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This tres leches cake recipe is simply the best! Soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with whipped cream, it’s light yet creamy and moist without being soggy or mushy. The perfect dessert for any occasion!
I can’t think of a single celebration growing up that didn’t have tres leches cake on the table. Birthdays, quinceañeras, baptisms, graduations — this cake was always a must! It’s the kind of dessert that makes everyone’s eyes light up when they see it, and once you take a bite? Game over.
It’s light and creamy, sweet but not overwhelming, and perfectly soaked without being soggy or mushy. And the best part? It’s easy to make at home!
What Is Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches cake (which means “three milks cake”) is a popular Mexican and Latin American dessert made from a light sponge cake that’s soaked in a mixture of three milks — sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk — and topped with whipped cream.
It’s light and airy, thanks to the egg whites that are whipped and folded into the batter, and it’s soaked in the creamy milk mixture without being soggy or mushy. It’s truly the best cake!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweetened condensed milk: The first milk in the three-milk mixture. Adds sweetness and is thick and creamy.
- Evaporated milk: The second milk in the three-milk mixture. Adds richness and creaminess without making the cake too heavy.
- Whole milk: The third milk in the three-milk mixture. Helps balance out the sweetness.
- Eggs: The yolks and whites are beaten separately to create a light and airy texture.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: Adds warm, traditional Mexican and Latin-American flavors.
- Heavy cream: Used to make the fluffy whipped cream topping.
These are just some of the key ingredients. For the full recipe, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Tres Leches Cake
Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in one bowl and the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in another bowl. Then, mix together until just combined.
Beat the egg whites: In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar on high until shiny, stiff peaks form.
Fold: Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the batter until they’re just combined and no white streaks remain.
Bake: Pour the batter into a well-greased 9×13-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
Poke holes: Use a fork or wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake (make sure to go all the way to the bottom) to help the three-milk mixture fully soak in.
Pour and soak: Combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk in a large bowl, then pour all over the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the cake to fully absorb the liquid.
Top with whipped cream and serve: Beat together the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl on high stiff peaks form, and spread all over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon and serve with strawberries, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl. Make sure the bowl you use to whip your egg whites to stiff peaks is completely clean and dry. Any grease, water, or residue can prevent the whites from whipping properly.
- Don’t overmix the batter. When combining the egg whites with the rest of the batter, fold them in gently to keep as much air in as possible until there are no egg white bits or streaks left. This is what helps keep the cake fluffy. I like to use a rubber or silicone spatula for this step.
- Let it soak. The longer it sits, the better it gets! I recommend at least 2 hours, but overnight is ideal to get all the moisture distributed.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Tres leches cake is supposed to be moist but not soggy or mushy. The sponge cake should absorb the three-milk mixture without completely disintegrating and falling apart.
Tres leches cake needs to soak for a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight, to allow the three-milk mixture to fully and evenly absorb.
Sort of. I recommend baking the cake, letting it cool completely, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and placing it in a large bag to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, let it thaw completely, then follow the remaining instructions to soak the cake in the three-milk mixture and top with whipped cream.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Tres leches cake is perfect for making ahead since it’s often better after it’s been soaking overnight. It can be made up to 3 days in advance, but the whipped cream should be spread over the cake just before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Storing: Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Want more tres leches cake variations? Try my chocolate tres leches cake, pumpkin tres leches cake, and apple tres leches cake.
🌟 Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I love hearing about your experience, and it also helps others. 🌟
Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- Cooking spray, olive oil, or butter, for greasing
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 5 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
For the milk mixture
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
For the topping
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: sliced strawberries and ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, olive oil, or butter and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks and ¾ cup of the granulated sugar on high using a handheld or stand mixer for about 1 minute until the yolks are pale yellow in color. Add the vanilla extract and whole milk and mix again until just combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined to form a batter.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites and remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar on high speed using a handheld or stand mixer until shiny and stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the batter with a silicone spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until just combined and no white streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then poke holes all over the cake with a fork or a skewer.
- Make the milk mixture: Whisk together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk in a medium bowl.
- Slowly pour the three milk mixture all over the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to let the cake fully cool and absorb the liquid.
- Make the whipped topping: Beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl on high using a handheld or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Spread the whipped topping all over the cake. Garnish with dusting of cinnamon and sliced strawberries if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin and Erin Jensen.
This was the best tres leches cake I’ve ever tasted!! My whole family enjoyed it. I’m so glad I found this recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much, Cathy!
I’ve made this twice! Most recently two days ago for my boyfriend’s birthday! He has always had tres leches cake for all of his birthday’s aside from his last birthday when he moved from Chicago to where I live. We don’t have as much access to Mexican and Hispanic food around here so I wanted to make him a tres leches this year to make him happy and at home.
This time I put lemons on top since he loves lemons, and used lemon extract in the frosting instead of vanilla. (Was having terrible luck finding good strawberries at the store). And he loved it!
Thank you so much for this recipe and all your other recipes, Isabel! We use your site often to learn how to make foods he is used to eating back at home in addition to instructions from his parents!
Making this recipe was my first experience with tres leches cake – either eating or making it and it was so light, not too sweet and delicious.
This is an easy and straightforward recipe and I’m glad to see the cake is holding up well with all the milks. Not falling apart at all. So delicious! Thank you Isabel!
Thanks, Erica! So great to hear that you loved it!
Sooo good! I add a little extra milk to make it extra wet. I was told it was the best they ever had! Easy to make!!!
This is the best tres leches recipe I have found and made thus far. I like a very tall, light and airy single layer cake that doesn’t get soggy, and this recipe is all that. I do like to have excess 3 milks juice in the pan so I can scoop some on the plate when I slice the cake. Next time I may try adding maybe a quarter or half cup more of whole milk to the 3 milks mixture.
My daughter requested a tres leches cake for her birthday. I found your recipe and made it for her and the family…it was a big hit! Thank you for your recipe.
Dear Isabel, I followed your directions exactly and my cake was delicious and perfect! I had my hispanic friends over for dinner and made if for dessert. They were very impressed! I have made your tamales and and some other recipes of yours. Always delicious! Thank you for sharing.
This was amazing!
I’ve always loved this cale and wanted to make it but it felt very overwhelming. Isabel’s instructions were easy to follow, the cake was delicious and impressed my honduran neighbors! I didn’t have evaporated milk and used cream instead and it worked fine!