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!
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 Mexican 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
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:
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Elote
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Refried Beans
- Horchata
- or any of my other popular Mexican Recipes!
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Recipe
Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs , separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar , divided
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk Mixture:
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Whipped Topping:
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon , for 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
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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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.
This cake was easy to make and tasted delicious!!!! Served it at May 6 Book Club and it was a hug hit!!!
I’ve probably made this cake a dozen times now. As a native Texan, naturally it is the #1 request of friends and family. Not one thing needs adjusting. Thank you so much for sharing.
Reviews don’t lie — this cake was phenomenal. Got lots of great reviews from family & friends. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Definitely a keeper!! Even my husband who doesn’t care for tres leches loved it!! I followed the recipe exactly and this cake was perfect!!
SO GOOD. I have done a fair amount of baking and this is probably one of the best cakes I’ve made. It’s incredibly easy. I got tons of compliments and will be making this again soon. I made it with the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour and it was perfect.
This is made every single family get together. And there’s never anything left…so now I make two for the kids to divide & take home with them. A simply beautiful delicious cake. Our families fav✨
Here is the funny of the day. Made this but put in a 8.5×11 pan. I promise I know how to cook. Lol. Smells divine. I suppose I’ll either transfer in pieces to a bigger pan or shave the top off a bit (although I do hate to take that yummy crust away). Any suggestions are appreciated. TIA
This is my first attempt with a Tres Leches Cake. I am baking it for Cinco de Mayo.
Is it better to use a Pyrex or metal baking pan?
Should it be greased or ungreased? Cooled & Served in same baking pan?
Sorry for all of the questions, I want to make sure I don’t have to guess about anything.
Thank you for your patience & response…love your recipes…
Excited you’re trying out the Tres Leches Cake! For this type of cake, you can use either a Pyrex or a metal baking pan. Metal pans generally heat up faster and can help the cake bake evenly, but a Pyrex dish works well too if you prefer to see the layers as they soak up the milk mixture.
You should grease the pan lightly to ensure the cake releases easily after baking. Most tres leches cakes are cooled and then soaked with the milk mixture in the same pan they were baked in, which helps absorb all that milky goodness. Just be sure to let it cool completely before adding the milk mixture.
No worries about the questions—that’s what I’m here for! Enjoy baking
No oil or fat listed in the recipe for the cake batter. No good
It’s typical for a traditional tres leches cake to have a sponge cake base, which usually doesn’t include oil or fat. This helps the cake absorb the milk mixture better, giving it that wonderful moist texture.
This recipe was PERFECT. I made it for a friend who has just moved from Mexico and was celebrating his birthday. He said it was delicious. It was exactly what I was looking for (light airy cake, but not dry, milky but not soggy, sweet but not overly sweet, just a hint of caramel flavour from the sweetened condensed milk) This was an exceptional recipe and I will make it again.
Hi! I love this recipe! I made it several times while living in the Dallas, Tx area with no problems. We are now living at 6400 ft compared to 620ft. My cake looks great but it fell in the middle. Should I increase the liquid and cook longer? It’s a wonderful recipe and is delicious, I just dolloped a little extra cream on top!! Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Make stabilized whipped cream ; keeps beautifully for days. You add a bit of plain gelatin powder to some water , warmed enough to for it to dissolve , then let it cool A few minutes before adding it to the cream you are whipping. Measurements depend on the amount of cream, of course.
Can you use a ceramic or glass baking dish instead?
Yes you can, it may bake a little faster.
was super easy to make! i would recommend making sure you don’t make too much whipped cream. because my whipped cream felt flat after a day which made me sad. so maybe just make whipped cream for however much cake ur gonna eat that day.
Mine lasted fine for a week
The recipe is solid. Please do the favor of removing the directions for 2x. The printed instructions don’t reflect the appropriate propotions. People would do better to double on their own
I mentor high school kids each year and last year they requested a tres leches cake for the graduation party. So I made this one, and it is perfect! According to my kids who are new to America, it reminds them of their grandmother’s, so kudos!! I am so grateful you shared this recipe! This year I am making two of them for tomorrow’s party.
Best cake ever! And rather inexpensive to make.
This is now the *only* cake my husband, kids, and extended family want for special occasions. Everyone who tastes it raves. I’ve even been told it’s “ruined all other tres leches cakes” for people. It’s soaked, but not soggy, and just perfect and easy to make, too! I like to top the whipped cream with drizzled Dulce de leche to make it quatro leches. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Delicious! I’ve made this several times and gotten amazing feedback. I do wonder what the best way to poke the holes is. I used a fork once and it stuck a lot and pulled out a lot of the cake. I’ve also used a chopstick, which was a bit better. What is the best tool for the holes? Also, I’d like it to be a bit more milky, for lack of a better word. Would adding extra whole milk to the tres leches mixture ruin the recipe ? And how much would you recommend ?
For poking holes in a tres leches cake, a skewer or the round handle of a wooden spoon works really well because it creates holes that are big enough for the milk mixture to seep into without damaging the cake too much. A fork might create too many small holes that can pull the cake apart, as you’ve experienced.
If you’re looking to increase the “milkiness” without compromising the cake’s structure, consider adding just a bit more of the milk mixture, focusing on whole milk or heavy cream for richness. However, be cautious not to oversaturate the cake, which could make it soggy. Start with an additional 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of milk and adjust based on the cake’s absorption. Remember, it’s easier to add more milk mixture gradually than to fix a soggy cake.
I used a meat fork (the one with 2 thinner tines) and it worked great.
It was just delicious!!! It is my favorite cake. I made it for myself the best, thank you so much for this fabulous recipes🎉
I made this Tres Leches cake yesterday for the first time and was very surprised at how easy it was to make. I served it to 4 people, and they were very happy with it. One person did a shimmy, another did a reflection of all that is good, and my husband was yep, it’s good. Thank you for such a great recipe, I have always been a little intimidated with making a Tres Leches cake just by the name alone which was for nothing with this recipe. BTW 4 people no leftovers they wouldn’t stop eating it.
I haven’t finished the cake. Why did my cake shrunk the moment I took it of the oven?
One word: Amazing!! I’ve made this cake last night and it has exceeded my expectations! I will definitely make this cake again.
My favorite cake.
Can you use 2% mill instead of whole milk
Yes, that would be fine.
Just made this today and it was amazing! I put some pistachios as a topping, and that worked really well with it too. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Made tonight and my Latina friends loved it! They said it tasted truely authentic. I used 1 TBS of sugar only in the whipped cream mixture and added cinnamon. Came out perfect!
I’m making this for my daughter’s birthday and am so excited! This is her favorite cake in the world. Will the whipped cream hold up overnight?
I made the whipped cream the night before. It liquefied a bit. Made it again last night for Easter Sunday. I am waiting to make the cream later so it is firmer this time. This cake is amazing!
Hello,
It’s best to make the whipped cream fresh but it can hold up if that’s not an option. Hope this helps 🙂
Can a glass baking dish be used instead?
I used glass and it turned out great!
I’ve never baked a cake before and I made this and it was THE. BEST. tres leches that I’ve had in my life. I felt like a pro baker and my boyfriend family absolutely loved it as well.
Really good recipe it turned out amazing and we did not even follow it religiously with a few errors here and there but still was a great success.
My wife is Mexican, and many of her friends are latinas. I’ve had tres leches cake many times. None have ever compared to this version that has be noted as a universal favorite among all of us.
Just amazing. Every time. About 4-5 times now
Can’t wait to try this version! Just a tip, and a little less fattening, i use cool whip for the topping instead of the whipping cream process. People love it and i get requested it regularly!
I’m glad it worked as a sub for you. I avoid cool whip because of the ingredients in it.
Fat is actually good for us & Heavy cream literally just contains cream which is excellent. Cool Whip while low in calories contains hydrogenated oil which is very inflammatory along with a bunch of other unknown questionable ingredients. Simply single whole ingredients are def healthier for us . Sugar is the real evil but like everything else, dessert in moderation.
Cool whip not healthy, all chemicals. Real cream better, you can find 40% heavy whipping cream in store.
Before making this recipe, I had never made or eaten tres leche cake. I made this for a Mexican themed pot luck.
The recipe was easy to make and the instructions were clear. The cake was very moist, and the amount of liquid well balanced to how much the cake could soak up. It was absolutely delicious (and my kids also loved it, which is pretty much a miracle). I got multiple complements from the people at the pot luck.
I highly recommend!
This was so simple to make and absolutely delicious. I have never baked in my life and I was able to make it .
Absolute best tres leches to ever exist! Even my Dominican teacher said it was the best she’s ever had.
We made this for the first time this week and it’s delicious! I don’t like particularly sweet things and I didn’t find this to be too sweet at all. Thanks for the recipe. We will be making it again.
Hi I was wondering if I can make this in 2 8in round pans?
Hello I have a 10.5 x 13 ceramic baking dish. Do I need to change the baking time and temperature? Thank you!
I have not made this yet, but can it be made in a 10×13 pan? Also, if I make ahead, do I need to wait until I serve to frost with whipped cream?
This Tres Leches Cake is wonderful! 5 stars for a reason, light and not too sweet, added coconut and used agar agar to stabilize my whipped cream. Homebaker and Tres Leches has been my most requested cake, finally made one and so glad I used this recipe! Will be making more.
I have been using this recipe since I found a couple years ago. Probably right around the time it was published. I get nothing but complements every time. I had tried several recipes before finding this one and the feedback was always negative. Tres leches isn’t my favorite but my family loves it so I am thrilled I found this recipe. It comes out perfect every time.
This recipe is FANTASTIC! I’m so glad I found it online. It was a big hit at our party tonight and I’ll be sharing it far and wide…with credit to you of course!
Best cake ever. Made it for a night of the dead celebration and it was Yummo. Couldn’t believe how easy it was and how delicious it was!
The milk mixture was insanely sweet I ended up adding far more whole milk than called for just to try and balance it out. Good recipe otherwise, but next time I think I would incorporate the cinnamon throughout just to cut through the sweetness a bit more.
This!! My son requested Tres Leches cake for his birthday cake this year. I was nervous as I didn’t want to disappoint…everyone loved it. Said I “knocked it out of the park.” Thank you! All of them want this cake now for their birthday
I can’t not get my egg whites too stiffen up??? Looks like melted marshmallow cream? Do I start over??
That most likely means that a little bit of egg yolk got into the egg whites and is preventing them from stiffening. You would need to start over. Sorry!
Whatever bowl used to whip the egg whites, make sure it is clean. After washing the bowl, I like to use a tablespoon (a splash) of distilled white vinegar to wipe the bowl clean. The vinegar helps cut through anything greasy. With the bowl thoroughly cleaned and dry, I will add the egg whites and mix on high, slowly adding in the 1/4 cup sugar. If mixing by electric hand mixer, it can take up to 10 minutes to form stiff peaks, and an electric stand mixer approximately 5 minutes.
Amazing!
Everyone I make this cake for loves it and I do too. Question -if I ďouble the recipe, can you still use the same size pan and just have thicker cake? What modifications may need to be made other than maybe a longer cook time?
Doubling the tres leches cake recipe and using the same size pan will result in a much thicker cake, which can significantly affect baking time and texture. It’s generally better to use two pans or a larger one to accommodate the increased volume. If you decide to make a thicker cake in the same pan, definitely anticipate a longer cook time. Keep an eye on the cake and test for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center; it should come out clean. Also, consider the depth of your pan to ensure it can handle the increased volume without spilling over during baking. Happy baking, and I’m thrilled to hear the cake has been a hit!
What if you cook two cakes like normal and since you have the room stack them on top of each other. That way you don’t risk your cake not cooking right.
I’ve heard of this cake and had it first at a function and had to try making it myself. First time was Christmas and it vanished. Now I make it for any function or potluck. It’s basic, easy and hard to screw up. It’s crazy sweet but the cinnamon is the offset. Amazing dessert. Gracias por un muy pastel delicioso !
It is good, but doesn’t make me feel like I’m eating an authentic tres leches cake. It has an underlying eggy taste and maybe not enough vanilla
This is the absolute most delicious cake you will ever have!! Made it for the first time last week and everyone has requested it again! I even have to make a separate one for my husband’s job because they went crazy for it. About to make 3 cakes. This cake is worth it!! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!
Had no issues with cake sticking to pan like I read in another review. Also, no issue with there not being enough liquid, it was really super moist. Delicious recipe!
Delicious and easy a fan favorite
I tried SO many recipes for tres leche and this is the only one that delivered on that lovely restaurant quality tres leche taste. This is one of those recipes that when you make it for the first time, it seems a little tricky because there are a number of steps. But now, we make this all the time and I consider it to be a really quick and easy cake to throw together. My 10 year old even made it by himself this weekend. Compared to other baking/cake recipes, It’s also pretty forgiving and hard to mess up — which me and my 10 year old both appreciate when we’re like “whoops”
Just made this cake for the first time, it was delicious and easy to make! Everyone loved it, will definitely make again.
Excellent recipe! I didn’t have strawberries so I topped the whipped cream with chopped pineapple. Next time I may add cinnamon to the milk mixture to include more of that taste throughout the cake.
I’ve made this recipe 5 times for birthdays for friends. Let me back up a little. I made for a friend’s birthday and now they all want this cake for there birthdays. It really was easy to make and the taste to so good. I thank you and my friends thank you.
Can this cake be turned out of the pan and decorated with a buttercream icing?
WHY???
This turned out great! I have some learning to do regarding whipping egg whites to a stiff peak, but overall the cake turned out delicious and the consistency was good. My son, who has a Latina stepmom, said my cake tasted better than hers so that makes me happy 😉
Delicious!!
Great recipe. Recommending adding a little almond extract to the cake.
One note though IGNORE the bit about an ungreased pan. Made this twice and didn’t grease the pan the first time and it stuck so much. Came out in pieces. Buttered and floured the pan the second time and the cake came out beautifully.
Adding fresh fruit on top makes it perfect! Cheers.
I made this cake for my son’s 40th birthday and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and my daughter-in-law said that’s the cake she wants for her birthday Thank you for the recipe
Someone in a social media group made this cake and it didn’t go well for her. I told her I would trouble shoot for her if she sent me the recipe.
I made this this morning and it turned out beautifully. I was also able to identify what I believe are the challenges she had. (I’m a pastry chef and culinary instructor). The recipe is very good and super easy to make.
My aunt shared your recipe with me. I knew my aunt’s cake was excellent but I am surprised that it is not complicated to make. This is now a family favorite!
I gave it 5 stars because my cake came out lovely and light.
The pan was the right size to use, though I had doubts, but it was spot on.
The recipe was easy to follow.
The cake absorbed all the milk and it was moist.
Unfortunately, no one liked it, including myself. The cake just tasted like milk.
I’m glad I tried the recipe, now I can cross it off my list.
Curious WHY someone would write such a horrible review yet rate it five stars. Had you never tasted Tres Leches before? Nothing to compare it to? Or just in a cranky mood? Based on all the other reviews, it appears you really messed up somewhere along the way.
“The cake just tasted like milk.” LMAO…well duh, thus the name, Tres Leches. People are so interesting!
You’re surprised that a cake called “Tres Leches” just tasted like milk? It’s okay if you don’t like it but the name is literally three milks.
So the jump to recipe button is broken but the leave a review button is broken?
This is my favorite of any cake I have ever made!! It is a huge crowd pleaser for sure. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
This cake is delicious!!! I made this for New Year’s Eve and everyone loved it. It wasn’t too hard to make and tasted everything I had hoped for and more!!!!
Tried very recently. It’s was DELICIOUS!
Delicious……
Have used this recipe many times and my family love it
This cake was so good it tasted like I purchased from the bakery. I live in an area with lots of Dominican bakeries so I’ve indulged in lots of tres leches. I’m looking for an excuse to make this again.
Made this a couple days ago and it was a major hit!! So so delish!! Everyone loved it and I love that it’s not overly sweet. Will definitely make again!! I pretty much followed recipe to the T but added just a tad bit more powdered sugar to my whipped cream topping and it was perfect! Highly recommend. I do think you need to follow instructions to a T in order for your cake to turn out properly and to be perfectly moist. I waited a full day before digging in and it was well worth it. Thank you!!
I will be trying this cake as the first cake of 2024! So I was just a bit curious and wanted to be sure about the pan. This is a 13×9 pan? And you do not grease or line the pan?
Hi Carol,
I just tried this recipe today! yes this recipe calls for a 13X9 pan. I was originally worried the batter wouldn’t be able to fill this size pan, but it does and rises to a great size. also you do not have to grease or line the pan. Hope this helps!
Have been told it is the best tres leches anyone that has tried it has ever tasted it, i love tbis recipe and its my go to!
This cake has been a success at every event I take it to! The only thing I changed was switching the regular vanilla to Molina Mexican Vanilla Blend and it made it taste sooo good!
I don’t know what kind of tres leches cakes you all have had, but this was not it for me. The cake needs to be dense and fluffy to soak up the milk without getting overly soggy.
This is literally the BEST CAKE I’ve ever had! I have made it so many times (guilty pleasure) and I always take this dessert to share. Everyone loves it! It’s not too sweet. It’s perfectly balanced. Not only the best Tres Leches cake I’ve ever had but my favorite sweet treat!
Do yourself a favor and try this recipe! You will not regret it.
For the 3 milk mixture, I usually add a second can of evaporated milk. We like it extra milky.
