Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches cake! Made with soft, buttery vanilla cake soaked in a sweet and creamy 3 milk blend, topped with a cloud of whipped cream!
So, last week I joined my good friend Joanne for lunch at one of her favorite Mexican restaurants. It was a perfect day to enjoy that kind of food- warm, sunny, and breezy. They had the windows opened way up, so it almost felt like we were eating outside. We had every kind of taco under the sun, along with guacamole and 2 kinds of salsa, street corn fritters and spicy pickled cucumbers. It was fantastic in every way, and when it came time to order dessert we were primed and ready.
We had some difficulty narrowing it down, so we ended up getting key lime pie AND tres leches cake.
Now I have to tell you, I’ve never really had the desire to try tres leches cake. To me, it just sounded kinda blah. Wet cake? I dunno.
But I had it on my bucket list, so I decided to give it a try.
O. M. G. !!!
It completely blew me away. It was SO incredible. They served it in jars, and it was like a soft custard or an extra creamy bread pudding, with bits of buttery cake running all throughout and a creamy, almost caramel-like taste. It had a thick layer of whipped cream on top, drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with a sprinkling of toasted coconut.
I have never been more wrong about anything in my life. I’m begging you, if you have been reluctant to try tres leches cake, don’t put it off for another second!!
After eating that scrumptious dessert, I knew I had to try my own hand at making it. And I really wanted to get it done in time for Cinco de Mayo!
So here it is. It’s a dead ringer for what Joanne and I swooned over that day.
If you’re throwing a party, you’ve got to make this for dessert. Add it to your menu, along with my favorite guacamole recipe, these classic margaritas, and a big plate of crispy churros!
WHAT IS TRES LECHES CAKE?
Tres leches means “three milks” in Spanish, and it gets its name from the 3 kinds of milks that get poured over the soft, buttery cake.
It’s pronounced like “trace lay-chase.”
They make it all over Latin America, and it’s a perfect dessert for a spring or summer party. Serve it chilled, with lots of whipped cream on top. It’s just so creamy-dreamy and delicious!
HOW TO MAKE TRES LECHES CAKE
Since the dessert Joanne and I enjoyed was served in jars, I decided to make mine that way too.
I think it works out well because it’s individually portioned and the cake can sit in that glorious milky soak, and just be scooped out with a spoon. But if you prefer to make it as a sheet cake, you can totally do that. There’s more info on that below.
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Butter
- Egg
- Sour Cream
- Milk
- Vanilla
The cake is basically just a slight tweak of my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe.
- Condensed Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Half and Half
- Sweetened Whipped Cream
- Dulce de Leche or Salted Caramel Sauce
- Toasted Coconut
THE CAKE
Start by making the cake.
Put the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl and stir to combine them.
Next, work in the soft butter. Just beat it together for about a minute, until the mixture resembles damp sand.
Then, add in the egg. Once it’s incorporated, it will be like a really stiff, almost dough-like batter.
Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
Beat the batter for about a minute on medium-high speed, just to aerate it a bit and build the cake’s structure.
Then just spoon it into the jars. I used 4-ounce mason jars, but you could also use the low, 8-ounce wide mouth kind. If you do, you’ll need to bake them for an additional 5 minutes, and you’ll get half as many.
Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean, then cool them slightly and pierce them all over with a skewer.
THE TOPPINGS
Now for the tres leches milk mixture.
Whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half and half together.
Pour this mixture over the warm cakes. At first, it will seem like there is WAY too much liquid, but after a few minutes it will really soak in.
Chill everything down nice and cold, then layer on the whipped cream. So tempting!!
CAN TRES LECHES CAKE BE MADE IN A DIFFERENT SIZED PAN?
As I mentioned above, these cakes can be made in individual 4-ounce jars, or in 8-ounce jars that are perfect for sharing.
You can also bake it as a sheet cake, in a 9×9 inch square pan. Just keep an eye on the bake time, as it may need to be adjusted slightly. You’ll know it’s done baking when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.
CAN TRES LECHES CAKE BE MADE AHEAD
Not only can it be made ahead, but it SHOULD be made ahead. The longer this cake sits, the better it gets. And it’s so nice to enjoy it ice cold. So summery and refreshing!
SHOULD TRES LECHES CAKE BE REFRIGERATED?
Because it contains half and half, it’s best for this cake to be kept refrigerated. It’s ok to leave it out on your dessert table for a few hours, but any leftovers should be tightly wrapped and kept cold.
HOW LONG DOES TRES LECHES CAKE LAST?
These tres leches cakes will keep in the fridge for a week or so. But I honestly doubt you’ll have them around for that long! They’re so scrumptious I’m sure they’ll all be gobbled up in a heartbeat!
