If you have never fabricated a Tres Leches Cake recipe, you are in for a treat! Picture this: a fluffy white canvas cake, poked with holes and soaked in a mixture of kokosnoot milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk (tres leches ways 3 milks!) The resulting cake is irresistibly moist. It's perfect for Cinco de Mayo! Originally posted May iv, 2019.

tres leches cake

Tres Leches Recipe

And so my sister Laura emailed me this Tres Leches Cake recipe concluding week.  She said she's been working on it and tweaking information technology for years, and finally feels similar she has reached perfection, so of class I had to make it.

What does Tres Leches Block taste like?

Have you ever had a Tres Leches Cake?  It'southward one of the weirdest cakes yous will always brand. Bake a white cake, so dump a good 4-v cups of sugary milk over the acme of it and refrigerate. It absorbs all the liquid and transforms into the most fluffy, spongey, moist cake y'all volition ever have. I literally over baked this cake for at to the lowest degree 5 minutes and information technology yet turned out incredibly delicious. I mean it's kind of foolproof when you're dumping a ton of milk on meridian of it.

I decided to make the cake in the morning, and I wanted to photograph it in the afternoon. I knew I was already breaking the rules because Laura specifically said that the cake should exist made the 24-hour interval before you want to consume it, just what can I say, I similar to walk on the wild side. Or something similar that (I remember this is really just code for impatience.)

tres leches cake recipe

And then I drop off the kids for school and race home to become the cake started. I throw the ingredients together and pop the cake in the oven. I prepare the timer for 25 minutes.

So I take a adept hard look at the ingredient list and realize I've made the classic mistake that I know every single 1 of you lot take made at least one time: I hadn't technically read through the ingredient list and needed to make a trip to the grocery shop. Who has Coco Crema on manus? Definitely non me. (Information technology'south sweetened coconut cream with carbohydrate. People use it for Pina Coladas, it'south normally sold in the wine alley.)

So. I had 25 minutes. I can totally make a store trip in 25 minutes, right?

authentic tres leches cake recipe

I caput to the vino aisle to get the Coco Crema. Simply it's non there. I check the beer aisle, the juice alley, the coffee aisle, the dairy creamer alley, information technology is nowhere to be found, and finally I stop to ask these two ladies who were in the vino aisle. They were conspicuously planning a huge party, they had 2 carts that they were filling with all kinds of alcohol, and had their notebooks out with their lists. I idea, if anyone in this store knows where the Coco Crema is, it's these people.

They searched the entire alley with me, consulted the store manager, and pulled upwards pictures on their phones of the different brands of Coco Crema that you tin can find (apparently you can buy information technology in a squeeze tube).  We couldn't notice it anywhere. But they helped me for a solid 3 minutes and it totally confirmed my faith in humanity. Go humans.

How to make tres leches cake

Aaaand and then my timer went off. I grabbed a couple cans of regular coconut cream and raced to the checkout.

I was fully expecting a completely over baked cake when I got dwelling, and I wasn't wrong. BUT it hadn't burned and I thought, well, I'chiliad virtually to dump v cups of milk on information technology, so it should be fine, right?? (I was correct. That'due south why this block is actually great for novice bakers!)

I concluded up using coconut cream with some actress sugar instead of the Coco Crema that Laura's recipe calls for. Because that'southward all it is anyway, sweetened coconut cream. I've made notes in the recipe if you tin can't find whatever Coco Crema!

After all the fuss and rush, I have to say, this cake was totally worth information technology.  It is SO Expert. The best role is that information technology can exist made ahead of fourth dimension. It would exist then fun to make this for Cinco de Mayo!

How to brand Tres Leches Cake

Egg yolk and beaten egg whites
  1.  Here's the egg situation. Divide the yolks and whites, and beat the whites until they are nice and potent.
Cake batter and poking cooked cake

2.  The batter is pretty thick. Apply a chopstick to poke the holes. One time it is broiled, make as many holes every bit you tin without destroying your cake! You can see that my cake is a piffling night, I totally over broiled it. This is the 1 Cake that I will tell you you tin save later over baking. Normally this is a capital punishment for cakes!