I made this for the first time for Christmas after having it several times at cake cafes. I was very disappointed. Probably not the authors fault but I used the orange yolk eggs so my cake turned out super orange. The sponge was also not as airy as I hoped it would be despite beating my eggs whites to stiff peak. And the sauce wasn’t enough, yes it soaked the whole cake but it absorbed pretty quickly and usually the sauce is running out when you plate it but my cake was more on the drier side. I’d recommend making your sauce 1.5x. My search for the best tres leches cake continues…
SOOOO DELICIOUS!!! I’ll definitely make this again and again!!
We do a holiday dinner on the 23 rd with a different cuisine each year.
It was Mexican this year and this was a huge hit. I did with my 14 year old niece. Easy to do. I had never had before or even tasted (boo to me as I lived in LA for a decade!).
Everyone loved. Those who had eaten before said this was terrific.
Will definitely make again and this is on the potluck list.
Everyone loved this. Even the non-sweets eaters. They all asked for the recipe. I followed it to a T
I made this the first time for a church gathering we had invited some friends/coworkers to join that recently had moved here from Mexico, they seemed very impressed with the cake along with everyone from church. I’m making it for Christmas for family this year.
Absolutely perfect! I had a request from a friend to make a Tres Leches cake for her birthday. This recipe was spot on and it was the hit of her birthday!
Okay, this was perfect and don’t just take it from me, take it from my three random taste testers! Officially bringing this to Christmas dinner. Two tips for any other novice bakers out there: if your flour is lumpy, you may want to sift it beforehand and before you pop your cake in the oven, make sure to really smooth out the surface because it will not level out when baking and then you can end up with uneven soaking with the milks layer. Honestly though even after making these two mistakes, it was delicious !!
I made this a few weeks ago for the first time. It was delicious! My hubby is from Mexico and at the first forkful, his eyes popped and he asked me how I made it. He loved it!
SO GOOD! Big hit with my family!!! I slice extra strawberries for the top and generous with cinnamon
I made this cake today and as it cooled it pulled away from the sides by about 1/2” and also fell flat. I cut a corner to taste and it tasted eggy and the texture was rubbery. I soooooo wanted this to turn out. 😩
My cake turned to be sensed and thin. Tasted ok but nothing i had in Mexico😔
I cool mine upside down on a wire rack to prevent that shrinking
Absolutely delicious! I used a 1 for 1 gluten free flour mix and it turned out great. I had never made a tres leches cake before, and it turned out great for a first timer.
You should have finished the cake. The milk soak is what makes this cake. On its own the cake itself is eggy but that’s not how you are supposed to eat it. This is an excellent recipe for tres leches. I have made it many times and this recipe was recommended to me by friends from Mexico.
I’ve never made tres leches cake before, being from Mobile Alabama. I executed this recipe for some co-workers from Mexico, it got a 10 out of 10! One thing I didn’t realize was how much the cinnamon on top adds and is a necessity for the taste of the cake. I also did not have enough evaporated milk and used 6oz of coconut milk ( the thick part of the can) and I turned out great. Thank you and keep posting !
My daughter in law is from Venezuela and tres leche is her favorite and says that this recipe is excellent! I’ve made it twice and it disappears quickly.
How could I make this as a chocolate cake?
It is not a chocolate cake!
I followed the directions exactly (I bake a lot) but the cake was much too soggy (Even some of the guests said so) I think I should have cut back the amount of whole milk poured over the cake but kept the same amount of evaporated & sweetened condensed milks the same.
It’s supposed to be that way. Maybe you just didn’t like the texture. It’s a cake with 3 milks poured over it so it’s going to be soggy.
My daughter’s favorite and I make it for her birthday every year!!
My daughter requests this every year too (:
Hi there! I use this recipe all the time! Just wondering how doubling it would fare. I need to make a half sheet cake and I’m scared it might go wrong when I double it 🙁 I know you’ve kept the 2x and 3x option just wanted some more info. Thanks
Hi Maria! I am making a double batch tonight, I’ll let you know how it comes out! I’m excited to try this, I’ve never made a Tres leches cake before.
I did this cake and used the double recipe. Turned out amazing. Obviously I used a larger “throw away” metal pan and it took a little longer to cook. Waiting on feedback and will post on the consensus.
Any update on reviews?
It was delicious! We had it for a Halloween Party, and we’re going to make it on Thanksgiving!
I just made this cake. Mine fell when I took it out of the oven. Is that normal?
I’m sorry! No that’s not normal. Several things could have caused it, but next time be sure there are no big clumps of whipped egg whites in the batter.
Mine fell too, did you still serve it? If so, how was it?
I make this for my daughter in law every year for her birthday at her request, she is from the boarder, and loves it !!
Great recipe. You might need to switch the size of evap milk with sweetened cond milk?
I’m planning to make this soon. It looks delicious. I have a couple of minor details that I’m unsure of. The recipe specifies to use a metal pan but, the one in the video looks like stoneware. I don’t have metal but , I do have stoneware. It specifies ungreased pan. Does the milk keep the cake from sticking?
That looks like a copper metal pan in the pics.
I make it in a glass cake pan every time and it always turns out great.
I made this cake today to go with our Mexican food dinner tonight. My family loved it and really thought it was absolutely delicious! It was our first time having a Tres Leches cake, and we will for sure be having it again. Thank you so much for never disappointing with your recipes.
Just curious… How can we make a chocolate Tres Leches cake?
Amazing! Like another reviewer, my husband once lived on the Mexican border and this is his absolute favorite cake. He and our kids loose their minds every time I make this! Always comes out perfect! Thank you!
Better than any tres leches at a restaurant!
I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and it’s been a hit! I’m wondering if it can be converted to chocolate? Any suggestions?
Excellent recipe ! I beat the egg whites and gradually add the 1/4 cup sugar first. This way I don’t have to wash the beaters.
It looks delicious! Will this recipe work on 9×9 baking dishes? If so, how long should I cook them for? Also can I fill and stack?
Thank you!
I’ve made this cake twice for my husband, who lived on the border to Mexico before moving to the East Coast with me (tres leches is hard to come by here) and it’s been phenomenal both times! He’s said it’s the best tres leches he has ever had, and although I’ve never had it before the first time I baked it, I was thrilled! Easy recipe to follow, delicious outcome, I’d give ten stars if I could! Thank you!
Excellent recipe!!!
My favorite recipe!
Perfect everytime!!
This recipe is beyond amazing! I made it for my boyfriend’s birthday and we couldn’t stop eating it. I am so grateful for the recipe that I shall forever use, thank you!
My new favorite cake! Turned out perfect! Followed the recipe and did not make any changes. Making again two weeks after the first! Thank you!
this was so delicious!!
Do you need to use a metal baking pan?
Best tres leches recipe my family tried—definitely a keeper.
Can you please let us know how long do we need to bake—if we use this recipe and made cupcakes?
Hello! I am trying this tonight could you give me instructions for 2 8 inch? Banking times, instructions etc
Very dense. Too much liquid, the cake didn’t absorb much of it.
Tres leches cake will be very milky, it won’t absorb all of it, that is the point.
Well u didn’t make it right. Maybe yours was 2 stars , but not the recipe!!
Can you use a glass pan
Yes, that’s totally fine (but baking in metal pans always turns out better).
Can this be made in a round cake pan? If so, what size cake pan and would it need to be layered?
You could half the batter and use two 8 inch cake pans. I would NOT layer it. Just make sure to also split the milk mixture in half and use that to pour over both cakes. I’ve made this Pioneer woman recipe a bunch of times. Try it. You’ll love it! The 9 by 13 pan goes in about two days in my household! Good luck.
Just made this for guests tonight. It was alright. The things that made this a 3- star recipe for me, was that the cake had an eggy flavor and aftertaste. Secondly, all of the liquid was completely soaked through the cake, but as I ate the cake, there were dry parts that didn’t seem to be touched by the liquid. Usually, when I make tres leches, there is so much liquid, that you have to force feed the cake, to get it to all soak in.
This recipe didn’t work out for me. The cake turned out dense. Some other recipes call for 2 cups all purpose flour?
Also the milk mixture quantity was way too much for the cake amount and didn’t absorb either.
Agreed didn’t turn out well for me either too much sauce and very Dense cake
Wonderful recipe. I’ve made this cake several times now and it’s my husband’s favorite. The only thing I have to say is don’t overmix the meringue into the cake base. It flattens the overall cake in the end.
No greasing the pan?? I’m going to make it tomorrow!
it was a great hit!
I made it for the first time, for my son’s birthday. He loved it as did all of us! I even messed up a couple of times but it still worked out.
Tres leches is definitely not my favorite but it is my husbands favorite. I made this recipe for his birthday and he said it was one of the best he’s had (coming from it being a staple in his Columbian family).
This recipe was fantastic. I broke this into work and everybody said it was the best Tres Leches they’ve had. Beating the egg whites and folding them in made the cake incredibly fluffy.
I am making it again this week because they couldn’t get enough!
PS: I added cinnamon sugar on top and vanilla in the frosting
I have made your recipe multiple times and it is always a hit! Followed your directions exactly and it is absolutely perfect.
This is such a delicious cake! The texture of the sponge cake is awesome and the milks are soaked up perfectly. Don’t change a thing on this recipe!
I’ve used your recipe before and it was awesome. If I’m traveling for a few hours, should I make the night before then pour milk on a few hours before serving? Thanks.
I grew up in panama and have had my fair share of 3 leches. This recipe is just so perfect! Thank you so much for sharing it. I now live in Canada and our guests had double servings. They all loved it!
Hi.. can we make this eggless?? Can we use xanthom gum in place of eggs?? If so what will be the proportion of eggs vs xanthom gum??
What other can we use to replace eggs??
Suggestions for baking this at 7000 feet elevation?
This recipe is so delicious! I needed it for an event but wouldn’t have time to make it the day of so I baked the spongecake the night before so it could cool overnight. Then in the morning I prepared the milk mixture and whipped cream and let it soak. It was such a hit, I should have doubled it cause there wasnt enough to go around lol.
(Side note: When I started preparing the batter I didnt realize I didnt have whole milk so in a pinch I replaced it with 1/3 cup of oatmilk mixed with a heaping spoonful of greek yogurt – to thicken it up a bit- and the cake still came out so soft, spongy, and delicious)
I made 2 of these for my manager’s birthday at work. They were delicious and a huge hit with everyone. Both cakes were gone within 2 hours (which is very impressive at my job). I received 4 marriage proposals because of these! 😂 I have people asking me to make more of them.
Great cake but always sinks in the middle. I’ve tried different methods to prevent this but I might try a smaller pan and less baking powder.
Re cake sinking: Per comment below, cool the cake upside down and it won’t sink in the middle. I tried this the last time I made this cake and it was perfect.
How did you cool it upside down? Did you place the cake pan upside down on a cooling rack?
Did you flip it over again to make the holes, or did you make the holes on the bottom side?
Thank you,
Joan
Was a hit with my family!! Made it for two birthday parties already!
Great recipe thank you!
I made this and top with strawberries and it was delicious! Didn’t make any changes.
This cake is very easy to make and is a taste bud party! This cake has been made 3 times in 3 weeks since we discovered the recipe. Its competes with our favorite Mexican restaurant in town. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Thank you for this GREAT recipe! I had never made Tres Leches and researched. Your recipe had the most positive comments. I needed to double the amount to fit a large hotel pan to yield 32 servings (restaurant) I followed your mixing instructions exactly and the sponge baked up so beautifully! I allowed the soaked cake to chill overnight and finished it the next day with very lightly sweetened whipped cream and a good dusting of cinnamon. It was served that evening. It received rave reviews and I got to sample a piece the next day – heavenly! thank you for a recipe that will be in my regular rotation!
I am addicted to this cake recipe!!!! I make it about every other weekend. I tried other recipes, but they just didn’t turn out right. Recipe is perfect, so don’t change it…….
Here are two of my tips after making this several times.
1) Add the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients just before folding in the fluffy egg whites. It just makes it easier to fold.
2) My favorite tip is: Pour the batter into 18 or 19 Mini 4oz mason jars, bake them as directed.
Once they are cooled, cut any cake that has risen above the rim. Cut an X thru the cake and pour the liquid mixture over the mini cakes (about 3-1/2 T per jar), screw on the lids, then freeze them.
The day before you need them, Take the jars out of freezer (turn them upside down, so the liquid runs to the top) and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Just before you get ready to eat them, unscrew the top, add the whipped cream, dolce de leche, and a cherry on top. I use Reddi whip for convenience.
This makes a great “make ahead” treat, also great for picnics and parties stored in a cooler. Guests can add their own whipped cream and toppings when they are ready to eat.
Amazon jar’s that is used, any will do, as long as they have straight sides.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVYFXY5Y?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
do you bake it for the same time in the mason jars?
I bake it at 350. I start poking a toothpick in it after about 15 minutes. Usually bakes for about 15-17 minutes.
Amazing recipe! I have made it today, it is delicious cake! Very moist as I love it!
This cake is the BESTEST! Are there any measurements for doing a half size? Thanks!
Yea…you just take every amount and divide it by 2.
The first tres leches I ever made. It was absolutely scrumptious!
Taste delicious!
The best Tres Leches recipe I’ve come across. I did double the vanilla but the instructions were spot on.
Hi, is it supposed ro fall after coming out of the oven? the toothpick was clean to indicate it was finished baking but it fell during the cooling.
You may have over mixed it :/
I came on the comments to see if this happened to anyone else. Mine completely fell, too, and the toothpick was clean and it’s golden brown so I don’t think it’s underbaked. Did it still taste ok?
First cake I forgot the milk. Cake will be great for strawberry short cake. Second cake made correctly turned out beautiful and tasted great. Will definitely be making again.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this recipe. I followed it and made no changes except I let it cool upside down per the feedback from others ..
This cake was so delicious, I almost couldn’t believed I baked it. I will be baking this again promptly ..!! ♡︎
This is amazing
This recipe is so easy and absolutely delicious!! I use vanilla bean paste, It makes a world of difference.
Awesome cake. Made it twice. This time I made it in an 8 inch x 4 pan. After I frosted I topped it with guava stripes. Made for Father’s Day.
Super easy and comes out perfect every time.
Great recipe, easy to follow. My friends and I LOVED it!
I have made this twice now. It’s so good everbody loved it. I am making it agin for Father’s Day.
In the process of making this as I’m typing. I love how simple it is. I can’t wait to try it.
This cake is amazing, I’ve made it twice now and both times it was a huge success. Insanely easy, insanely tasty, and super pretty as well! Tysm <3
I made this cake for mothers day. I’ve wanted to make this for awhile but was intimidated. It was so easy and so good. It’s a must make!!! Thank you
This recipe makes a cake that wows my family every time! The cake itself is spongey and moist and the 3 milks make it even better! My only recommendations are to add more milk and to make the whipped topping sweeter. Both of those can be done to taste. Hope you guys enjoy making the cake as much as I did!
Would it make a difference if I substituted the whipped topping for cool whip? I don’t have an electric mixer and I want to make this cake as good and I possibly can with hand mixing
I would think you could use a whisk to make whipped cream.
Using cool whip will work just fine!! I’ve done that in the past myself.
Nooo… it is so much better with the whipped cream. I did mine by hand with a whisk. It isn’t that hard. Takes a few extra minutes. I would do Redi-whip if you insist. Cool whip just doesn’t have the right taste.
Make this all the time it’s amazing !!!!!! It’s great when you have a bigger crowd of company over!
I have wanted to make this cake for a long time now and when we decided to have a Mexican style dinner I found this recipe and it looked simple enough. Although there’s many steps it’s definitely worth it. I made it the day before to ensure the milks were absorbed properly. The flavour was delicious and very moist. I thought it would be rich due to all the milk but it wasn’t.
Being in Australia I had to adjust some of the measurements due to sizes but it still worked out well so I thought I would add these notes.
I used whole tins- 385ml evaporated milk and 397g condensed milk plus the 1/4c milk. Gently mixed with a whisk to combine.
550ml thickened cream gives a nice amount of coverage for the whole cake. Not too much and not too little.
It’s sometimes hard to convert US recipes with Australian ingredients I hope that this will help future bakers
OMG! I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe. It was phenomenal, everyone can never get enough of it. I’ll make sure to make 2 pans next time! 😂 Thank you!
Why a metal pan? Can I use glass? If not, I’ll buy a metal pan. I’ve never uses metal for cake.
I’ve found metal to cook better but you can use glass!
I’ve made this several times and have always used glass. Comes out great.
Glass is fine. I’ve made it twice in a glass pan
Glass pans heat more evenly for baking
Excellent as written! Loads of compliments. I’ve tried other recipes in the past and none compare. Don’t skip the cinnamon. 🙂
This recipe is perfect every time. Thanks for sharing!
My first time making this was a year ago, the instructions and the ingredients check list was so convenient and easy to follow. It came out amazing!!! This is now my 5th time making this. Thank you so much for sharing.
Do you cover the cake when you put in fridge to absorb the milk(s) ?
This is, by far, the best Tres Leche Cake! I absolutely love it!!! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made this once before and it was a hit! I’m planning to make it again for a friend who recently had surgery. I just realized my disposable pan is 8×10. Do you think this will work ok? Will I need to bake it longer?
This was the first time I’ve tried a dessert like this. Everything turned put so good. Thanks for sharing receipt.
Mmmm, this is SO GOOD! I have wanted to try making this for a few years, and am happy that I did so. I appreciate your good instructions, so it was not too hard. I halved the recipe, as it is only myself and my spouse. This would be perfect for a summer party, as it is super rich, but is nice and cool. I made it exactly as you did, with cinnamon and strawberries on top. Thanks for the recipe!
When halfing the recipe, how do you half five eggs?
Half of five is 2.5
Love it!
We really liked this idea of a fun cake!…From Chile. I was a perfect fit for our Spanish presentation on Chile. We were so happy to find this easy to bake recipe from Chile!