Definitely think about making this tres leches cake for your next summer party! It’s perfect for Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Mother’s or Father’s Day, or any kind of warm-weather gathering!
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Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake
- 1 cup (156.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar,, loosely packed
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon ) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon ) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt , (scant)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter,, softened
- 1 egg, (large)
- 1/3 cup (76.67 g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the tres leches mixture
- 14 ounces (396.89 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces (340.2 ml) evaporated milk
- 2/3 cup (157.73 ml) half & half
For the garnishes
- 1 1/2 cups (177.44 ml) heavy cream, whipped until stiff with 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (169.5 g) dulce de leche, , approximately (optional)
- 3 tablespoons shredded coconut,, toasted* (optional)
Instructions
To make the vanilla cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and lightly mist 14 4-ounce mason jars* with non-stick spray.
- Place the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Beat in the soft butter on medium-low speed, for about 1 minute or until the mixture resembles damp sand.
- Beat in the egg on medium-low speed, until completely incorporated (about 1 minute).
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, and add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
- Beat on medium-high speed for one minute, to aerate the batter and build the cake's structure.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared jars, and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then pour the tres leches mixture over the cakes, chill for 2 hours, and top with whipped cream, dulce de leche, and toasted coconut.
To make the tres leches mixture
- Whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half & half together in a large measuring cup.
I am sure this is tasty and easier, but this is not how tres leches is made. It is more like angel sponge, and starts with whipping 6 whole eggs, then uses only a small amount of flour. I was searching for ways to bake my tres leches in individual portions and found your recipe.
Thanks- I do try to develop my recipes according to what I like best. I’m sure you could probably use the recipe you already like, and just bake it in jars like this. Good luck!
Could I make it as a sheet cake then put it in clear plastic cups then add the milk? I need quite a few and I don’t want to buy that many glass jars.
Absolutely! Honestly you don’t even need the cups if you don’t want. You can just soak the sheet cake and cut it into slices. Good luck!
today is my boyfriend’s birthday and he wanted tres leches cake.to make a long story shortit was a hit with him I will continue to use your recipe.thank you so much for sharing. I would definitely recommend using this recipe.it was very easy to follow.
So glad to hear it! Happy belated birthday to your boyfriend!
Help! I made this but the milk mixture wouldn’t absorb into the cake! It sat in the fridge overnight and still nothing. Any ideas why this happened?
No it should soak in, but the cake will be very wet. But it’s ok if not all of it is absorbed, that is kind of the beauty of this dessert is all the yummy liquid.
What is the name of the Mexican restaurant that you tried the tres leches ?
Bartaco. It’s linked at the beginning of the post.
Quick question, what kind of jar did you use? Was it like a canning jar or something else? I ordered Kerr canning jars and I’m not sure if they’re safe to use in the oven for baking.
Hey Madi! There is an Amazon link to the kind of jar I used just above the recipe card. Canning jars are fine in the oven- they’re made to withstand the high temperatures that are necessary for canning.
I’m thinking about making these with the 8 ounce variation and I’m just wondering, about how much batter did you put into each one?
I divided the batter equally between 14 4-ounce jars.
Okay so I made these because my boyfriend and his mom (who are of Latin American descent) challenged me to make a tres leches cake and they absolutely loved this!
Only problem is that now I’ve been challenged to make a chocolate tres leches cake and I have no idea where to start adapting this one. Any advice you could give me?
Wow congrats on impressing your boyfriend and mom! Sadly I have not worked out a chocolate version for this cake, but if I were you I’d use this recipe as a starting point: https://bakingamoment.com/simply-perfect-chocolate-cake/. You’ll probably want to halve it. Good luck!
Hmm, do you think halving it and then substituting light brown sugar for the granulated sugar would work?
Question. If making these for a wedding desert table can they be made a week in advance and then kept frozen till day of wedding?
Hi there! I have not tried freezing this so I can’t really say for sure. Sometimes that sort of thing can work, but sometimes dairy can turn grainy after the freeze/thaw process. Maybe you could just make a small batch and test it out to see?
aww I just saw your trailer video and I just love your enthusiasm and energy! 🙂 I’m loving your blog ❤️ Your photos are fantastic!!! I could just these cakes off my screen xD wonderful recipe. thank you for sharing with us. have an awesome day!
Thank you so much Olivia! I’m so happy you’re enjoying.
This treat reminds me of when my mother used to make bread pudding. It has the perfect texture and very sweet flavor.
Oh this looks so delicious.
Thank you!
Wonderful delicious
So happy you like it!
Do you think I could make these as cupcakes using your cupcake recipe and the milk mixture?
This is my cupcake recipe 😉