What are the three types of milk in Tres Leches?

Traditionally, this cake uses evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and milk/cream. But nosotros are switching information technology upwardly a little to apply kokosnoot cream instead of dairy foam. It adds a subtle flavor and richness that I absolutely admire!

best tres leches cake recipe

How long practice you lot soak Tres Leches Block?

3. It'due south a lot of milk! The cake needs four-six hours to absorb it all in the fridge. See recipe for instructions on warming the block in the turned-off oven later on adding the milk. This is one of Laura's tips for helping the milk distribute evenly throughout the cake!

To a higher place is a pic of the cake afterward is has soaked in the milk mixture for several hours. All that succulent flavor has been soaked upwards and absorbed into our cake.

best tres leches cake recipe

four.  After soaking, frost with simple whipped cream and yous are good to get! Yous really don't want a buttercream frosting for this cake. It'south as well heavy. Whipped foam really is the perfect compliment.

Oh and don't forget the strawberries! They are kind of essential!

authentic tres leches cake recipe

Does Tres Leches Cake demand to be refrigerated?

Yes! Tres leches cake is served cold. It is best made the day before you lot want to swallow it, or at least several hours. The block needs fourth dimension to chill but as well time to absorb all the liquid we're dumping on top. Also information technology'south very handy that this block needs to be covered and chilled and put out of sight in the fridge, so that I'm not sneaking a bite every time I pass through the kitchen. Am I right or am I correct??

Should Tres Leches cake be wet or soggy?

The texture of Tres Leches cake is quite unique. It should non exist moisture and soggy to the point that information technology is disintegrating and falling apart. But at that place is definitely going to exist a thin layer of milk at the bottom of your cake when you slice into information technology. And the cake is unbelievably moist cheers to all the liquid. If the cake has had plenty time to blot all the milk, it should concur its shape just fine. Information technology should not gustatory modality soggy, just rather should accept a texture like a pudding or custard.

Storing and Freezing Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake is meant to exist served cold, and should be stored in the fridge in between servings. Information technology will last up to 2-3 days.

Unfortunately this cake doesn't freeze well. All that milk is going to thaw out to be even more than liquid-y when you take it out of the freezer, ruining the texture of the cake. It's best to eat upwardly this cake without reservations inside a twenty-four hours or two of making it! No regrets, yolo!

If you oasis't tried out this unique cake even so, definitely give this recipe a effort! Information technology's so much fun to brand, and definitely fun to serve to people who have never tried it. Enjoy!

More of my favorite cake recipes!

  • The Best Homemade White Cake Recipe of Your Life << I'm serious guys. In love.
  • Foam Cheese Pound Cake << I love this recipe!
  • The All-time Chocolate Cake I've Ever Had << My #i favorite!
  • White Texas Canvas Cake << This was an unexpectedly succulent cake!
  • Brown Sugar Yellowish Cake with Chocolate Frosting << This is like Yellow Block plus!
  • Coconut Layer Cake << this 1 is really easy!
  • Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting << Such a simple recipe but it packs a punch
  • Classic White Layer Cake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Strawberry Jello Cake from Real Housemoms
  • White Buttermilk Cake from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Tres Leches Cake

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Chilling Time: four hrs

Total Time: iv hrs 45 mins

If you have never had Tres Leches Block, you are in for a treat! Picture this: a fluffy white sheet block, poked with holes and soaked in a mixture of coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk (tres leches means three milks!) The resulting block is irresistibly moist. It'south perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

For the cake

  • five eggs, divided
  • 1/2 loving cup butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • i & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • i & 1/two cups flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking pulverisation
  • one/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the milk

  • 1 (13.6-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 cups Coco Crema*, almost ane (15-oz) tin can
  • 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (12-oz) tin evaporated milk

For the whipped foam

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • one/two cup powdered carbohydrate
  • i/2 teaspoon almond excerpt
  • strawberries, to garnish

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch block pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter.

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, add five egg whites. Place the egg yolks in a small basin and prepare aside.

  • Beat the egg whites nearly two-4 minutes, until strong peaks form. See photos.