Delicious!
I followed the recipe exactly (which I never do😂) It WAS DELICIOUS! Everyone loved it. Perfect combination. I also never post reviews on recipes but I just had to for this one! Will be making again.
First time making tres leches and this was SO easy and SO good! I will be saving this recipe for sure.
This is so delicious!! I never review recipes but this is so good I had to. This is definitely going to be my go to summer dessert when strawberries are in season!
This turned out great!
Oh my goodness, this is a perfect tres leches cake. We loved it!!!
I have tried “shortcut” tres leches cakes the last three times and they were all disappointing.
This is my go to recipe for tres leches in the future. Thank you.
Easy and delicious. I made this recipe in a 10″ spring form pan instead of the 9×13. It worked perfectly and there was enough topping to cover the sides as well as the top of the cake. I will definitely make this recipe again.
How long did you bake for ?
I made this cake for the first time to celebrate a friend’s 70th birthday at a Cinco de Mayo celebration. I followed the recipe to the letter but was glad I read the reviews. I made the cake in 2 9″ pans, cooked them for 25 minutes and cooled them upside down. They fell slightly but were otherwise perfect. I froze one to use on Mother’s Day. I used half the milk mixture and whipped one cup cream with a little sugar and vanilla. I took the cake out of the pan before topping it with the whipped cream. I served it with a berry sauce I made with my frozen berries with a little sugar and brandy. The birthday ‘girl’ raved about my choice and everyone pronounced it the best Tres Leche cake they had ever eaten. I’ll definitely make it again-yummy!
One of the best cakes I’ve ever had. The only thing I would warn a person trying to make this for the first time just to check that your baking powder did not expire and your flour is fresh. Things need to be at room temperature as well. I learned that when I was making the cake base for this. I didn’t get the rise of the sponge because my baking powder was expired. And don’t be tempted to add more powdered sugar to the whip cream because the dessert itself is sweet enough. Soooo gooood!!
I had to make this cake twice, because the first time I didn’t incorporate the egg whites well enough, and it was somewhat uneven with baking. I didn’t have glasses to turn it upside down and it fell quite a bit. I went ahead and did the milks and whipped cream, and it tasted pretty good, but the cake texture wasn’t to my liking. I made a second one two days ago for a Cinco De Mayo celebration at work, and was better prepared and OH MY! The compliments I got were out of this world! Like I need to sell these cakes because they are the best Tres Leches that people have had, or am I actually a Latina because it was so good! Y’all, this is a keeper of a recipe. My tips would be if you are making it to take to an event or party, DON’T use a disposable pan. They flex when you turn it upside down to cool, and the cake will fall out eventually because of that. Also, I would recommend letting the milks soak for a full 24 hours if you can, and then frost with whipped cream the night before and keep cold til you serve! Happy Baking!
I was worried that the whipped cream would be runny because I added it the night before, but I read that when making whipped cream, add 1 tsp cream of tartar per 8 oz heavy whipping cream to help hold its shape. I’m happy to say the cake is delicious!
Is the 9 x 13 inch pan work when its not deep? or is it better to make in glass pan with higher sides?
Use a glass pan with higher sides and it will turn out great!!
If you double recipe how much baking time does it add?
Do I put the whipped cream on top over night as well, or whip that up closer to the time of serving? Thanks!
I don’t know how she does it but I make and add it the day I serve it so it doesn’t get runny.
Best cake ever
Made this the day before I needed it. It was simple and just lovely. My friends loved it.
Cannot wait to try these recipes!!
This recipe is amazing! It’s easy to follow and the end result is delicious. I’ve made this cake so many times and they are a family favourite!
I made this recipe and put it in 2 separate smaller cake pans to give one to my neighbor as a thank you, and one for my single best friend’s birthday. It turned out fabulous and making another one later this week for Cinco di Mayo. I’m a great cook but not baker, so this will be my new go to for special occasions!
The BEST cake I have ever made.
Did you put the whipped cream on right away and let that sit overnight too, or do you put that on right before serving?
Really good!! My first time making whipped cream by hand or baking anything from scratch. Our family devoured this. Really good with a side of mango.
I made this recipe AS IS with the only additional step of COOLING the cake upside down perched atop 4 cans of beans, as recommended by one of the reviewers. No, it doesn’t fall out, you do not grease the pan so it stays in the pan). I was going to use a cooling rack but my cake rose above the pan sides! Also, I made many tiny holes (probably more than shown in recipe picture) and put ALL of the milk in and refrigerated overnight. ALL liquid was soaked in by dinner time the next day. I was worried about sweetness as some mentioned and I don’t like overly sweet cakes, but this one was perfect. Everyone at my “Cinco de Mayo” party raved! YUMMY! The only one comment I would make is that I whipped 1 pint of heavy cream as directed and had about 1 and 1/2 cups left over. The cake had a TON of whipped cream on top so maybe next time I’d make just a bit less. THANKS for sharing!
Absolutely delicious! Every time I make this, someone requests the recipe. Even better the second day – my husband has been known to have a piece for breakfast!
This is the 3rd time I have made this cake and it has become a family favourite. xxx
I just made this cake today. I couldn’t wait overnight and Im glad I didn’t. Truly divine. Thank you.
if i was wanting to make this and cook in mini loaf pans 7.25 x 3″ would that be possible with reduced cooking times?
Yes, that’s fine! Just keep an eye on them because they will cook faster!
Great recipe, so delicious! My husband loves Tres Leches Cake. I have been using this recipe for his birthday cake for the past few years. It has become a birthday tradition! I will be doubling it this weekend to make 2, one for him and one to bring to a potluck. Thanks for the recipe! (Also, I didn’t change a thing! It is perfect!)
Hi Candace, I’m making this cake this weekend but want to double the recipe did you follow the 2x option on this recipe and how did it come out? thank you 🙂
Made this cake with my daughter and it was absolutely divine! I will bake another one for my Mom’s birthday. This recipe is for keeps! Thanks for sharing.😉❤️
Found this recipe a couple years ago and make it every year for my husband’s birthday now. I didn’t like tres leches before, but this recipe has made me a believer! Thanks so much!
I made this cake exactly as written and it was terrific. Don’t change a thing.
I just won a bake off for an American military hospital in Germany, with your recipe! I’ve made it multiple times and I always get comments that it’s the best cake they’ve ever had. I love this recipe so much.
EXCELLENT RECIPE!!!
BEST I’VE EVER MADE😘
I was introduced to this cake many years ago by a coworker from Nicargua but his wife would not share the recipe. I loved it and decided to find a recipe. I had been using a slightly different recipe but decided to try yours this time. It was absolutely wonderful. It came out perfectly. The directions were easy to follow even though I almost messed up by using baking soda instead of powder. Thankfully I was able to remove most of it since I hadn’t started mixing it together. The milk saturation was just right! I will definitely be making it again! Thank you!!!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now. It’s so easy and absolutely delicious! I like serving it with raspberries instead of strawberries.
Today is my hubby’s 60th birthday and I decided to make this for him! Your recipe was easy to follow along and am excited! Absolutely delicious 😋 😍 😊 👌
The cake is excellen but I did a little modification. Ireduced sugar in dough to 1/2 of cup, also used 1/2 of sweetened milk and instead of another half I uded regular 2% milk, for the topping I used 1 filadelfia cream cheese, 125 ml whipping cream an 4 tablespoons of confectionars sugar. The cake was perfect. Thank you
So your recipe is 5-stars. Not the original one. Give me a break!
Curious what this means as I want to make this
Trying a few recipes and just love it
Can you use 2% milk instead of whole? My daughter wants to make this but I only have 2%
Yes, that would be fine!
Please add a note or as part of step 5 that you should flip the cake upside down after coming out of the oven to retain the height, as it is a chiffon cake. Set up 4 upside down glasses and rest corners of pan on those. Then, cool upside down completely. It falls if you don’t. Thanks!
How do I keep the cake from falling when it’s upside down? I’m so worried it’s going to fall out of the pan on me. Lol
It won’t fall out. It sticks to the pan and it is supposed to. I cooled mine on a wire rack upside down
My cake fell a little bit when cooling right side up, it came back up after soaking up all the milks.
I made this yesterday, and it was delicious! It’s every bit as good as the tres leches from our favorite restaurant! I just wondered if you’ve ever tried to make a gluten-free version, and if it would still be as good? I’d like to make it for my sister sometime.
I made it using Pamela’s gluten free flour and it was soooooo tasty! This is the best dessert I’ve had in a long time. I can’t believe how easy it was to make. I don’t bake often either!
Is it ok to use a glass baking pan?
Yes!
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, Lauren. I’m getting ready to make this cake right now for Oscars night tomorrow. It will compliment the Mexican-themed dinner I’m making quite nicely. 🙂
Yes, it’s fine. The metal pan is better for retaining the cold and gets colder so the cake will be more thoroughly chilled. It didn’t affect my cake at all.
This cake was a hit! Everyone loved it & it was delicious! Definitely keeping this recipe.
I just heard about tres leches at a local café, decided to try it, found this recipe, made it. Now my co-workers hate me for ruining their diets! Hah! Making it again tonight. Sorry, not sorry.
Wow! I made this cake for the first time in my life ,and my friends were screaming with joy ! I had so many compliments !
It is the most delicious,super tasty tres leches that I have ever had !
Thank you,thank you,thank you!
Wonderful recipe – everyone loved it! (including my picky eater son). I reduced the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup and it was great.
Really good!
I live in Orange County, CA. So I go to Porto’s every year to get my boyfriend his favorite cake-Milk n Berries. Their cake is so good! the taste and lightness of this cake is is similar, so my bf said to just make it from now on. I love it. The only thing I didn’t follow was putting all of the combined milks in the cake, I was worried it’d be too wet. I added about 3/4ish. My bf said I could have added more, but I thought it was perfect! I also didn’t follow the amount of sugar required in the whipping cream. I just added what I thought was perfect as I was making it. Overall Delicious! I will make it again 🙂
Best cake ever and not difficult to make!
I forgot to add that I made this cake on Saturday and it was the hit of the party. It fell cuz I didn’t realize it needed to be flipped once out of the oven, but it was DELICIOUS with only a couple hours chill on it. The whipped cream covered up the fallen cake, so no harm no foul. Will definitely be making this again! It really was divine.
Brilliant….! The perfect balance of ingredients. First class! 😉
My whole family hates hates tres leches cakes but I made this for my birthday and all of them came back for seconds.
This I mine and my entire households favorite dessert. It always comes out perfect. Every once in a while I will add a drizzle of dulce de Leche and chocolate over the whipped cream for a more indulgent occasion but it’s perfect just the way it is. Not to mention it’s extremely easy and whips up in no time…. the hardest part is not touching it for several hours while the milks soak into the cake(borderline torture)
Would this turn out the same if I used 2 round pans instead of a 9×13 pan?
Yes, that’s fine.
Delish!
I used large eggs and the cake is almost too big and tall for the 9×13 pan. If you use large eggs and whip the whites really stuff, then fold them in, and it will be thick enough.
I had never made this cake before and i tried this recipe. Everyone loves it and it is very easy to make. Thank you!!
This recipe is so good! I made this cake 3 times and it turned out delicious! Recommend this cake for parties and gatherings. Went above my expectations.
Best recipe hands down, made this for work and I got rave reviews on it. Thanks for a wonderful recipe! I did want to know if I made a couple of 6 inch round pans, wondering on the time to bake. Anyone know?
It takes about 20 minutes. I just did it
This is the first time making this cake and as someone with a culinary degree I wanted to make it from scratch. This recipe did not disappoint! The only thing I did differently was use a smaller pan and I don’t think it could’ve turned out any better! Thank you!
It tastes great, but for 1 batch the pan should be smaller. It was too thin. I ended up making another one and layering them.
I can second that !
Really? I used 5 large eggs and the cake is almost overflowing. I whipped the egg whites really stiff.
Your cake may have fallen. Mine was about 1.5” when done and it was perfect
Amazing !!!! That’s all I have to say just wow !!
Question – my brother in law loooves chocolate tres leches. How would I make this cake into a chocolate cake?
Lauren is testing a chocolate version! Watch for updates, hopefully this year!
I have made this many times – always excellent. I always wish it was a little thicker though, more cake but just as juicy. Would it work to double the recipe or maybe not quite double – but half as much more cake ingredients? For the milk mixture I could figure out, I kind of tweak it on my own already. Pour small amts over the cake over a few hours, then let the deliciousness soak in!
Is it best to frost this cake on the day you plan to serve it, or would it be okay to frost it the day before?
made it for a dinner party , it was a huge success.
Question- I want to bake this cake and take it about 30 minutes away. Will whipped cream frosting hold up for the drive?
Yes, I think it would be fine taken straight from the fridge.
This is my favorite go to Tres Leche recipe. My son-in-laws cake request for his birthday. My first attempt making a tres Leche I used box mix and then I found this recipe. No comparison even though it takes a ‘little’ more mixing. Just took first step out of oven and I just know this going to be delicious. Definitely a crowd pleaser also.
I love watching your video of making this then following the clear instructions
Can this be made into cupcakes? What would be the oven timing?
We have a recipe just for that here https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/tres-leches-cupcakes/
I made the cake but forgot to cool before putting the milk mixture on! Will it still turn out?
Yes, it should be just fine!
I plan on making this for Valentine’s day. Can I make in 2 round cake pans and stack with topping in between. If so, do I use a spring form cake pan? or will it leak? I’m trying to figure out how to get the cakes out of the pan after they have rested and soaked up the 3 milks overnight.
This is my Go To tres leches recipe and I’ve made it mb 4x? SO GOOD! (I have to try NOT to make it bc I have zero self control for this cake. 😂)
The tricky part is that this is absolutely best served out of the pan it’s made in. If you tried to layer it, the whipped topping would smush right out & fall down the sides. It’s *really* light to balance with the very wet cake, which is the other reason this wouldn’t work stacked. I recommend buying a heart-shaped pan! And if you want to fancy it up, you could cut strawberries for the top of it into little roses and perhaps rest them on their sides. When you sprinkle cinnamon on top of also looks really pretty, at least in my opinion.
I also LOVE cinnamon, so I also put a good dusting on top of the cake before topping with the whipped cream (though not necessary at all).
Your Valentine is a lucky duck! ❤️
Hi Jennifer, I tried to comment a reply but it was posted separately, so I’m making a note to ensure you don’t miss it. Cheers!
I didn’t have the correct size pan. I ended up putting it in a round metal cake pan. It’s in the oven now. I hope it will turn out okay. Is it meant to be left in the pan or can the cake be removed prior to adding the 3 milks?
You can add the milks while it’s in the pan, or you can remove it from the pan and put it in another container. Either way.
Has anyone attempted to make this with gluten free flour? I have made many cakes using original recipes but just substitute the GF flour and have turned out fine some fine desserts. (I make cupcakes from the recipe rather than 9×13 cakes due to the flour having a heavier consistency). I would like some suggestions or comments if this has been attempted. Thanks in advance.
Very good flavor. It didn’t turn out like the one I’ve had at the restaurant. The cake rose beautifully then fell when I took it out of the oven! Is it supposed to fall? Also, how exactly should the cake pan be prepared? Grease and flour, butter, vegetable oil? I couldn’t find directions for preparing the pan.
Question mine shrunk while cooling. Anyone else experience this? Thoughts so I can correct next time. Still going to finish this one. Thanks.
Yes, the same thing happened to mine, twice. I did some further research and most other recipes and many, many people commenting say NOT to grease the pan. They say to only grease the bottom at a minimum but the side should remain ungreased to give the sponge something to cling to and will help it hold it’s shape. I wish I had read those comments before.
Dang that makes sense, next time.
Mine did too, pretty sure that’s normal for a souffle like baked thing. I made it to recipe minus the cinnamon. This was at 1 hr (maybe a little less) after chilling but it was apmost unbearably sweet and the top wasn’t quite moist enough. Gonna give it a night to sit and that should help with the top part being slightly dry.
It’s a chiffon cake, so it should be flipped upside down while cooling to keep it from falling. Just set 4 glasses upside down and rest it on those if you can.
Janelle, flipping it upside down won’t cause the cake to fall out? How does that work?
I thought this was so good! I’m making tres leches for a country project (and did a little trial run) and chose Mexico, which isn’t my heritage. I’m just curious if you’re supposed to use the whole milk mixture, because the cake was delicious I just thought it was a little soggy? Or should I let it soak more? Or is tres leches supposed to be like that? Lol sorry for so many questions. Thanks for the recipe!!!!
What a fun project!! Yes, you should use the whole milk mixture. It gets better if you let it sit overnight in the fridge.
Ok thank you so much!!!!
I am making this cake for a friend’s birthday tomorrow. Do I put the topping on tonight before refrigerating overnight?
Yes, you fully assemble the cake and refrigerate!
This was so good! It was my first time making it and it came out perfect. I had to substitute the heavy whipping cream for canned table cream (media crema) but came out great regardless. I’m saving this recipe
I am very pleased with my cake. I will make this one again and again. I got the thumbs up from my Mexican friends and also a friend from Spain, though this cake is not a traditional cake from Spain.
Thank You!
First off, I’d like to say that I live in a Mexican community here in Florida. My daughter’s godmother threw her a birthday party and everyone who attended was Hispanic in one way or another. They ranted an raved about how amazing my cake was. The only thing I did different was double the milk mixture. People I didn’t even know were asking me for my phone number to make them one in the future and even offered to pay me.
I changed the quantity to 3X and it still said use 9X13 pan. Wouldn’t you need a bigger pan if you using three times the ingredients?
Yes! The 3x function only applies to the ingredients! I’d recommend making three cakes!
