
399 home cooks rated this
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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