  • Scrape the egg whites into a medium bowl and store in the fridge.

  • In the same bowl that you beat the egg whites, add 1/2 loving cup butter and beat until smooth, scraping edges. Add together ane loving cup carbohydrate and shell until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping sides halfway through. Add one and i/2 teaspoons vanilla and vanquish well.

  • Add the egg yolks i at a time, chirapsia well later on each addition.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

  • Get the beaten egg whites out of the fridge. Now you are going to add together the flour mixture and the beaten egg whites into the butter/sugar mixture in alternate batches. (Add nearly half the flour to the butter mixture, stir. And so add together half the beaten egg whites to the butter mixture, stir, etc, until it's all added.) Do not over mix. Once it is combined, stop.

  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread out with a spatula.

  • Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are pulling abroad from the sides of the block pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no batter on it. Don't make a grocery shop trip in this 25 minutes.

  • While the block is baking, make in a very large glass measuring loving cup or bowl, add 1 can coconut milk. Stick it in the microwave for 30-60 2d and stir until all the lumps have disappeared. Add together 2 cups Coco Crema*, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tin can evaporated milk. Stir together until combined.

  • When the cake is broiled, remove from the oven, turn off the oven, and fix a timer for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, use a chopstick to poke holes in the cake. In Laura's words: "Use a chopstick for bigger holes – you want a LOT of holes, to the betoken where it almost feels like you're going to ruin or nail the cake but don't actually ruin or nail the block."

  • In one case you take holes all over the cake, take three-v minutes to SLOWLY pour the milk mixture all over the cake. If you cascade too quickly, the top of your block will not absorb the liquid. Yes, cascade all of the liquid on the cake. It seems similar as well much. It's not!

  • Once all the milk has been added, put the cake back in the oven that has been turned OFF and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the cake from the oven and let cool for a few minutes on the counter. Cover well and transfer to the refrigerator to absurd completely, and to allow the liquid absorb into the cake. This will take at least 4-six hours.

  • Once the cake is completely chilled and you are ready to serve, brand the whipped cream. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 2 cups cream on loftier for 2-4 minutes until soft peaks form. Add together 1/ii loving cup powdered carbohydrate and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat well, scraping sides and bottom.

  • Spread the whipped foam over the block.

  • Garnish with strawberries that have either been hulled and chopped, or you lot could just slice each ane in one-half and scatter over the block. Top the whole cake with strawberries if y'all call back y'all'll consume the whole cake that twenty-four hour period. If yous don't, then serve with cut strawberries, just spoon them on superlative of each serving. Fresh strawberries work better than strawberry sauce or sugared berries since the block is so rich and has its ain liquids already.

*If you tin't find Coco Crema at the store (I couldn't! but Laura says Walmart always has it. And hither is an Amazon link.) you tin can replace it with coconut CREAM. (Not coconut milk. The kokosnoot cream is in addition to the coconut milk called for in the recipe.) You can find it in the Asian food aisle. Purchase two cans (you won't employ all of it). Open the cans and utilise a spoon to scoop out the solid cream, plenty to measure 2 cups. Go out the watery liquid behind. Add 3/iv cup granulated saccharide (this carbohydrate is not called for in the recipe higher up, but add it if you are using coconut cream and not Coco Crema.) Be certain to microwave the kokosnoot cream until all the lumps have smoothed out. Then add together the other milks called for (coconut MILK, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk), and pour over your block. (You tin can use your leftover coconut cream to make this Dull Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Back-scratch Sauce!)

This recipe is from my astonishing sis Laura!

Serving: 1 one thousand , Calories: 652 kcal , Carbohydrates: 59 thou , Protein: 11 thou , Fat: 42 one thousand , Saturated Fat: 24 g , Polyunsaturated Fat: ii 1000 , Monounsaturated Fatty: 9 m , Trans Fat: one g , Cholesterol: 183 mg , Sodium: 503 mg , Potassium: 355 mg , Fiber: i g , Sugar: 44 g , Vitamin A: 1252 IU , Vitamin C: ii mg , Calcium: 297 mg , Iron: 2 mg

Form: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 652 kcal