This cake is absolutely perfect and delicious! Everyone who tried this raved about it!
I had high hopes for this cake but it’s so sweet and you can taste the egg in this cake. Authentic tres leches cake has no egg taste. There is not enough milk. Usually tres leches cake is drenched in the milk mix. I’m so disappointed.
You had to of messed up something maybe. I made a test run last week. It turned out really good. I over cooked it but it was a test run. My second and final turned out even better. My oven cooked perfect at 25 minutes. I did add an extra dollop of vanilla to the heavy cream topping. The milk was more than enough. My cake is drenched and sopping wet. But you can always add more if desired. Make sure you split your sugar up correctly. Maybe you added to much by accident. Idk I’ve made mistakes baking before. Took me years to conquer perfectly baked brownies!! Just me, everyone else I know laughs about it 🙂
This is hands down the best tres leches recipe and I always follow the recipe to a T! Whether it’s for birthdays or holidays, this is my most requested dessert. It tastes authentic and always comes out with the right level of sweetness. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! This has sparked a love for baking I didn’t know I had!
Delicious!! A tad but sweet for me but I think that’s just me. All my guests said it was perfect and not to sweet.
My question is, when I bake my cake, it was raised up nicely. Once it cooled, it basically deflated to half its size. Is that normal? I’m thinking if the cake was stayed high, it might not be too sweet because of the cake to tres Leche ratio.
I have had wonderful Tres Leches cake from area restaurants and I’ve tried several online recipes and have never been satisfied. THIS recipe just nailed it! Best Tres Leches cake I have ever eaten, bar none! And the recipe is not difficult. The method of folding in whipped egg whites into the cake batter makes the cake fluffier and able to absorb all the milks. Wow! What flavor! What great texture! Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Steve
Carlsbad, CA
Nobody else says to”GREASE THE PAN”!!!
You got it..
THE BLOODY THING-ROSE BEAUTIFULLY AND FELL AS IT COOLED ..AS I understand , the cake needs to be able to cling to pan as it rises.. what a waste of money time and effort. No dessert for Christmas dinner..
WHY on earth do you say to spray-grease the PAN?
I have 2 years making this dessert during the holidays and it is always a hit!! We LOVE IT! Thank you for sharing it <3
Made this cake using your recipe three times and each time people don’t stop raving about it. So much so I’ll be selling cakes soon! Thanks for the easy to follow recipe.
Easy to make and crowd pleaser!! This recipe should be 5 stars but as another user mentioned, is brought down because the negative commenters clearly don’t know/never had tres leches…
I checked on my cake at 20 minute and it was actually baked through and over baked! Because ovens vary, I recommend turning on your oven light at 18 min and if the top appears firm/sides detached from pan, do the toothpick check and go from there.
I also poked holes on the top of the cake, flipped it over into another pan and poked more holes, slowly poured half of milk mixture over top of cake, let it completely soak, and then repeated with the remainder and the cake absorbed the liquid beautifully. I served about 4 hours later and was surprised at how well the cake soaked the liquid. Wonderful recipe, thank you!!
It sounds not only delicious but also one of the few cakes that don’t need to be eaten on the day they are baked. But I wouldn’t sweeten or flavour the cream. If a cow could talk she’d tell you not to insult her. Certainly New Zealand cream has enough sweetness and flavour not to need adulterating.
Heavy cream in America has less fat and is less sweet (or so I’ve heard from non-americans)
Easy to make it a baker of average ability can make it. Clear and easy directions. Made smaller round cakes. Put some strawberries in whipped cream and topped with strawberries. No Xtra cinnamon.
This is my absolute favorite tres leches recipe! It’s so simple and so good every time. The people posting that their cake turned out bad seems to not understand what tres leches is or substituted ingredients. I baked 4 tres leches cakes this month alone, my family CAN NOT get enough! This is also my first comment on a recipe ever. Thank you for this recipe!
I totally agree with you. When I see negative comments, I always think they either don’t know what it’s supposed to be, or they biffed something. I’m a Texan, with many Mexican/Tex-mex friends and this has been a TOP-NOTCH rating from all. So much so that people request it constantly.
My advice is take your time, or if new to baking, give it another go
I triple checked that I followed this recipe correctly and I’m pretty sure I did. All my guests said this cake was way too sweet. I think it calls for too much sweetened condensed milk. The cake should absorb all the liquid without leaving puddles in the bottom of the pan but there was too much liquid to the point where eating it felt heavy. Giving it two stars because I think the recipe for the cake portion is good. The soak is off though.
I have made this recipe as a double batch three times in two days to test it out. First I made as is. This was too sweet for me- but I prefer a dessert with depth and richness without feeling overwhelmed by sweetness. I have had tres leches many times before and this recipe was by far the sweetest. So the next two batches I had success reducing the sugar in the sponge cake as well as reducing the sweetened condensed milk in the milk mixture. I reduced the sugar by a full 1/3 and I only used less than half a can of sweetened condensed milk. I also used real vanilla beans and the left over pods to infuse the milk. Exquisite. My advice- Make a test recipe, take notes and adjust to your preference. The sponge cake will still be tall and fluffy even with reduced sugar.
Did you leave it overnight to absorb more? I’ve made the cake three times following the recipe and never have the milk pool. The sweetness may be due to preference. 🙂
I’m with you as far as this recipe being too sweet although almost all our guests loved it as is! Perhaps you didn’t poke enough holes on the cake before you poured the milk mixture? I used a plastic fork and poked the cake all over so tat the milk mixture got absorbed immediately. I lessened the sugar as well as the condensed milk the next 2 times I made it and it was perfect-sweet but not too sweet.
Can I ask how much less you used of sugar and condensed milk?
Interesting cake! Very moist and yummy!
This is the first cake I’ve ever made as I dipped my toe into baking and it was the winner at Thanksgiving. The Puerto Rican side of the family had only high praise.
The cake was gummy and had a weird texture. Please make from another recipe.
Sounds like you undercooked your cake
We made it! It came out perfect and it is delicious!
Thank you!
I made the cake, came out very soggy,even though Infollowed the recipe as it is. I used GF POWDER, that’s the reason it became soggy. Honestly the three milk was dripping. I refrigerated whole
Night too. And the pan which I used was glass.
But it was very tasty and my family liked the taste. I am looking forward to bake more recipes
Sara
the cake is supposed to be soggy, its typically sitting in a puddle of milk when its served.
This is a three milk cake, it is suppose to be soggy. I make it for holidays and everyone request it for birthdays! It is all my family and friends favorite.
To the person that said it is too sweet you are probably putting the whole amount of sugar in the cake instead of putting the amount for the cake and the other amount for the egg whites.
Delicious! Turned out very well. My cake rose nicely in the oven but sank once it finished cooking. I don’t know what I did wrong? It still tasted great, so I’ll make it again and try whipping the egg whites a little longer.
exceptional !!!! best tres leches ever!
rich, Authentic!!!!
a go to for any bday cake!
THANK YOU!
My family was blown away with this cake! Raves all around. I soaked overnight, and it was so good. I think this will be a regular request!
Made this tonight for a South American themed wine night. It was AMAZING! Everyone loved it and it was so easy to make! Could not recommend enough!!
I love this cake I’ve made it before can you give amendment for pumpkin tres leche cake
Thank you
This cake is absolutely amazing! Everyone loved it!
Turned our super good. Even better, with strawberries on top.
Outstanding recipe! It came out perfect. I might suggest that pouring the milk mixture needs to be done gradually. I could only add it with about 1/3 the first attempt, tipping the pan and tipping it so that the milk sauce absorbed evenly. When that absorbed, added a bit more until eventually, it was all absorbed. At first I thought the cake would end up soggy from that volume of milk, but it was perfect and cut very cleanly. Thank you!!
It was a big hit! The sweetness hits the spot. Not too sweet which I like. I cut the recipe in half for a smaller party and as a test trial. Will be making the full recipe next week for a larger party!
Hi! Can I double the recipe and use 2 quarter sheet pans? Does this make any changes to the sponginess? Can you please give me a quick reply. Planning to make this for a party
Fabulous! I made the recipe exactly as instructed and it got rave reviews.
Made this cake to celebrate my husband’s birthday, he was skeptical while I was making it but it was a hit with the entire family! 🙂 So easy to make and absolutely delicious!!
Made this yesterday and had some tonight. It was moist and delicious! The cake was simple to make, the milk mixture absorbed quickly. Will definitely make again.
Loved this cake. Made it for a work function where we were celebrating Mexican food. This was a huge hit with EVERYONE and it will be on regular rotation for me at home. Thank you so much Lauren for sharing this.
Awesome recipe!!! I made my first Pastel de Tres Leches for my first time and it was hit !!!
Perfect
Wow! We are in love with this cake. I filled the recipe as written and it turned out beautifully. It’s been a big hit with everyone, even those who aren’t ‘big dessert guys. Wonderful!
I’ve made this recipe three times. First time was okay. Second and third the cake fell when it came out of the oven. The recipe uses whipped egg whites which, it seems, makes it more into a soufflé. Won’t try again.
You must have done something wrong because everyone else (myself included) had no issue.
So sad that you must give the recipe 1 star when in reality it is you who did a terrible job at following the steps correctly.
I’m South American and we have this cake lots of time, the recipe is just perfect as is!
Some people are just weird?!
I have actually made this several times. I came back to this page just to see if I could hold off on making the whipped cream until tomorrow morning.
Anyways, this tres leche cake is always a hit. Easy to make and taste delicious. It is always better soaking overnight and then eating. If you need an easy cake to impress people, highly recommend this!
I don’t have a deep enough sheet pan. I only have cookie sheet pans. Can I split the batter into regular 9″ circular cake tins?
Thank you!
Super easy, I almost never bake and this came out so good for my first time. Would recommend this to anyone
Wow! This is such a great recipe. Red velvet is our usual go-to for birthdays but this year my son asked for tres leches. I’ve never made it before but it came out perfectly. I love that it’s light and moist, and not too sweet. A gene family favorite!
Love this recipe. Used many times.
Only problem is when you 2x 3x the recipe. The instructions don’t change. Instructions are only for 9×13 pan.
Excellent recipe! I made a few tweaks to suit my taste:
– 1/4c less sugar in the cake, removed from the egg yolk step
– Replaced half of the 1/4c milk in the three milks with heavy cream
– Melted 1 tsp unflavored gelatin in 1 TBsp water, added in to the whipped cream at soft peak stage prior to finishing it at stiff peaks. This stabilizes the whipped cream and maintains its structure.
It’s become my girls’ favorite dessert!
At step 5, about how long does it take for the cake to cool completely? Can we refrigerate or freeze it for quicker cooling?
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Can I make the frosting ahead of time while I’m letting the cake soak at night or would it be better to whip up before serving?
The juiciest, softest MOST DELICIOUS TRES LECHES I’VE EVER TASTED! First time baking and thanks to Lauren, I will never stop baking, ever.
Love this! I use it all of the time!
The video is great. You explains very nice. I am going to try very soon
I made this for the first time on August 7 for my son‘s birthday, he loved it. I made it a second time to take to my mothers and everyone there loved it. I just made it again last night for our church dinner and everyone loved it, Each time I sprinkled it with cinnamon and served it with blueberries because that’s what I had!
The texture of the cake is great! However, it is really, really sweet- too sweet for my taste, especially with high ratio of sweetened, condensed milk. Three bites actually upset my stomach. Also, the cake absorbs the milk mix rather quickly. Check the cake after soaking 15 minutes. Even a half an hour may too long. You don’t want it to disintegrate. Happy baking!
Do….do you know what a tres leches cake is supposed to taste like?
Oh my goodness, my daughter recommended this recipe to me (she’s super picky), and it ‘s devine. I made it for my Latinx friends and they were amazed…gobbled it up. I like to make it the night before to allow the cake to be completely saturated. The strawberries are a tasty and colorful touch. You’re going to love it…set aside a piece for yourself!
Just want to say that I trust this website with my life as a hobbyist baker, lol. I’ve made this cake a few times now, as tres leches is one of my absolute favorite foods in the whole wide world. My ONLY gripe is that for ME it’s just not drenched enough, so I tried it recently with double all the milks, and it turned out just how I wanted it.
Great recipe!
I made this for a 16 year olds birthday, and it was a BIG HIT! Some said best Tres leches cake ever!
I have never made Tres Leches before, and my attempts to beat egg-whites in the past have been a disaster but I thought that I would give it another try because this recipe looked out of this world. Long story short, the cake came out great, and it was one of the best Tres Leches that I have ever had!
It turned out amazing!
I am glad I ran across this recipe. My 14 year old foster daughter wanted a Tres Leches Birthday Cake. I made this as written. I have four foster kids that are Mexican-American. They have a large extended family. We had her dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and we served the cake there. Everyone raved about it even our waitress and bartender, both Latinas. I served it with sliced strawberries, pineapple, and mango, my kid’s favorite fruits. This is the second time I made a tres leches but this recipe turned out far better. Thank you!
If I am doubling it do I need to put it two pans or one 9x 13?
You’ll need to use two pans.
Great recipe and terrific outcome!
Great cake! I’ve made tres leches cake before, and it was WAY too sweet! This one was not! Perfect recipe!! Thanks!!!😋
This cake was just AMAZING! I put it in the fridge to chill overnight, then made the topping the next day: whipped cream, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries (plus a little cinnamon).
Such an amazing cake! I was nervous to make it because my first attempt at a tres leches cake (years ago) was a disaster. This was an easy recipe to follow and came out beautifully! It soaked about 6 hours before I topped it with the whipped cream and it was perfect. I dusted it with cinnamon, too. Saving this one for sure!
It is much easier to make than I thought, and it tastes 10/10. I was surprised how fluffy the base came out and how well it soaked the milk overnight. Yummy! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe of my favorite cake (I tried a lot of versions of this cake made by renowed Mexico and Texas chefs, but this recipe is the best!).
My family loved it! Made it exactly as recipe said except used almond milk instead of whole milk and fortunately it was fine!!
Recipe doesn’t state pan size
Check instruction #1
Made this for a coworker who is use to authentic tres leches…I had dropped off he cake for his birthday…I was told later he had said, before cutting it ‘I guess I can just offer the leftovers to the rest of the office’. But, apparently after tasting it said ‘I will be taking the leftovers home. I got emails from others saying ‘This is amazing ‘ and ‘Way to go Betty Crocker’. Big hit. Was simple to make. Making it now for my family.
This was my first time to make tres leches and this recipe is AMAZING! I never review recipes but I NEED people to understand how great this was. I also live in a high altitude area and all I did was increase my temperature about 10 degrees and it came out perfect. This will be THE cake to take places now.
Great recipe! Was first time making one and it turned out delicious, I’m definitely saving this recipe!
My first time ever making Tres Leches cake and my family and I loved this recipe! Absolutely delicious! I don’t think I beat the egg whites stiff enough, so the cake was just the smallest bit on the dense side. I will attempt again for the perfect texture!
Mine was the same mmaybe the eggs have to be room temp cause i beat mine for a long time and still werent stiff
This has to be the best recipe for Tres Leches. I loved it. So many times the cake becomes to soggy or mushy and just can not hold up with so much milk. This one however was amazing and got better the longer it set in fridge. Thank you for the fabulous recipe.
.
Best Tres Leches cake EVER- it was AMAZING and I don’t even like Tres Leches cake!
Cake was was too dense, and too little amount of cake with too much milk
I found the stiff peaks of the egg to be essential to making the cakes soft and squishy
Same for me
Hi Lauren, I love love your recipe. If I cut the recipe in half do I use three eggs or two?
Thank you
Can this cake be inverted? Or does it need to stay in cake pan?
This is best served in the pan or plated ahead of time and served!
I have made this recipe numerous time and is the best tres leches cake I have ever had. I was wondering if I could try adding some cocoa and espresso powder to the flour and some melted chocolate and cocoa to the 3 milk mixture to make a chocolate version of it?
Thanks!
How long will the whipped cream topping last? Can that be made a day ahead as well?
Thanks!
Yes, that should be fine.
We love this recipe! My daughter wanted Tres Leches cake for her birthday. This recipe is so easy to follow and the cake was awesome!! We have made it several time since.
Funny story…my cousin brought this same cake over for my mom’s funeral dinner. As we were talking to my cousin outside her vehicle, she reached out and open the back door to get the cake out. Our boxer, jumped over the fence and jumped straight into the middle of her beautiful cake. It was smash in the center, but we weren’t going to let it go to waste. We took off the plastic wrap and enjoyed. We still laugh about it, it made a sad day just a little brighter.
This is my 2nd time using this recipe. I normally add my own spin to each recipe I use but I kept this one straight to the T. This cake is so delicious! My husband has never had it before the first time I made this, and he requested it again. Wonderful job!
I made this cake for a family members birthday and she absolutely loved it! Totally gonna save this recipe
I want to send this cake as a donation in an aluminum pan so I don’t have to worry about getting my dish back. I keep reading not to bake in metal, so would you recommend transferring it somehow? Or any other suggestions? Thank you!
I’d recommend baking it in a regular pan, lined with parchment. After it cools, lift it out of the pan and turn it into the aluminum pan. Then pole and add milk mixture.
I just got back from 6 weeks in Mexico where I had Tres Leches cake for the first time and was determined to find a recipe that tasted as fabulous as what I had there.
This recipe checked all the boxes; it was easy, not too sweet, tasted authentic, and was so moist and delicious!
Thank you, Lauren!
