This tres leches cake recipe is a moist, from-scratch vanilla cake that’s soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with whipped cream.
This homemade tres leches cake is a light and airy sponge cake soaked in three types of milk for the moistest, richest dessert. It’s topped with fluffy homemade whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
It’s a classic cake that is surprisingly easy to make from scratch and is perfect for birthdays, holidays, or anytime you want something sweet and special. It also holds well in the fridge, which makes it a great make-ahead choice.
Whether it’s your first time making tres leches or you’ve loved it for years, this easy recipe delivers and is sure to become a favorite!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Kosher salt: Sea salt is a good substitute. If you use table salt, use half the amount.
- Whole milk: I recommend using whole milk for the richest, moistest cake and topping.
- Sweetened condensed milk: I recommend using full-fat milk for the richest topping.
- Evaporated milk: I also recommend using full-fat evaporated milk for the topping.
How to make tres leches cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow.
Step 4: Add vanilla and milk. Beat until well combined.
Step 5: Transfer the yolk mixture to the bowl with the flour. Fold with a rubber spatula until well combined. Set aside.
Clean and dry the bowl of your stand mixer well.
Step 6: To the bowl of your stand mixer, add egg whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Step 7: Carefully transfer the egg whites to the bowl with the rest of the batter. Fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites.
Step 8: Pour cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
Step 9: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and let cool completely.
Step 10: Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes across the top.
Step 11: In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk.
Step 12: Pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, covering all of it. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until all the milk has been soaked into the cake.
Step 13: When ready to serve, add heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
Step 14: Spread whipped cream in an even layer on top of the cake. Lightly add a dusting of cinnamon over top.
Serve garnished with sliced strawberries or maraschino cherries.
Recipe Tips!
- Metal baking pan: If using a glass pan, decrease the oven temperature by 25F and begin checking for doneness about 5 minutes before the earliest baking time.
- Mixer: You can use a hand (electric) mixer instead of a stand mixer.
Storage
Store any leftover tres leches cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Tres Leches Cake Recipe (From Scratch)
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
Tres leches
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Topping
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Ground cinnamon for sprinkling on top
- Sliced fresh strawberries or maraschino cherries optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.1 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow.5 large eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add vanilla and milk. Beat until well combined.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup whole milk
- Transfer the yolk mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until well combined. Set aside.
- Clean and dry the bowl of your stand mixer well.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer, add egg whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Carefully transfer the egg whites to the bowl with the rest of the batter. Fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove cake from the oven and let cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes across the top.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk.14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounce can evaporated milk, 1/2 cup whole milk
- Pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, covering all of it.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until all the milk has soaked into the cake.
- When ready to serve, add heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer.1 ½ cups heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Beat with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream in an even layer on top of the cake.
- Lightly add a dusting of cinnamon over top.
- Serve garnished with sliced strawberries or maraschino cherries.
Notes
- Kosher salt: Sea salt is a good substitute. If you use table salt, use half the amount.
- Whole milk: I recommend using whole milk for the richest, moistest cake and topping.
- Sweetened condensed milk: I recommend using full-fat milk for the richest topping.
- Evaporated milk: I also recommend using full-fat evaporated milk for the topping.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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