We love the simple, crowd-pleasing desserts that come together in a casserole dish like classical Tiramisu, our democratic 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 .

What is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres Leches is a democratic authentic Mexican cake. I am a fan of damp cakes and this Tres Leches Cake 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 pungency is decadently damp. The cake is fat but has a light feel to it and is balanced by the lightly sweetened whipped cream. We even bravely turned it into a Layered Tres Leches Cake !
My cousin Katerina sent me this Tres Leches Cake recipe a ( long ) while back and I last found time to make it. It was adapted from the Pioneer Woman .
Tres Leches Ingredients:
This recipe calls for very simple ingredients, most of which are refrigerator and pantry staples. It has 3 kinds of milk poured over the patty : evaporated milk, heavy blister cream, and sweetened condensed milk. It ’ sulfur topped with a 2-ingredient whip cream frosting. We love adding fresh berries like strawberries and raspberries over the acme for a prettier presentation .
Tips for the Best Tres Leches Cake:
- Watch the video tutorial below before beginning to gauge the process and tools needed before starting.
- Measure dry and wet ingredients correctly. For the flour, spoon it into dry ingredients measuring cup and level off the top.
- Cold eggs are easier to separate into whites and yolks.
- Fold the batter 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.
- 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.
Answering Your Burning Questions:
How long does tres leches cake last? You can fully assemble and make a tres leches cake 1 to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add fresh berries just before serving, specially if berries are sliced .
Is Tres Leches supposed to be soggy? It is supposed to be very damp. The coat base is a sponge patty so it takes on the generous total of syrup without getting doughy. This is why I avoid using a box egg white cake mix which can promptly become “ inert ” since it ’ s not meant to absorb liquid .
Can Tres Leches Cake be frozen? You can make the cake basal ahead of time. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature then cover the casserole dish tightly with a couple of layers of formative wrap and freeze the tres leches cake infrastructure astir to 2 months. Thaw the patty in the refrigerator overnight or on the counterpunch before using it. It is not recommended to freeze the patty once the syrup and frost are added .
How to Make Tres Leches Cake:
- 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.
- Using an electric hand mixer beat yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed, until pale yellow (2 min). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and vanilla.
- With clean and dry egg beaters, beat whites 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 egg yolk mixture over the 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.
- When the cake has cooled, pierce all over with a fork and slowly drizzle on the 3-milks mixture. Let rest 30 minutes then top with whipped cream and berries.
This has to be one of the moistest cakes about. It goes down easy and you ’ ll relish every bite. Make this for your next party and you will become known for your Tres Leches recipe !
Our Best Potluck Desserts:
If you ’ rhenium looking for more party front-runner desserts that are dim-witted to make, transport well and can even be made ahead, you will love these dessert recipes .
Watch Natasha Make this Tres Leches Cake:
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Tres Leches Cake Recipe
from
votes
Prep Time:
30
minutes
Cook Time:
30
minutes
Resting Time:
1
hour
Total Time:
2
hours
Tres Leches Cake has a soft and ultra-moist crumb. It is soaked with a 3 milk mixture and topped with a thinly sweetened whipped cream. generator :
Skill Level:
Easy/Medium
Cost to Make:
$8-$14 (varies by fruit used)
Keyword:
tres leches cake
Calories:
415
Servings:
12
people
Ingredients
Ingredients:
-
1
cup
all-purpose 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
cupunharmed milk
Syrup:
-
12
oz
evaporated milk -
9
oz
sweetened condensed milk -
1/3
cup
heavy thrashing skim
Frosting:
-
2
cups
dense blister cream -
2
Tbsp
granulated boodle -
1
cup
berries, to garnish, optional
US Customary – Metric
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 bowl .
- 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 gear speed, until yolks are a pale yellow ( 2 minutes ). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla .
- Beat egg whites on high gear speed until soft peaks human body ( 1 infinitesimal ). With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and tick on high speed until egg whites are cadaver but not dry ( 1 minute )
- Pour egg egg yolk assortment over the flour assortment and unite gently with a spatula .
- gently fold in egg white mix with the spatula until barely combined. Pour batter into prepare 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 measure cup ( or a bowling ball with a pouring lip ), combine 1/3 cup heavy whipping skim, 12 oz evaporated milk and 9 oz condensed milk. When the cake is aplomb, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mix over the cake .
To Make the Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Pour 2 cups cold intemperate whip cream and 2 Tbsp boodle into a large cool mix bowl and perplex on high speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until thick, whipped and spreadable. spread over the coat with a spatula then decorate with berries if desired .
nutriment Facts
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 415
Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g
35%
Saturated Fat 14g
88%
Cholesterol 148mg
49%
Sodium 153mg
7%
Potassium 302mg
9%
Carbohydrates 45g
15%
Fiber 1g
4%
Sugar 35g
39%
Protein 8g
16%
Vitamin A 921IU
18%
Vitamin C 2mg
2%
Calcium 207mg
21%
Iron 1mg
6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet .
Nutrition DisclosureInstagram If you make this recipe, I ’ five hundred love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter ! Hashtag them # natashaskitchen We first base published this recipe in 2011. We updated the photos and recipe Dec 2019, baking and serving knocked out of a casserole dish and adding a little more melt milk to achieve that key signature damp of an authentic tres leches cake. here is what the original photograph looked like :
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