I’ve made this about 4 times now and it comes out perfect. I do use a Marscarpone Whipped Cream instead of the normal one in the recipe. Last night I substituted 1/4 cup dutch cocoa powder for 1/4 cup flour and it was just as light and fluffy as the original. I did use too much milk (from another recipe) and added 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the milk mixture as well as the whipped cream topping. It was a bit too “moist” and bit “soupy” I thought but everyone raved over it. It was delicious and served with fresh mixed berries!
I made this cake for Mother’s Day and it turned out absolutely perfect! I don’t typically eat refined sugars but wanted to sample what I was serving and must say it’s not overly sweet, which is delightful. The whipped cream balances the cake beautifully with just a hint of sweetness. Fantastic recipe and my guests loved the cake! My husband finished the rest in 2 days! The only thing is that it shrunk quite a bit from the edges of the pan but I believe that was something that I did to cause it, still didn’t affect the end result. 10/10!
To reduce shrinking, even though this recipe does not have any fats in the cake batter, I’ll lightly oil the pan and dust it with flour to prevent the shrinkage cakes baked in parchment paper do. I’m making this cake for a client, tomorrow; I have a cottage law bakery and they want a Tres Leches Cake.
So, I’ll bake, cool, and moisturize with the 3 milk mixture and refrigerate it in the pan tonight. Tomorrow, it will be turned out onto a cake board with some paper towels wrapped around if I see it is leaking milk mixture. Then, I’ll make stabilized whipped cream, as the client is going to transport it frosted. We’ll see 🙂
I’ve made this about 4 times and it’s my go to recipe. I want to add cocoa powder to make a chocolate tres leches. I’m thinking 1/4 cup? any suggestions.. I’m making tonight after work for a meeting tomorrow. I love this recipe and did find other “chocolate tres leches” recipes but love this one so much.
I love this recipe to want to try a chocolate version of it. How did yours turn out? would love to know the amount of cocoa powder you added.
Thanks
Made the recipe exactly as stated ( except I substituted almond milk for the whole milk), used all the milk mixture, and it came out amazing! I forgot to take photos and it was all gone by the end of the night! Definitely don’t skip on the cinnamon being on top, it set it off!!
This recipe made great cupcakes! I didn’t use all of the milk mixture, and withr the heat here I used Ermine frosting for a more stable topping! I will definitely make this again, thx!
Love the flavor of the cake, but it needs more milk in my families opinion. Will make again but double the milks.
Do you mean double the milk amount in the cake batter?
How can I make it less sweet?
Cut the Sweetened, condensed milk in half and increase the whole milk by the same amount.
I want to make this for my Spanish party at school, can it sit in room temp in the classroom for about 3 or 4 hours before serving?
How fun! It’s best served cold—you could even just rest the pan on top of flat ice pack or two (like the ice packs you’d use in a kids lunch box).
Can I make/ and apply the whipped topping ahead of time, too?
You can make it ahead and let it sit overnight!
This is my go-to Tres Leches cake recipe!
One warning though. If you double/triple etc. the recipe, the amount of ingredients doesn’t update within the step-by-step instructions so a little math is required.
My wife’s favorite cake! I’m going to try this recipe!!!
how many cups is in this recipe ?😊
My husband’s favorite cake is Tres Leche. I usually purchase a cake from a bakery every year for his Birthday. This year I thought, “how hard can it be?” Well I followed this recipe to a T and OMG! I let it soak overnight and half of the next day. I pulled it out and added the topping. It was so fricken delicious! My husband and kids said it was the best cake they’ve ever had and I completely agree! It’s so moist and rich in the flavors.
Hello can I used pasteurized egg whites instead of separated eggs?
Thank you 😊
You can use pasteurized egg whites, but you DO need to whip the egg whites separately–it’s essential for the texture in this cake. Pasteurized egg whites may take a little longer to whip–a dash of cream of tartar may help them stabilize.
Made this cake for a family gathering recently, we always purchase a tres leches cake from a popular bakery, but it’s $50 for a cake that doesn’t quite feed us all, so I tried making it with this recipe!
First time baking from scratch and it came out amazing, got so many compliments and requests to be made again! Had no issues at all!
I made this cake for my coworkers and it was a huge hit with everyone that tried it!
Notes – My first attempt (I always make a test of a new recipe before I make it for others) did not bake very evenly. One side of the cake collapsed. My hypothesis is that I didn’t fully incorporate the egg whites into the batter. On my second attempt I made sure to get it mixed well while still being careful not to overmix and it baked beautifully!
Also, my first cake didn’t fully soak up all of the milk mixture. I opted to use a chopstick instead of a fork to poke larger, deeper holes in my second cake and it soaked up every last bit of liquid!
I followed along with the video as I made the cake since this was my first time. It came out perfect! This is better than any store bought or even restaurant tres leches I’ve tried. Thank you for the awesome instructions and recipe!
Why did the cake deflate in the center? After overnight in frig, cake was sitting in a puddle of liquid? Tasted great but looked terrible…
Any pointers?
It’s hard to say without being there. It sounds like either your cake was not done (did you test it and let it cool completely before pouring the liquid on?) or you used too much liquid. I hope you give it another try soon!
So moist and rich and flavorful. Made this for our family’s Easter lunch and it was a big hit. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Made it for for the first time – ( for my birthday)beginning of this year and even my chocoholic family LOVED it.
Cake was difficult to poke without breaking and didn’t absorb any milk (let it soak over night) Worst tres leches recipe I’ve tried—wouldn’t recommend.
I’m sorry you had trouble. It sounds like something went wrong when making the cake batter because this is a very light sponge cake that easily soaks up liquid.
I just made this cake today, and I came out fine. I have tried before with another recipe that did not call for Baking Powder. It did exactly what you said, it did not absorb the milk. You must very carefully mix it, otherwise the cake will not be airy, and thus won’t absorb any liquid.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m trying to get into baking and this seemed like a pretty easy cake to start out with. Instructions are very clear and easy to follow, as well, so thank you!
This is my families favorite recipe! My family is from Guadalajara and I make this all the time for them and there are never any leftovers! I shave some chocolate over the top as well and it is so yummy.
Made this cake for a Mexican Theme party. Made exactly as recipe said. This cake is amazing. I love the texture and flavor. Everyone at the party loved it. Even people that generally do not like deserts because it is not a real sweet cake. Will use this recipe again.
You got way more cream in the pick and the milk mixture was to much of it but otherwise it was good
I made this cake for a friend’s birthday. It was a huge hit ! Another friend has asked me to make the same cake for her birthday ! It’s super moist and not overly sweet. I’m am definitely not a baker, but this is an easy recipe. The presentation is awesome.
we just LOVE THIS CAKE my son lives in texas and he told me about this cake so i look it up and it was so good i am making it for so friend and when my son comes home i pland on makeing it for has son for welcome ho
Hi Lauren!
Thank you so much for sharing this Tres Leches Cake recipe.
My whole family likes this cake so much but we always used to eat store bought. When I tried your recipe it turned out so good with the perfect texture and taste was amazingly better than store. Loved it. God bless you.
Thanks a lot again!
I just want to say thank you for this recipe.
I made 50 servings for a party and Its was so good that I want it to be my wedding cake.
I want to add that I made the cake on Thursday night, covered the cake with cling wrap for 16 hours to cool completely ( I had a HUGE cake) I made the milk mixture Thursday night and refrigerated it for 16 hours. On Friday I poked holes in the cake and added the milk mixture then refrigerated for 12 hours I made the whipped topping and put in a gallon ziplock and refrigerated for 12 hours.
Right before the party on Saturday I iced the cake with the whipped topping and chopped fresh strawberries. The cake was a big hit! super juicy. On Sunday I had some leftover, and it was even better so I recommend letting it refrigerate with the milk mixture longer than 12 hours. Thanks again!
Way to go Megan!!! So happy to hear it was such a hit.
The cake was great! But for me, the milk mixture was too thick and too sweet. Most Mexican tres leches I’ve had have more whole milk so that it’s not too sweet and it’s easier to get absorbed into the cake.
This cake was delicious and perfectly authentic with the ingredients just as listed.
This is excellent! I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. Thank you
Tastes great! The texture was so tender.
Needs to be baked for at least 45 min. I initially baked the sponge for 30 min testing it with a toothpick which did come out clean. But after cooling, it collapsed in the middle and was pretty much raw. I remade it (what a waste), baking for 45 min. The press test was much more reliable for this cake. This second attempt turned out almost perfect, but I would prefer a 50 min bake in the future since we’re adding a ton of moisture with the milk mix.
I have made this recipe doubled about 7 times in a month and a half for my large family. It’s fool proof, highly addictive and not too sweet at all. I’ve gained about ten pounds 😂. Thank you so much, it’s going to be the death of me though lol 🙏🏽 ❤️.
I have made this recipe doubled about 7 times in a month and a half for my large family. It’s fool proof, highly addictive and not too sweet at all.
I’ve gained about ten pounds 😂. Thank you so much, it’s going to be the death of me though lol 🙏🏽 ❤️.
Can I substitute anything for the eggs?
The whipped egg whites are essential for the texture of the sponge cake.
Very disappointed that the cake shrunk by half. Made this for a family gathering now don’t know if it will be enough. Will look for a better recipe next time.
Don’t blame the recipe. I bake a lot, and this recipe worked fine, although I used 1 1/2 cups of Flour and an extra egg. It came out very high and light. Certainly did not shrink on me. You probably did not properly fold in the egg whites.
This cake is perfect. It’s our new favorite cake 🥰
If you double the receipe, does it still fit into a 13×9 dish?
I found out tres leches was my boyfriend’s favorite cake, so I made this for him as a surprise. It came out great! He kept saying “you made this?” as he ate through a double serving. I baked the cake in a ceramic dish and used a little butter as the non-stick spray. At first I thought the milk mix was really sweet as prepared, but the flavors really mellowed out once it soaked in to the cake.
I will definitely make this again!
Way too much baking powder – left a bad aftertaste, and the cake overbrowned and sunk after baking. Cake also stuck to the pan since I followed the directions too closely and didn’t flour the pan. Going with a different recipe next time.
My cake came out super thin I followed this entire recipe and did everything correctly..
Sounds like your egg whites weren’t made correctly, no reason it should be thin.
Came out delightful! Everyone loved it.
Is it normal for the cake to shrink all around the edges and brown?
Hey there . Made this today for the first time.
It came out wonderful !
Thank you for the recipe.
I just finished the first piece.
Tomorrow I’m bringing some to the great people who run my local grocery meat counter. I’m so appreciative for everyone working in my community.
Everyone serving others deserves a treat!
I made this cake exactly as the recipe outlined and it turned out AMAZING! It was the first time I had ever made a cake that didn’t come from a box. It is delicious. My boyfriend won’t stop saying “IT’S SO GOOOOOD!” with every bite he takes. Keeping this one in the dessert rotation permanently.
Mine sunk I the middle. Would you know why?
That’s generally a sign the cake was underbaked. Try adding a few more minutes and test it before taking out.
This cake is delicious and easy to make! My daughter and I made it for my husband’s birthday and he went back for seconds!!
Just made this for my husband’s birthday. My kids and husband told me it was the best tres leches they ever had..☺️
We had this cake for our Mexican themed dinner on Christmas day.
Melt in your mouth delicious!!
I’d give it a 10!!
Can I use cake flour for the AP flour? How will it affect recipe? Looks amazing, BTW, can’t wait to try this.
OMG!! I made this Christmas Eve and it was amazing!! Everyone loved it! It was so easy. I thought the cake would be soggy from all that milk but not at all! This recipe is a keeper!!
Amazing! Delicious! I’m not great at baking…a true amateur….now everyone thinks I went to pastry school lol. Thank you for the best Christmas eve dessert my family ever had!
this cake continues to be a staple food at every family event, none of us can get enough.
My husband is Dominican and this is his favorite kind of cake. I am usually a terrible baker but he has been raving over this cake. He can’t eat enough of it. This is such a simple recipe and easy to follow. I did substitute the whole milk for 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. He prefers it to be super soaked with the milks. Its delicious!
This is the best tres leches recipe…I like that it doesn’t call for oil or butter and is not too sweet. I added almond extract to the batter as my own touch and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe…👍
Fatima, how much almond extract did you use? Thanks!
Made this for a neighborhood party and everyone commented on how amazing and delicious it was! Will definitely use this recipe again!
Wonder if I can use half & half instead of whole milk for milk mixture? and can I increase the amount to 1 cup instead of 1/4 of a cup? Thank you
Lauren I commend you for this recepie!!! IT WAS PHENOMENAL!! im not a baker. however ive made this half a dozen times now in less than 2 months and people i share it with RAVE about it! thanks for bringing a piece of home (Panama) to my home.
Loved this recipie!!
Question!!
I just made this for the first time today. It is in the refrigerator and absorbing the milk mixture, I’m bringing it to a family gathering tomorrow. I wondered if I could tip the cake out of my 9×13 pan before topping with whip cream and berries and serve it that way? Just so it is prettier! I’m not sure if it’s doable because of the milk soaking process?? I dont want it to fall apart. Thank you!
Made this for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it Including myself. Very easy to make. Flavor was amazing and numerous guest asked for the recipe.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I made this recipe for the first time and ….OMG!! I amazed myself at how delicious and exquisite it was. I was so proud. Everyone loved it. I will definitely make it again.!!
I have made this cake twice and everyone loves it… I want to make it chocolate cake instead, how could I do that?? Thank you for this recipe
I haven’t tested chocolate yet but it’s own of my goals for this year–so look for the recipe coming soon!
This recipe is amazing and easy to do. It’s been a bit hit for work functions. I’ve gotten as lot of positive feedback about this recipe. Thank you for sharing this
Can this recipe be made with extra large eggs?
I made this cake for a party and everyone loved it! They all asked for seconds! Even the girls that usually doesn’t eat tres leches enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I’m making it again this weekend and will be using a little more leches for the soaking as I like mine a little more moist (might try a little heavy cream as mentioned in one of the comments) and also a little more whipped cream as well.
I have made this a few times and it’s been a hit every single time. Everyone always wants more. It’s amazingly delicious. Best tres leche cake!
I made this yesterday and today it’s gone! It’s the closest I have come to the tres leches cake we had while on assignment! I put strawberries, blueberries and kiwi on top of the whipped topping. It was excellent!! Thank you for this simple and delicious recipe. I will definitely be making it again
When you make this the night before, do you put on the “icing” or do you wait until right before serving time? Thanks!
Either way! The whipped topping will hold up best fresh, by mine is always fine after a day as long as I whipped it well enough.
I want to make this for my mom’s birthday. Do you know what adjustments I would have to make for high altitude?
I’d just add 2 tablespoons extra flour.
I think the flour needs to be re-calculated. I used the 1 cup flour as the recipe stated, however the cake was way too light and the milk caused saturation.
Also, cake or all purpose flour?
Not sure where I went wrong.
Excellent recipe. I only needed 25 minutes in the oven and it was perfect. Very light and airy, I do prefer the sponge method to genoise. I used heavy cream in my milk mixture instead of milk for a richer finish. This will now be my go-to Tres Leches recipe.
The only cake my husband will eat is Tres Leches. I’m planning to make a 6″ round for our daughter’s birthday this weekend. How would this recipe turn out cut in half with that size/style pan? Ty
I’d suggest making the full recipe, and make two 6” cakes or use the extra batter for cupcakes. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/tres-leches-cupcakes/
Hi Lauren
I am wonder if i can make tres leches cake 10 inch × 3 inch round .
What do you recommend or double the recipe? I want to make one layer but round.I am looking 9×13 round pan i can’t find it.
Thanks again lauren.🤗🥰
Pour the batter into your 10” pan and with the little bit extra, make cupcakes with it: (https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/tres-leches-cupcakes/)
I made this cake for one of the employees in my office. It was a hit and everyone loved it. It was just the right sweetness. Definitely will made it again!!!
I made this Tres Leches cake and my hubby LOVED IT! I tried a few recipes but this one was the winner. The cake was light without being soggy and the whipped cream was not too sweet. Loved that you use the powdered sugar. It makes a big difference. The cake absorbed all of the milk mixture perfectly. I will definitely try some of your other recipes.
Absolutely mouthwatering! I could eat the whole panful in 30 minutes!
Can’t get enough of this absolutely awesome cake!
It has become my latest addiction! Never tasted anything like it!! Sooooo good!😋😋😋😋
Karen, Right on!! totally agree
Oh my word!! I have JUST found my FAVORITE cake! So yummy & satisfying.
I opted to put cocoa , instead of cinnamon.
😋😋😋😋😋😋😋
The best cake ever. Thank you Janet Fernandez who is a wonderful cook for baking ‘Tres Leches Cake’ for us on our visit to Sydney, and to ‘Tastes Better from Scratch’ for this incredible recipe. It was pure delight.
This is my go to recipe for this cake. Everyone loves it, every single time!!!
This turned out amazing! Everyone loved it. Thank you!
This is a family favorite and gets better every time I make it. I follow your recipe exactly and it’s perfect. I let the milk soak into the cake over night and it’s just perfect!
Made this today for my sisters birthday because tres leches is her favorite. It was very good. I only put half can of the sweetened condensed milk but next time I’m going to try adding 1/2 cup of milk instead of 1/4 cup because I think it needs to be a tad more wet/moist
I love this recipe, I have been using it for years. We like our tres leches cake very wet but not overbearingly sweet so I double the tres leches mixture minus the second can of sweetened condensed milk and it’s perfect. Everyone always loves it!
Came out very flat. I followed the exact instructions.
I could only imagine that you knocked out the air from the egg white mixture. You need to be careful to fold in both mixtures while not knocking out the air you produce from whipping egg whites. It takes practice but maybe YouTube some videos on making sponge cakes and it should help seeing some technique.
