The BEST authentic homemade Tres Leches Cake. An ultra light cake soaked in a sweet milk mixture and topped with fresh whipped cream and cinnamon. This simple Mexican dessert is one of our favorites! 

Want more dessert recipes? Try my Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chocolate Mug Cake, Key Lime Pie, or Apple Crisp!

A slice of Tres Leches Cake with a sliced strawberry on top, served on a plate.

Every person in my family would rank Tres Leches Cake in our top favorites of all time! I love that it's not overly sweet, it's super easy to make, I can make it in advance, and its absolutely delicious! We make it really often, especially when we're having a bunch of other Mex

ican food favorites to serve with it.

What is Tres Leches?

Tres leches literally means, “three milks”  and Tres Leches Cake is an ultra light sponge cake soaked in a sweet milk mixture.  It's popular in Mexico and Latin America and throughout the United States as it's often available at Mexican restaurants.

The cake is similar to an angel food cake. The whipped egg whites in the batter make it extra light and spongy. After baking the cake you poke holes in it with a fork and pour three types of milk over the top–evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk–hence the name “tres leches”.

How to Make Tres Leches Cake:

  • In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls.
Egg whites in a mixing bowl, egg yolks in a separate mixing bowl, and flour, baking powder and salt in a third mixing bowl.
  • Add ¾ cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add ⅓ cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don't over-mix).
  • Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. As the begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
Whipped egg whites added to the batter for tres leches cake.
  • Pour batter into pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool completely.
Cake batter smoothed into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake. 
  • Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
Milk mixture being poured over a cake in a pan, with holes poked in the cake.
  • In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake.
Whipped cream being spread over the top of a cake.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, and fresh sliced strawberries, if desired. Store Tres Leches Cake in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-5 days.
A pan of sliced tres leches cake with a piece removed.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

You can make Tres leches cake 1-2 days in advance.  In fact, I love to make this cake the night before so that the cake has a lot of time to soak up the milk mixture.

No oil or butter in the cake?

That's right, this Tres Leches Cake is NOT made with butter or oil.  The egg whites are the main leavening agent that give it a sponge cake texture, and the three milks poured on top get absorbed by the cake, making it moist without the need of oil or butter.

Serve Tres Leches with:

FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!

Recipe

A slice of Tres Leches Cake with a sliced strawberry on top, served on a plate.
Prep 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 2 hours 10 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

Cake:

Milk Mixture:

Whipped Topping:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls.
  • Add ¾ cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add ⅓ cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don't over-mix).
  • Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. As the begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
  • Pour batter into un-greased pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool completely.
  • Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake. 
  • Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
  • In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Store Tres Leches Cake in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-5 days.
Make Ahead Instructions: You can make Tres leches cake 1-2 days in advance. In fact, I love to make this cake the night before so that the cake has a lot of time to soak up the milk mixture. 
Freezing Instructions: The baked and cooled cake can be frozen for up to 3 months, covered well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before pouring the three milks on top.
Smaller servings?  Try my Tres Leches Cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 9gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 344mgSugar: 41gVitamin A: 865IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 242mgIron: 1mg

Create a FREE Account to save your favorite recipes and create meal plans

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

I originally shared this recipe May 2015. Updated April 2017 and May 2021.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Process photos by Nikole of The Travel Palate

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

Categories

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

4.1 167 votes
Recipe Rating
4.96 from 3925 votes (3,278 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

1.4K Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Katie M.
1 month ago

5 stars
Not gonna lie, I was very skeptical when the cake came out of the oven as it was looking very thin and a little over baked. But I stayed the course and I brought the cake in for my team’s monthly birthday celebration and it’s literally the top of the entire office. We have a very diverse Latin team and everybody thought the cake was absolutely delicious.

Rebecca Shapiro
1 month ago

5 stars
This cake is so so good omg. Never had a tres leches cake before making it and now it’s my new favourite dessert.

Jpeg
1 month ago

5 stars
My 6 year old son who only eats chocolate cake proclaimed this was the best cake in the world and is begging to have it for his upcoming birthday and my 3 year old daughter, who usually just eats frosting off cake, literally inhaled her slice. Suffice to say, this was a huge hit!

This was my first time using the whipped egg white method for cakes, so I was nervous, but it was way easier than I expected! Overall it was a very easy and effective recipe. I will definitely be making it again.

Celesta
2 months ago

5 stars
I’m not Mexican, but I make this for my relatives who are born and raised, and they say this is the best tres leches cake they have ever eaten. I make it with 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour and nobody knows the difference. I also use just the cake part for my strawberry shortcake because it holds up to strawberry juice just like it does to the milk and doesn’t turn to mush. It’s the best!!

Mariah
1 month ago
Reply to  Celesta

I just made one with the king Arther’s 1:1 gf flour, I’m currently waiting for it to cool to pour the milk over! Wish me luck. I told my son I’d make him a regular flour one if the gf isn’t good, but I’ve never had Tres’ leches cake and I have celiacs and wanted to be able to try it!

Ash
4 months ago

5 stars
Just wanted to say I live at 5k feet up and I did not need to make adjustments for high altitude. Also, this recipe is amazing!

Alena K Allred
8 months ago

5 stars
My son wanted a Tres Leches cake for his birthday. I have never made one before. This recipe was easy to follow, and the cake turned out perfect! Thank you! This recipe is now added to our family favorites!

Abby
9 months ago

5 stars
THE best Tres Leches recipe I have come across! I make it about six times a year and it is always a huge hit at family gatherings. The sponge cake itself is tender and has just the right amount of texture to hold the milk mixture without losing volume or falling apart.

Heather
1 year ago

5 stars
This cake!! Wow!! So delicious and so fun to make. A definite crowd pleaser. It will be a new family favorite for sure.

Amrita
3 years ago

5 stars
It was a mega hit!

Laura
3 years ago

This cake was delicious, but it rose much higher than the one in the video, and then sank in the middle so it wasn’t flat. Is this because I over whipped the egg whites?

Josie Castorena
3 years ago

Loved the cake. It was a big hit at my sisters birthday party.

Paula Behnke
3 years ago

4 stars
This recipe was super simple and super yummy. Definitely the best I’ve ever had. My only question is can I double the cake?

Kathy Perez
4 years ago

I made this for a birthday party, never knew how to make a cake unless it was a box LOL and I well let me tell you that everybody loved it. I was so surprised that I did that by myself. Thanks to the recipe I will keep on doing it. Thank you!!!

Judy Lucas
4 years ago

5 stars
Best Tres Leche Cake recipe ever. Have tried making this cake a few different ways but nothing comes close to this recipe. Thank you for sharing g ❤️

Candice
4 years ago

5 stars
By far best recipe. Everything is perfectly delicious !!! A must try (: it was a crazy hit

Lizette
4 years ago
Reply to  Candice

5 stars
Love this recipe. A must try. AMAZING!!!!

Alison Pollack
4 years ago

4 stars
Amazing cake. My Fussy Father loved it. Am making it for father’s day for him today.

Jennifer
4 years ago
Reply to  Alison Pollack

5 stars
Me too!

Cassandra
4 years ago

5 stars
This is by far my favorite thing I make. I actually ate the whole cake one time so I cannot make this cake unless I can leave it at someone else’s house.

Paula
4 years ago

5 stars
Loved this recipe!!! Definitely the best I’ve had. Wondering if I can double the recipe? More to share🤷🏼‍♀️

1 33 34 35 36 37 94