I learned to make sponge cake from my mother—almost this exact recipe. The explicit instructions were to NOT grease the pan and cool the cake upside down so it keeps it’s height and doesn’t fall. That might help you.
I have a 10 1/2 X15 pan – is it possible to double the recipe ?
Yes, I think that will be fine!
I made this cake and could nit stop eating it. It is delicious!
My husband loved it too! I will make it again!
It was a mega hit!
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?
Loved the cake. It was a big hit at my sisters birthday party.
This recipe was super simple and super yummy. Definitely the best I’ve ever had. My only question is can I double the cake?
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!!!
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 ❤️
By far best recipe. Everything is perfectly delicious !!! A must try (: it was a crazy hit
Love this recipe. A must try. AMAZING!!!!
Amazing cake. My Fussy Father loved it. Am making it for father’s day for him today.
Me too!
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.
Loved this recipe!!! Definitely the best I’ve had. Wondering if I can double the recipe? More to share🤷🏼♀️
Made this for a get-together this weekend and it was the first thing gone. Not just gone, but devoured!! Seriously, look no further – this is by far the best tres leches cake I’ve ever had. Thanks!
The best recipe. My family loves it.
I make this often and many Hispanic friends from many countries says it’s the best they’ve had. That’s quite a complement. Thanks for a great recipe!
I made this recipe for a Cinco de Mayo party and it was wonderful! I had looked at many recipes to see which one I wanted to try. I chose this one after comparing reviews. I was concerned because other recipes had 2 cups of whole milk for the milk mixture that is poured over the top, while this one only had 1/4 cup of whole milk. I made this the day before I served it and everyone loved it! I will definitely be saving this recipe to make again.
Any way to substitute the eggs? We have an egg allergy…
Love this cake but it’s a little too sweet
Is there any way I can lessen the sweetness without ruining the flavor .
Thanks
Im diabetic and I was wondering the same!
I make this at least once/month. It’s SO good. No modifications but I usually skip the topping because it tastes just as good without it.
Can I make this the night before I have to serve it?
Yes, for sure.
OH MY GOSH!
SO delicious and light and airy.
Perfect after a heavy lunch of chix enchiladas , Spanish rice , 7 layer dip and margaritas!
It was the perfect ending to a party and would suggest it to anyone at any time!
(No fiesta needed!)
Thank you for a ‘keeper’ dessert!
*the ONLY thing I did differently was I happened to have a coconut sweetened condensed milk….*
And, I would use it again as it added another fun flavor layer that went with it.
Amazing recipe, the whole family loved it! Topped it with chopped almonds and strawberries, absolutely fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely delicious and loved by all for Easter cake. It is so special. I followed the directions carefully and sprinkled cinnamon on top with strawberries. Better than the last one I bought from the bakery. My best friend wants it for her birthday so will be making again soon.
This has become a family favourite! Excellent recipe and taste like Mexico!
This cake was a hit at my son’s birthday party. I made 2 because there was about 30 people there. I got rave reviews from everyone! My oven is a little crazy, but it was done in exactly 21 minutes at 345 for both cakes. (I cooked them one at a time) This is a keeper that I will make again and again. I did not top with cinnamon and strawberries, but I think I will next time.
Yum!!!! I’ve made this 3x so far and I will continue to use this recipe! Thank you
this was soo good and super easy to make . my family and i loved it !
Mine didn’t rise, more like a pancake. I’m guessing it had to do with using fat free milk or the fact that I never quite got the peaks but I was so disappointed!
It most likely didnt rise due to old baking powder. The peaks take a long time of vigorous whipping to form. Hope you decide to give it another try.
Cam out awesome! I cut the sugar little bit and condensed milk. Everyone loved it. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Delicioso !
There is a reason you 542 comments for this cake.
It is delicious!!
Yummy recipe 😍 . My daughter followed this recipe and it was amazing. Thank you 😊
I need to bake this cake for my husband’s bday but I would like to make it in round shape with two layers. Could I use this recipe for two 9 inch diameter pans?
Yes, you can. The layers will be thin.
There we go, I did it. I LOVE YOUR RECIPES!!!
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Absolutely amazing! Highly recommend trying this recipe if you’re a beginner looking for something simple and quick! Just enough milk for the cake to get nice and moist. Has a great balance of sweetness. Love it!
We made this cake this morning and sure enough it shriveled up. I found another recipe that said make sure not to grease the pan, so I remade it exactly the same without greasing the pan. The second batch shriveled far less as it was stuck to the sides. Both cakes taste delicious and absorbed all the liquid though, so I’m not sure which way is best.
I am obsessed with this recipe! Would it be possible to make these into cupcakes?
Yes, here’s my Tres Leches cupcakes adaption of this recipe: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/tres-leches-cupcakes/
We tried this recipe years ago and it has become a crowd favorite. We make it for nearly every birthday! I highly recommend it💕.
This is the best recipe ever. It so easy and the cake comes out deliciously. I am from Mexico. I never found a bakery here in the US that sold a cake that tasted so delicious. This is my to-go recipe. All my American friends love it.
Thanks for your great recipes,
Veronica
This is amazing. Definitely the way I love tres leches.
Mine came out looking amazing and them completely shriveled up. I followed the recipe 100% so this outcome was disappointing. I read elsewhere that you should not use non-stick spray for such a cake. I haven’t tasted it yet.
Hey Nicole. Mine shriveled away from the edges also about an inch. I have made it 2x and it did both times. Something to do with it being light and airy. It poofs up then condenses as it cools. It isnt super pretty but once it soaks up the liquid and you cover it with whipped cream it is delicious and you dont see the shriveled part. 😉 did you wrap it up and taste it? The video does show it pull away from the edges slightly. Mine did it more than the video but the end result was delicious both times. I hope it all worked out!
This is my third time making this cake and, it’s become my husband’s favorite! I love the cake plan it’s between an angel food cake and regular cake. I plan to try it with different types of desert recipes. This is one of the best cakes, my family has me making it once a week . Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!♥️
Made this for Mexican night in the student accommodation I live in and it was a hit! Moist, spongy, soft and delicious! Skipped the cinnamon and topped it with strawberries instead. The citrus in the strawberry pairs perfect with the sweetness of the cake! Making it again for sure.
I made this for my wedding anniversary and it was phenomenal! I do recommend to soak over night AT LEAST, a few hours will only get the top moist and leave a dry bottom. Day 2 was at its best! no changes to the recipe. This ones a keeper!
I am just making the cake now and was wondering if you cook it for 25 or 35 minutes because I did 35 accidentally and it looks a little burnt. Is it still okay to eat or no?
Can you use 2% milk instead of whole milk? 😞
Yes, that would be fine! Enjoy.
Hi there,
Where I live condensed milk comes in 10oz cans. I foolishly only grabbed one. Do you think it will be okay to cut 4oz of condensed milk out?
Best,
Katherine
Yes, that’s fine! Enjoy.
Ive used this recipe a million times and it’s been perfect. However, I made it today and my cake came out of the oven beautiful but I walked away for a minute and it SHRIVELED. It pulled away from the pan on the sides and became about an inch and half thick 🙁 any suggestions on what I did wrong this time?
Can this be made ahead?
Here’s the answer from the recipe post:
Yes, 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 chance to soak up some of the milk that was poured over top. You can store it with whipped cream on top as well or wait to top it with whipped cream before serving.
Hello! I wonder what difference it will make if I use heavy cream instead of whole milk in the milk mixture. Appreciate your response. Thank you!
That’s fine, it will just be a richer flavor.
The best tres leches I have tried yet! The search is over and this will be my go-to for now on!
In the recipe you list whole milk twice. Do I need 1/3 cup of whole mile and 1/4 cup of whole milk, too?
Part is for the cake batter, and the rest is for the milk mixture that gets poured over the baked cake. Read through the instructions and it should clear up your questions 🙂 .
Hello, I am Mexican and no one celebrates Cinco de Mayo. It was a battle against the French in a town in Mexico called Puebla. The holiday is observed in America by Americans for whatever reason. Only to turn around and be racist to all kinds of cultures yet have Cinco de Mayo parties. Good recipe, I thought it would be harder than this. Thanks and stay safe!
How do I convert this for cupcakes?
Try my Tres Leches Cupcake recipe!
Hi! Does the temp and time work for a glass baking dish or do I need to adjust it?
You can use a glass dish with no changes.
Can we use egg substitue instead of eggs?, we don’t eat eggs.
Sorry, that wont work for this recipe.
ok thanks!
I’ve tried a few tres leches recipes and this is by far my favourite. It’s so easy and extremely delicious, always a winner with the family and guests
This was super easy! Huge hit. Making again this weekend. Light not heavy dessert too.
For a 9 inch round cake pan, how much of the liquid do you recommend? I’ve made this recipe before using the pan size you recommend on your recipe and it was so good! My family loved it and have asked for it 3 times in the last few months.
This cake will fill two 9 inch round cake pans. So happy you’ve liked it!
I made this cake just as the recipe is printed for my son and his girlfriend’s baby shower. It turned out perfect! Thank you for a great recipe!
I did not like Tres Leches. Every family party had one and they were always store bought, had canned fruit inside of them and extra moist and soaked. Grossed me out. Since being stuck at home during the pandemic, I had a random craving for a good homemade one. This recipe is amazing and I’ve made it TWICE within a week ! I added fresh sliced strawberries and peaches ontop. Perfection
My 22 year old asked for Tres Leches for his birhtday cake. It was a huge success. Because of time, we weren’t able to let it sit more than an hour, but it was phenomonal. Day 2 even better. Light delicious!
Hello ! I’ve made this cake several times and it is delicious. I want to make it into a layered 8 or 9 inch cake, would I have to double the recipe ?
The recipe as is will work for two 8” round pans. Enjoy!
how much time would i need to cook it for in a 8 inch? and then how much time in a 9 inch?
I did not have a 9×13 but instead an 8×8 (no room for frosting) after I poured the milk over it there was quite a bit of liquid still remaining after it sat in the frig over night. Any tips? Or is it simply because I used a smaller pan?
Yes, the smaller pan doesn’t allow for a wide enough cake to absorb the liquid. Next time if you’re using an 8×8 pan, I would use less liquid!
I’d like to split into two 8×8 pans, do I change the baking time?
Yes, the bake time will probably be a few minutes less. Just keep an eye on it.
Ridiculously good. I made it for a friend’s birthday and she also had a cake from a bakery. All of my friends preferred this cake. It was a big hit with others requesting I make it for their birthday as well! Thanks for a great recipe!
AMAZING!! Every cake I seem to try making from this blog comes out exactly how it’s described, really good! I made this for Father’s Day and everyone loved it!! Had to make it this weekend since it finished so fast!
OMG !!!!!! The BEST !!!!!!! I’m making it AGAIN tomorrow…it will be about the 5th or 6th time ….I AM GETTING FATTER !!!! THANK YOU !!!! LOL THIS CAKE IS FOR THE GODS !!!!
I made this yesterday and it is one of the best tres leches I’ve ever had! So delicious!
My boyfriend wants me to make this cake for his co-workers bday so I wanted to double the ingredients. Do you recommend this? Also, how long would you cook it for and in what size pan would you use?
For best results, I would simply make two batches!
I made this for my son’s 12th birthday. It was perfection! It came out exactly as in the photos and was moist without being soggy. We loved it and I’m adding it to the repertoire! Thank you.
I’ve made Tres Leches cake a few times before and never turned out good. I used this recipe and it was a hit. My family keeps requesting it!
This recipe was a hit!! I looked all over the internet for a recipe that called for the correct cake and this is it! The only thing I have to say about it is that you’ll need more of the 3 milks, what the recipe calls for just isn’t enough.
Absolutely love this recipe! Came out perfect and delicious.
I have done this cake so many times already.
Thank you for the recipe!❤️
I followed the exact instructions but my cake sunk and was very dense. Is it because there’s no butter/oil mixed into the cake batter? I used a round baking pan. Because the cake was so dense it didn’t soak up much of the milk mixture. I had to make another batch of the milk mixture to put couple spoonful of it to the plate/bowl I served the Tres Leches in so that we could mix it with the ready cake. Overall it tasted good.
It shouldn’t be dense at all if the egg whites were whipped and folded in properly.
This cake was delicious. The cinnamon drizzle enhanced the flavor.
I have made this cake twice and it was delicious. I had the same problem that other reviews had. cake was rising then half way baking it shriveled down to a one inch high cake. I did not butter the sides that much. Not sure what went wrong
I made this yesterday and it was hands down the BEST Tres Leches cake I have ever had! It was the perfect amount of sweet and moist. I served it with fresh strawberries, raspberries and sliced canned pineapples. So so delicious and everyone loved it! I thought we’d have the cake in the fridge for a few days at least but it’s already gone! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
First time to make it and was it was 💯!
Chilled in the fridge for only an hour and half.
When making in the 8 inch circle pans; after the cake is made and putting the milk in what do you suggest to put this in to keep the milk soaking?
I have made this cake numerous times and it always turns out delicious! Everyone absolutely loves it, so thank you for sharing. I was wondering though if I could make the cake itself strawberry, what would you recommend?
This is a great recipe. I didn’t want as much sugar as the sweetened Condensed milk, so I used vanilla yogurt instead. It was sweet enough and maybe a little healthier.
This looks incredible! I saw someone ask about the pan size for making this a layer cake. Do you think it would be sturdy enough to hold up to being a layer cake?
Yes, you just may not want to add all of the milk liquid.
I have made it a 2 layer cake in 9″ pans! I put much less liquid but still made sure it was moist, and it held up great!!
I made this cake for a lady whose some was having a birthday. Also made one for my family.
My family loved it and the lady said the cake was “…….SO good!”
The directions were very clear and East to follow. Thank you for sharing
This recipe is unbelievably delicious as is. Received so many compliments! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi!! I am making this for my husbands birthday. I would love to make it Friday afternoon for a Saturday night bbq. Do you think it will dry out with all the milk if it sits in the fridge for that long? I know in restaurants when they serve to you it’s so moist and room temperature so I don’t want to ruin this recipe by leaving it in the fridge too long. Thank you!
That will work great! Enjoy!
This cake is very delicious! My husband is from Ecuador and says this cake tasted like an authentic latin tres leches. Thanks!
Would recommend adding vanilla extract to the milk mix to add more flavour but as you said it tasted delish
My cake baked up beautifully! Nice and tall, but once I took it out of the oven it completely shriveled up. It lost about an inch all the way around the pan and half it’s height. Any idea why?
Just made it for the first time. Looked nice and very high in the pan. Then went back 15 min later and it had sunk and shriveled up like yours. Is this the way it’s supposed to be?
I just made this for the first time and the same happened to me. This happened to me because I buttered the sides of the pan too good (haha). Cakes like this need texture on the sides in order for the cake to grip the sides and climb up (and then stay up). What I’d recommend is to “lightly” spray only the bottom of the pan and the corners (I’d normally use parchment paper on just the bottom but that wouldn’t be ideal with the liquid and the cake living in the pan). Then after it cools, run a sharp knife around the sides and should be good to go.
same thing happened to me!! no clue what happened.
Really good however i recommend half the amount of sweetened condensed milk as it tend to be really sweet otherwise
Absolutely lovely and so simple to make! I loved having the video to guide me, as this was my first time making it. Even my friend’s 10-year-old daughter enjoyed it!
Wow, made this and everyone in family thoroughly enjoyed this. Even asked for seconds! Definitely would make this again!
This is the second time I made this cake. It’s always has turned out delicous! My granddaughter is turning 13 tomorrow and she requested this cake. Thank you!
If u were to make a layered cake what round pan would I use.
Two 8inch pans.
I love this recipe! ❤️best cake ever!
Followed directions to the T and turned out perfectly! Amazing recipe–super moist and fluffy!
In the ingredients list, you have whole milk twice. Do they both go into the cake??
Yes. In the cake, then in the three milk mixture. See the directions, for clarity.
This recipe is fantastic! I grew up eating tres leches. It was so moist and the right amount of sweet. Also, I felt like I could taste a hint of coconut. My sister also enjoyed!
Amazing! My first time making it and and I followed it to a T. Best Tres Leches I have had so far 😍
Really great! Had to do it for a Spanish project and it’s delicious. It’s so much better if you add the strawberries. My family really liked it. WARNING: it will most likely be pretty thin if you don’t double the recipe.
How long do I leave it in the oven if I double the ingredients?
This is absolutely the best cake I’ve ever made. I made it for my daughters 15th birthday last night and tonight, it’s gone. My husband is already asking for another. Y’all listen to these reviews, this is 100% the best tres leches cake recipe out there!
Second best cake I’ve ever made. Waldorf Astoria red velvet, from scratch, is the best !!!!
Best cake recipe in the world!!!
Good recipe the sponge came out really nice!
This came out perfect! Better than my mother inlaws and my husband loves it !
I followed the directions and it came out like super thin
Mine did as well, came out super thin. We will see how it turns out
If it came out thin it’s because your egg whites were not beat to stiff peaks or you over mixed the egg whites in to the batter. I know because that’s what happened to me the first time I made this cake and ever since I got better at that part it improved.
My second time making it. I had this cake in Cafe Letto in Dubai and was bowled over! Your recipe turned out great. I halved the recipe and made it in an 8 by 8 pan and am now making it in 2 8″ pans. I might freeze one for use in a trifle and serve one with the 3 milks.
Thanks ever so much for this recipe
Made this for the first time today- didn’t manage stiff peaks with the egg whites but the cake was fine with soft ones. Whipped cream was perfect and very easy. Super happy with how this turned out!
Made this cake and it was delicious. My whole familt enjoyed. It. Very easy to make . I’ll be making it often.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I use it over and over again and even flavored it mango. I add a mango extract instead of the vanilla and everybody at my work love it. I’ve also tried other flavors like Pandan, a popular Filipino Flavor! Thank you thank you thank you😍🤩🤩 This recipe is definitely a keeper💞❣💓💗
It’s yummy 🙂
This recipe was outstanding! My neighbor is from Brazil so I made her this with dulce de Leche on the side and she said it reminded her of being home. She said it was the best she had!
I studied a lot about how tres leches should taste when I was looking at recipes and decided to try this one. It is unbelievable!! My neighbor from Mexico said it’s the best she’s ever had!!
it serves 1 in my case, I just went through a breakup and this really helped.
Excellent recipe! The cake turned out very fluffy, and great for holding the milk, it kept its structure without turning to mush. I also love how no butter is needed for this recipe. Highly recommend!
So I am currently waiting for the cake to finish cooking in the oven. I haven’t tried yet but I was told that the key is the separate the yolk from the whites. I almost made a huge mistake by following a recipe off of Pinterest which called for 1/2 cup of butter and no separation of eggs! Then I remembered what I was told and quickly got out of that recipe. I will be back once my friend from Mexico has had a taste of it. I already know it will be delicious!
Thanks for letting us know!
First time making this and it was so good that it is now the family birthday cake! Thanks from a newbie
I made this for work and everyone loved it. How many servings for this recipe?
Followed recipe exactly as written. Turned out perfect. Light. Moist. Not too sweet. Absolutely delicious.
I went into this thinking it wouldn’t turn out. I made this as a food sample for my school project and everyone loved it. Just the cake alone before you put the milk on it is the perfect sweetness for a homemade cake. Just be careful to make sure the eggs are cooked till stiff peaks or the cake will not rise!
Made this for my husband’s birthday and YUM 😋.
This was easy and tasted great! They only thing I didn’t like is it turned out too sweet for my taste. Otherwise, it was perfect!
Wonderful recipe! I’ve made it twice and got rave reviews. Have you ever tried making these into cupcakes? I’m wanting to make a batch that are more “portable”! Thanks.
This cake was just perfect. It wasn’t too sweet, the texture was amazing, and it was almost to pretty to eat. ♥️! It’s a keeper!!!
At first it was a struggle because I’ve never had to separate eggs and whip the egg whites but once I got that down I realized how easy this was. It was a hit! I also had a few people who don’t like tres leches say this is the best one they’ve eaten! Thanks for sharing!!!
If I want to make this as a half sheet cake (12 by 18) how would I have to change the recipe
I would add another 1/2 of the recipe to fill that pan size.
I doubled the recipe too bc I had to make a half sheet. The cake wasn’t as soaked which I personally prefer. But if you want it soaked add another half of the normal measure. Can’t go wrong!!!
Amazing fool proof recipe! And yes, I did not notice the lack of butter or oil in the cake at all!! Totally wiped down! 🙂
great stuff
5 stars!!! I don’t normally leave comments but this recipe was amazing! I don’t normally bake so was anxious making it for my guests but they all loved it and wanted the recipe!
Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Would the recipe change for high altitude
I make this tres leches for holiday parties, work events, birthdays, etc and without fail, people always tell me how good the cake is. I’ve had people offer to pay me to make this recipe for them and I even received a marriage proposal. In fact, someone told me ”I knew your tres leches before I met you!”. This recipe is so easy and I love that the cake doesn’t come out too spongey or mushy. Thank you, it’s absolutely delicious!
Should you put whipped cream mixture on cake the day before serving or day of?
Either one would work great!
I’m making this today for my daughters birthday dinner tomorrow .
This is really delicious! I’ve made it a few times for work, and it’s always completely gone within an hour or two into the day. My Hispanic friends who’ve tried it have said it’s perfect. This is always the recipe I use when I want to make this cake. Thanks, Lauren!
I’m in Australia and have never had this cake before, but made it to accompany a Mexican dinner with friends.
It was delicious and a huge hit. I covered the top with berries and they complimented it perfect. Will definitely be making this one again. Perfect to make the day before and have sitting ready in the fridge.
Delicious!! I’m about to make it again today!
Had this cake growing up and this recipe lives up to the dessert!! Made it for my hisbands bday, eveeyone loved it
Can you adapt this as is into cupcakes?
Yes, although I haven’t tried it so I couldn’t tell you the cook time. Other reviews have commented on this if you want to read through the comments.
Please can you send me the recipe in UK measures, ie grams, as I would love to make it thankyou Karen
Thanks for your comment. I just updated the recipe to include metrics. Go to the recipe card and click the button that says “metric” right about the instructions!
Hi Lauren,
Sounds amazing! Could you please give measurements in mls for the 12 and 14 ounce can of condensed and evaporated milk?
I know google would have the correct answer.
Thank You Lauren for this Great Recipe!
It’s easy to make and my family and friends love it!!
I am now getting requests from all directions to make it again and again!
Donnie
My Favorite! Love this recipe! I have made this for numerous friends I want to add blueberries to the cake batter what do you think?
Sure, I’m sure that would be yummy!
I made your tres leches cake for a work party and everyone LOVED it! The one question I have is that the cake pulled away from the pan about an inch all around and reduced in height after cooling. I thought it would “re-expand” after soaking in the milk, but it mostly didn’t. Is this normal or did I do something incorrect? I ended up spreading the whipped cream all the way to the edges of the pan to cover up the “shrinkage” and the cake was truly delicious, however!
Have made this several times and always a hit. Tastes better than a bakery made cake. Looking to make it for a birthday party and would need to at least double the recipe. What size pan and how long do you recommend it bakes for?
I’ve made this recipe at least 3 times (the first time I added pink food coloring to the cake batter and yellow to the whipped cream, for my daughter’s 21st birthday last month), and I have another one in the oven as we speak. IT’S AWESOME! And so delicious! We topped it with strawberries and blackberries and grapes…SO YUMMY! I also sprayed the fruit with gold cake spray and it looked so elegant!😍 Thank you for sharing this recipe! Definitely a family favorite!💖
can this recipe be cut in half and baked in a 8×8 pan?
Yes, that would be fine. Enjoy!
Just tried this recipe today and it was great! I made a few changes though: I subbed AP flour for cake, and reduced the sugar in the cake (½ cup for egg yolks and 3 tbsp for egg whites). I also cooked up probably 15 frozen strawberries in a little pan and strained out the juices. I then heated the strawberry juice with a tbsp of sugar until it reduced a little. Once slightly cooled, I added it to the 3 milks mixture to get a pretty pink color! Lastly, I only baked the cake for 20 minutes. This was easily the best sponge cake I’ve ever made too!
Loved it so light tastyyyy I’ve been baking since
OMG!!! Too delicious…I used 1/2 the can of fat free evaporated milk, 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk and 1% milk, it came out GREAT! normally love chocolate cake, THIS cake really hit the spot with me and my friends!! made it twice and was asked for this recipe! Added fresh organic sweet Mango… YUMMY
LOVE THIS CAKE!!
My family and friends are IN LOVE with this recipe!! I will make it and no one can stop eating it!! I love it and totally recommend! ❤️❤️🤓
I made this yesterday and am taking it to a dinner party tonight. I know it will be delicious, I have made it before. Thank you for an easy to follow delicious recipe.
Third time making this!!!! I added matcha for a change and it’s amazing too!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Delicious!!!
Nothing more to say!!!
Thanks Bill!
Made by request for daughters bday who had been on diet but was craving this & came out so delicious! While making all was well until it noted to “fold” egg whites into batter? I Didn’t know what this meant, so looked up & I assumed this meant gently stirring not mixing. After baking one end of cake didn’t rise as much but looked ok. At serving cutting was successful & received so many compliments, especially from my daughter. Thank y’all!!
Emergency! I can’t find evaporated milk anywhere. What can I substitute it with? Have already baked the cake.
You can just use extra cream!
THE best tres leches cake ive ever had! Looked at so many recipes before settling with this one that had the most reviews, originally looking for a Mexican themed cake for my daughters school. It went down a treat! Everyone at my daughters school loved it! The sweetness level is perfect! Regretted i didnt keep a few extra slices for myself to have later on. So today will be making another batch after finally remembering to buy all the ingredients. Probably one of the best cakes ive ever had, and im normally a chocolate only cake lover.
Thank you for such a wonderfully balanced cake!! I will recommend your cake to others if they ask where i found it. Everyone needs to know where you can find the tastiest milky cake ever!! 😋😋😋😍😍
Made this for my family lunch and it was a hit. Wanted to make this in a round pan. Should I make it in a 9 inch pan or a 8 inch pan. Would really appreciate if you could let me know. Thank you.
Either size will work. I would use less of the milk mixture.
Can I make the cake the night before for a birthday party?
How long should I take the cake out before serving ?
Yes, that would work great! I like it best served right from the fridge.
Made this today for the first time as a dessert for a friend who was going away from my state to another State.
Four d out a month ago that it was a favorite cake and decided to surprise her.
Every one loved it.
Made it with my Niece and we both loved the teaching process and bonding time
Will be making it again
I made this for my family, and it was a huge hit! Instead of making the whipped topping I just used cool whip, and it tasted great. However, when I make this again, I’m gonna try and used a bit more whole milk because the cake wasn’t as moist as I wanted it to be. Other than that, this is a quality recipe!
This cake was a hit! Made this for the Fourth of July and I did a decoration of the American flag in strawberries and blueberries. I will definitely be making this again!
What a fun idea for a patriotic flag for the fourth of July!
D-lish recipe! This is my second time trying this recipe, both were a success. I made a 2-layer cake filled with fresh peaches and strawberries. I did not use all of the milk mixture, because I didn’t want my cakes to leak on each other. I reserved just a bit of the leches, the cakes were ridiculously moist!! To prevent them from leaking through too much, I did not poke holes through the bottom of the cake, I only went about halfway deep. My favorite part of this recipe is that the cake is not overly sweet. The cakes turned out really light and fluffy, they soaked up the 3 leches wonderfully.
Could this recipe be made gluten free? Other recipes using gluten free flour has always made the cake heavy. To avoid the gritty texture I have reduced the flour to make a lighter cake.
Yes, you could use gluten free flour! Enjoy
This looks and sounds amazing! My son is asking for this cake for his birthday. If I wanted to do this in two 9 inch pans, would it work? I’d like to do a fruit filling then ice it all. In that case, would I poke the holes in the cakes and pour the milk over while they are still in the pans, then let them sit and dump them out to stack them after refrigeration? Or do I just pour half the milk over the first layer after it’s on the cake board, then cover with fruit, place tbe second layer ovee it, then pour the rest of the milk over the top? I don’t want them to be too soggy and fall apart so I’m not sure what’s best. Thank you!!
Hi Laura, I would suggest adding the milk to the cakes while they are still in the pan (refrigerate them for several hours before stacking) and I might even suggest cutting back a little on the quantity of milk, since you’re stacking the layers. (You will also want to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, so the cake comes out easily). Sounds delicious, I hope your son loves it!
Hi,
Can make this in two 8 inch round pans to layer it or would I have to change the recipe at all? Would the baking times change much?
I think that would be fine! Your bake time may be a little less, but not by much.
I will be placing my dessert into round whiskey type glasses.
Would u recommend pouring tres-leches over full cake then cutting into small pieces
or
cutting cake into small pieces, placing into glass jars, then pouring tres leches into each glass?
If I choose the first scenario will the consistency of the cake be too mushy to place pieces in a glass jar afterwards?
I really think either way would work!
Hi. I would love to try this recipe but I am baking them in three 6×2 round pans. Should I still bake them at 350 and same baking time? Your advise would be of much help! Thanks in advance! 🙂
I would still keep the temperature the same. The baking time will change. Check them around 15-20 minutes.
If I want to make 2x the amount of cake, can I just double up on the recipe? I made it already as the recipe is and it was delicious but I’m not sure about the proportions if I want to make a larger cake.
Yes, that’s fine (although you’ll be baking in separate pans, correct?)
Does it need to be whole milk? or will 1% work?
That would be fine, just less creamy 🙂
Hi I could anyone please tell me if the cake is too sweet or not, and if reducing the sugar will mess with the recipe
No, I don’t think it’s overly sweet. Especially with a whipped cream frosting. You could always add less sweetened condensed milk to cut back on the sugar.
I’ve made this cake 3-4 times now, and it’s always a hit. Thank you for the great recipe!
This recipe is fantastic! It really tastes awesome and the measurements are well proportioned. All my friends loved it.
It came out great!!! I double up the recipe to make an to make a thick cake. I don’t like Tres Leches cake and I tried a lot..BUT THIS ONE… is gooooood! The right kind of balance between cake and milk. Thanks!
Good to hear this one was a hit! Thanks April!
Made this for my friends birthday and her very picky 11 year old son requested it for his birthday too! I am from San Antonio, so there is no shortage of tres leches cake to be had here. This recipe is just as good as the bakery’s I used to work for. Definitely saving this for the future.
Followed your recipe to a T and my family loved it! Better than getting it at a bakery and fun to make!
Is it served straight from the baking tin or do you remove it before adding cream
I add the milks while it’s in the pan, and serve it right from the pan.
Absolutely delish!
Cinco de Mayo is coming, and my friends have already asked me to make this. Absolutely delicious. I also drizzle caramel sauce over the whipped cream. You know, to cut the sweetness. 🙂
Hi, I need help please. For the topping, do I wait until I serve to put on? Thank you.
No you can put it on several hours in advance, or even the night before.
How much baking powder is 1 and 1/3 or just 1/3
You will need 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.
I need to make a dessert for a lot of people. Can this recipe be doubled? Also can it be made ahead and froze?
Hi Laura–I have not experimented with freezing this. If it were me, I’d probably freeze the cake before adding the milks. Then add the milks and let it come to room temperature in the fridge for at least a day.
The ingredients list whole milk twice for the cake portion. Is there a missing ingredient? Thanks
That’s right–it is listed twice. Some of it goes in the cake batter and some of it gets poured over the baked cake with the other milks.
Does anyone else have issues with the cake falling as it cools?
Hi Molly,
There could be a lot of factors at play here. Overmixing the batter, underbaking the cake, dated ingredients, etc. Here‘s a great resource to help prevent it in the future!
Hello I would like if you could explain me a part of this recipe, if possible, I want to make this cake however instead of making 12 servings, I would like to make 24 servings my question is whether to use 9×13 “pan or use a bigger one, and if it is needed a larger pan what size you think I should use. Thank You.
Hi Joana, to make 24 servings I would suggest making two cakes and using two 9×13” pans.
Hi,
I just baked this cake today and got amazing reviews.So thanks for the great recipe but for me I thought the cake was a little bit on the sweeter side.Also, I found the interior of the cake a bit sticky after soaking it in the three kinds of milk.When I researched more tres leches cake recipes most of them call for 1 cup of whole milk along with 12 ounce can of evaporated milk and 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk whereas your recipe says only 1/4 cup of whole milk.Maybe the lack of whole milk made sweetened condensed milk contribute to stickiness and sweeteness.I have had tres leches cake in Mexican restaurants and they are quite light and mildly sweet and not sticky at all.Can you kindly confirm the quantity of whole milk needed for soaking?
do I have to make the whipped topping right before I serve the cake or can I leave it on overnight ?
It would be fine left on overnight 🙂
The best I’ve had, bakery and homemade. My entire family, friends – anyone that has tried my tres leches cake can’t get enough.
In the images it looks like you flipped the cake over and poked holes in it, but it’s not in the written instructions. Please advise!! Thanks.
Hi Lori,
No, you don’t need to flip the cake over. Just poke whole on top of the baked cake!
I’m Absolutely keeping this recipe this cake Is delicious!!
Can I use the same measurements to make a 2 layer cake or do I add more?
No, you can use this recipe to make two 8” or 9” round cakes
(From someone who has no business being in the kitchen) I made this for my family and friends. It came out fantastic! Not too sweet. Especially loved the whipped topping. Even got a “this is better than the bakery!” comment. Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Ended up making this cake for one of my sons 1st birthday..since all my family loves tres leches..i decided to look it up to make it instead of buying it since these cakes can get pricey..Well..it turned out easier to make than i thought..lol..They loved it..Thank you for sharing!!.. (Y la dieta pa’cuando??♀️)..lol?
We have tres leches in Puerto Rico too! As a Puerto Rican now living in Canada, I followed your recipe to make my first one for a potluck and it was delicious! Perfectly moist and sweet. Thank you!
Is it possible to make this into cupcakes? Would there be any changes needed to the ingredients?
I would not recommend this, sorry. I’m afraid this cake is too moist to be a cupcake.
This cake is soooo delicious. Served it to my Cuban boyfriend and he said it was better than his Mom’s Tres Leche! I’ve made it 3 times since and consistently get rave reviews! Love, love, love this recipe!!!
I am making this for my Venezuelan husband and he is excited! The cake looked beautiful and even when I took it out of the oven but it kind of sunk and collapsed on itself, especial in the middle. I’m sure it will taste delicious but it looks a little thin and it doesn’t look as nice as yours. Do you know why this happened?
I made this for a staff meal dessert at the restaurant I work at and everyone raved about it! It was so delicious!
Hi dear ,
how it make this cake with out any oil vegetable or butter !!
You don’t need oil or butter for this cake.
How do you keep the cake moist? I have to take this cake in for a school project on Spanish foods, and I don’t want it to dry out. Should I cover it with aluminum foil?
I wouldn’t worry about it drying out–just cover it tightly with plastic wrap or tinfoil 🙂
Darling, traditional Tres Leches Cake has a merengue frosting.
Is it supposed to shrink away from sides when cooling
Depending on what kind of pan you use it may do that, yes 🙂
Made for a fiesta themed party and all my friends loved it and ate seconds. Will definitely make again. Cake was done in 25 minutes at 350 in my oven, so make sure to check on it at 25 minutes.
Hi, I want to make this dessert for my upcoming dinner party. I was wondering if the 350 F is for a fan-powered oven? Or a conventional oven. I have a fan oven and don’t want to burn the cake! Thanks.
Hi Cheryl,
350 is for a conventional oven!
I am not a baker at all, but I still asked for a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas and used this recipe to make my first cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. It turned out AMAZING. After posting on social media, now my best friend wants me to make her this cake, but I would like to make a smaller version.
Would a round 9×9 cake pan call for halfing the recipe? Or would it be the same steps and ingredients?
Please let me know, thank you!
The volume of batter for a 9x13in pan is about 14 cups and the volume for a 9” pan is about 8 cups, so if you cut the recipe in half it would work, but it would be thinner than how the cake turned out for you the first time.
So i have not tried this yet but where do you get the different types of milk?
Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk can be found in the baking aisle (in a can) typically right near to each other.
Can it be refrigerated until the next day? I’m making it tonight and it’s late. Can I put it in the refrigerator on the bottom so it doesn’t get too much ligh? Will it taste the same? Do you suggest doing the whip cream in the morning or can I do everything tonight and then eat it tomorrow? Sorry for all my questions!!!
Yes, it’s best if it’s refrigerated overnight. The whipped cream would be fine overnight too. Enjoy!
Hi, I was just wondering if it would still work okay in an 8″x 11″ pan? I don’t have anything bigger but don’t want it to be too thick and end up not being wet enough…
Thanks in advance for any advice!
There’s too much cake volume in this batter for that size pan so you could either discard some of it, or use the extra batter in another pan or to make cupcakes.
I used an 8×11 tonight. Cake is taller and need 30 minutes in my oven. Only used three quarters of the milk, was afraid the cake woukd be soggy. Turned out beautiful.
Made this cake tonight as a test cake for my son’s birthday. I used round cake pans since I wanted it to be a birthday cake style…top layer didn’t soak up the milk as well as the bottom layer. Cake was amazing! I have never had it before and will be making for his birthday on the 21st. Any suggestions for the cake pan? I tried to put a photo of the cake but I couldn’t figure out how to load it.
Loved this! It was super easy. After baking the cake I put in the freezer to help it cool down faster and I only soaked it for 20 min. before eating. Delicious. However, I would definitely not add in any sugar to the cake part as the milk mixture is very sweet.
Is it ok to use nonfat milk?
It would work fine
This recipe was absolutely delicious and a total hit at 2 different parties for christmas eve and christmas. I live in southern California and we have a cuban bakery here that makes delicious tres leches that everyone loves but they all said this recipe was better…not too sweet! SCORE!
I did make 2 cakes but prepared them separately because I wanted to make sure my measurements were correct for both without having to guess how much to put in each batter. My cakes were perfectly cooked after 25min.
Also, this wasn’t my first time making whip cream, but a trick I’ve learned and always use when making whip cream is putting the mixing bowl in the fridge for at least an hour before you’re going to make it and the cream thickens so much faster when whisking/beating with an electric mixer.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
I freeze the bowl and beaters for 2 hours before making the whipped cream 5o ensure its extremely cold. My cream is divine too.
Thank you. I keep wanting to try & make the real deal whipped cream for my son (like one of his buddies mom’s does), but I’ve never made before. Appreciative of the great tip for a rookie. Thx for sharing!
Fantastic cake recipe. Made it for the first time tonight. This was my first ever cake from scratch, and it was great! Directions were easy to follow, and it tasted amazing. Exactly what I expect for a Tres Leches cake. I did sub cake flour for all purpose flour, and I ‘might’ try substituting some of the milk with Rumchata next time. Has anyone tried this out?
actually i hope this works so my classmates would like it
I am making it for my class too. I hope it turns out good. First time trying it.
I have made this with spiced rum added to the milk mix (did not sub out anything, just added it in). I’m sure rumchata would work just fine too!
Hi, I am planning on making this for my husbands birthday. This is his favorite cake and it’s my first time making it. I am nervous but your recipe sounds great ! Just a question. With the finished product is there any of the milk mixture at the bottom of the cake (like once I cut a piece will there be extra milk mixture at the bottom of the pan) or does it all get soaked up? We’ve tried so many tres leches and we like that there is some mixture at the bottom to scoop up with the cake.
Hi Kimberly, it really depends how long you let it sit, but when I refrigerate it overnight most of it gets soaked up with a very tiny bit on the bottom of the pan.
I made this the first time for a work party. It was fairly simple to make however my cake came out of the oven lopsided. I am wondering that maybe my egg whites weren’t distributed right. I made sure the layer was smooth and even so not sure but I sliced a bit off and layered to the other side before I poured the milk over it. Once I put the whipped cream on it it that it won’t make a difference. Let you know later how it tasted.
Do you cover the cake with saran when you put it in the fridge (after you soak the cake with the milk mixture)?
Thanks!
Yes, cover it with the lid to the pan or plastic wrap is fine 🙂
This is my go to tres leches recipe now! But have you tried this as cupcakes before? Curious as to baking time & how many it would make?
hi can i use almond flour instead of all purpose flour
I have never used almond flour so I couldn’t say, sorry!
Help!! My glaze hasn’t sunk what can I do to fix this? Or what did i do wrong ?
Do you mean the milk poured on top hasnt seeped into the cake? Did you poke holes in the cake? How long have you waited?
My tres leches cake was so good but the milk was a little runny. What can I do to change that next time? I did put in the exact amount for the milk but I add an extra yolk and egg white because they were smaller eggs.
Good morning! I’m planning on making this tonight, for tomorrow. I typically bring refrigerated ingredients to room temp for baking. Would you recommend that for this recipe, or is it better if they’re cold? Thanks, in advance!
Yes, room temperature ingredients work best 🙂 Enjoy!
Thanks so much! Happy Thanksgiving!!
hi first of all I like to say that this recipe was the bomb I’m so serious it was an overly sweet it was just perfect and it was perfectly moist I’ve been looking and trying different recipes but this was the best recipe so thank you this is my second time doing it but I messed up. Lauren or anyone else who might have an idea is it going to be ok because forgot to put the egg whites in am I going to mess the cakes up or will it make a big difference or is it okay to continue with it I already took them out of the oven and they look great but they are missing the egg whites in there I don’t know if I should continue putting the whipped cream on top of itor just redo the whole thing over because I wanted to take it to work please let me know what you think thank you so much!
Hi Crystal , I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it! If you forget to add the egg whites it will change the texture of the cake (it wont be as light and airy) but it will taste fine 🙂
Can I add the whipped cream to it if I want to refrigerate it all night or should you wait to add that right before you eat it?
Yes, you can top with the whipped cream and refrigerate. I would recommend using powered sugar instead of granulated sugar when you whip the cream, it will be more stable and hold up overnight. Good luck.
Best recipe ever! I’ve made this multiple times and the recipe keeps getting better and better. Perfect moisture!!! I’ve added some extra twist to my cakes, fresh layers of fruit etc… I do have a question, I’d like to make a larger version but do not want to screw up the ingredients. Any recommendations on how much more ingredients I need to create a half sheet cake?
Just made this for my family and we all absolutely loved it! And it really was super easy. We were thinking about making a boozy version for the holidays. Have you tried this and if so, what kind of alcohol? And should I cut back on any of the other wet ingredients so it won’t be too wet? Thanks!
Hi Julie, I’m so happy to hear it!
I haven’t added alcohol, but I think just adding some to the milk mixture when pouring it over the baked cake would work well. I wouldn’t do too much, and I’d just take out a little (maybe a few tablespoons) of the evaporated milk and condensed milk. Enjoy!
Yes you can add alcohol and actually it typically is served with Brandy in it or even rum in Latin American countries I usually add up to 1/4 cup to the liquid without having to substitute anything else but you can of course use less than that depending on your taste
I add 1 shot of Rhum or Kahlua to the milk mixture
Tres Leches is a Nicaraguan cake, but I will try your recipe!
No one asked for u to be a smart ass
Calm down Tara, you’re attacking everyone in the comments! Merry freakin’ Christmas to you.
Wow! This Cake was delicious and the instructions were super simple. A cake like this easily goes for $10+ dollars and literally spent almost nothing, for all you needed was the basic ingredients you have in your pantry and fridge. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
It really is such a simple cake! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your comment.
Hi. Would it be possible to make this in an 8″ square pyrex or would it be too tall to add the whipped topping? Thanks!
Hi Uma, you can just cut the recipe in half for an 8” 🙂
There is no oil or butter added in the cake ??
No.
Hey i am.going to be trying it for the first time. Can i use cream in the milk mixture instead of.milk? And what quantity?
Just for the 1/4 cup added on top of the cake after baking, that would be fine.
I have lived my entire life in Texas and has MANY different tres leches cakes. This is by far the absolute best recipe ever. My husband that doesn’t even like tres leches loved it and my very pick teenaged son told me he would pay me to make it more often. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is superior.
This is the first time a ever rate a recipe simply because I dont have talent in the kitchen and most recipes turn out bad..BUT!! this is the best cake I ever made! I love Tres Leche cake from my time in Panama and wanted to give it a try. I did everything exactly like its written down in this recipe apart from 1 thing, I used 1 cup of 1,5% milk instead of whole milk and a little less of the condensed and evaporated milk (I just though of the sweetness – still turns out suuuperweet like the cake has to!
When I was down with the first part I thought that the cake might be too spongy or full of air (becsuse of the stiff egg whites) but after making wholes with a fork, letting the cake cool of about 15 minutes and putting the tres leche mixture over it, it just turned out how I knew it, a perfect tres leche cake!
For the frosting I used about 1,5 cup of cream and 2 spoon sugar. Garnish with cinnamon powder and crashed nuts.
BOYFRIEND AND I LOVED IT, thank you so much.
I made this cake for a church gathering and it was the hit of the night. Absolutely delish. Thank you for this and all the amazing recepies.
Help! This recipe appears to contain no butter or oil. Yet Rick Bayless’s recipe does. Is that a mistake or not?
You read it right–no butter or oil here. I’m not familiar with Rick Bayless’ recipe.
Hi,
Made this cake today and had a problem with it being eggy. Did anyone else have this problem?
No
Of all the tres leches cake recipes I decided on this one! Can’t wait to make this for my party on Saturday.
Question: I have a pyrex glass pan and I would rather bake the cake in this pan than my aluminum one. Do I need to handle the prep of the glass pan any differently than an aluminum one? Also…I’m assuming buttering the pan rather than using a non-stick spray would work as well?
Thank You! 🙂
Hi Jose, I use my glass pyrex all the time with success! And buttering the pan would work great 🙂
Silly question but can this be layered?
I really think NO, I just don’t think it will hold up. Sorry.
Idk about this recipe but yes we often layer this cake
Hi, I have made this cake a few times now but have been using regualr round cake pans. The issue I keep having is the cake doesn’t keep a nice round shape when taken out of oven which makes it difficult to frost. Just wondering if I may be doing something wrong or is it normal??
Hi Cindy, are you taking it out of the round cake pans to frost? This cake is so light and airy it’s just not dense/string enough to hold it’s shape, especially with all of the milk added.
Hi i was wondering if I made this cake two days before it actually being served. I want to make It for Friday. But I’m serving it Sunday for a birthday party just don’t have time to do it Saturday will the cake be okay? I will add the topping (whipped cream cinnamon and strawberries on the evening it’s being served.
Looks delicious thank you
Yes, I think it will work great made 2 days in advance! Enjoy, I hope everyone loves it 🙂
Does it get really fluffy? I’m worried that mine didn’t come out spongy enough. Does the egg white need to be stif to make it fluffy?
I’m not sure what you mean. Yes, the egg white should be beaten very stiffly before adding it 🙂
For the third year in a row I’m making this cake for my sons birthday, yours is practically identical to a recipe I found on the food network which is the one I’ve used in the past, it is delicious. I do have a couple of wicked additions, I replace 1/2 a cup of the evaporated milk with Kahlua and grate dark chocolate over the top. Perhaps I should point out that my son isn’t a little child.
Sounds like delicious adaptions!
I also add 1 shot of Kahlua or Rhum to the milk combination, On the whipped cream topping I add strawberries or peaches and chocolate shavings, it depends on the celebration.
So, I never, ever leave comments, but this cake was absolutely fantastic! My only complaint is that it’s so good that I can’t stop eating it!!
Just FYI, this is NOT a Mexican dessert at all!!! This is an authentic Nicaraguan dessert.
Who cares , did u make it? I’m half Mexican and have ate this my whole life, could care less where I originally came from , we adopted it well if that’s the case and I have made this version and a chocolate version both are amazing!!!
Hey baklava isn’t Greek but ppl still say it is and still eat it bottom line no one cares its delicious
This recipe is a keeper!
I’m an Asian but I have some Latin America friends in my place.
I baked this one weekend for a gathering and followed all the instructions as it is written and it came out perfect. Everyone loves it! I personally never taste this cake before, but my friends said that it was better than the one they bought.
But the problem is the one on the edge did not get the same moisture as the one in the middle. I was thinking to halve the recipe into 2 pans but it might be too thin. But if I were about to do that, probably the baking time would be half than the normal one (25 – 35 mins)?
Hi! I loved this recipe!
What size would the pan need to be if doing it on a round pan?
Two 8” or 9” rounds should work.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was everything you said, easy, a crowd pleaser, and tasted divine! It is now one of my favorites.
Hi, can I freeze the cake for a few days until I’m ready to add the milk?
Yes, I think that should work fine.
this is really looking so yummy.
I absolutely love this recipe! I was asked to make it three times in a month because everyone loved it so much. I enjoyed how easy it is to make and taste delicious. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
hi,
can you please tell me the flour measurements in grams ?
thank you
I’d suggest looking this up on line.
Can I double the recipe and divide the batter in 2 (9×13) pans? I ask because I’ve doubled other recipes and some don’t turn out and I don’t want to waste ingredients.
Hi Cynthia, I’ve never actually doubled this recipe, but I think it would work!
How did it turn out? I’m looking to double as well
Turned out excellent!!! Love this cake !!
This recipe is incredible! I made it for the first time for a work event and made 3 cakes. It felt so simple because the recipe was laid out so well and I knew exactly what to expect. I refrigerated it for 2 nights and it still tasted delicious when we ate it. Everyone raved about it and it was a huge hit!! I would definitely make it again – thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Hi, I wanted to bake this cake. But isn’t it too sweet? My husband isn’t a fan of sweet cakes, but I would love to give this a try but I am having doubts about the sweetness of the cake. Thank you in advance.
Hi Rochelle, I don’t personally think it’s too sweet, especially with the whipped cream frosting. Everyone has different sweetness tolerance so it’s hard for me to say, but that’s how I feel about it 🙂
Wow , either make it or don’t
I’ve made this recipe twice now exactly as written. The cake turns out better than what we can buy at our local authentic panderia/pastelleria. It’s also easy enough with the directions that my 9 year old (kitchen experienced) made the last one himself with me sitting at the counter supervising, but the end result is spectacular. It does cook quickly in our oven, so pay close attention the first couple times you bake it. The first one we made was still delicious when we finished the last pieces on the third day. We made the second one for a potluck and made the cake and milks the night before. The next day before we left we added the whipped cream topping. We didn’t have any to bring back home. Penzey’s cinnamon, which is quite strong, is a great topper for this.
Hi there. I see you have doubled up on the whole milk in the ingredients list. It says 1/3 and then 1/4 of a cup. How much whole milk do I add?
You will see in Step 3, that 1/3 cup goes into cake. After cake has baked the other 1/4 c. is mixed with the evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk to pour over the cake. Hope this helps clarify.
Hello! This recipe looks delicious and I would love to give it a try! Would it be okay for the cake to sit for about 24 hours before cutting into it? I am planning on making this for a party but I don’t have time the morning of to make it and was planning on making it a day before. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Yes, that would work really well 🙂 Enjoy!
I made this for a colleague and we had leftovers for the next week. It actually got better the longer it sat!
This is so good to know!
This recipe was delicious!!!! While it was fairly labor intensive and took almost 2 hours from start to putting the cake with leche into the fridge, it was worth the effort!!!
I usually use cake flour when baking a cake, instead of all purpose flour. Do you think cake flour would work well for this cake? Thanks!!
It should work fine! Enjoy
How did the cake turn out with cake flour?
It not just for Cinco De Mayo – in my culture its a cake, that’s associated with birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, and all kind of celebrations.
Yet you come on here to find a recipe instead of asking a cousin, mom or grandma??? Lmao comment on the recipe your irrelevant personal feelings are not wanted
What a dick. People like you are what’s wrong with this world. Save your irrelevant self hating comments for Facebook.
There was nothing wrong with their comment jeez. Who hurt u so bad in life that u gotta be so rude to someone?
Also your comment had nothing to do with the recipe either.
I didn’t take her comment to be snarky at all! She was just saying that tres leches is a treat that can be shared at any celebration. However, your comment was rude. And for the record, this recipe is delicious!
Yeah because there’s different ways to make it. Like this one is like angel food cake while most are like a pound cake this one is different.
Don’t be mean. It is just about cake. She was sharing that it is for celebrations of all kind.
Lauren,
Thank you for this easy to follow recipe that yields the most DELICIOUS Tres Leches Cake that I have ever made and eaten!
A new fan of Tastes Better From Scratch,
-Iza.
Thanks Iza! I’m glad you liked it and I hope you get to try more of my recipes soon!
Hi
I’m going to make this for the first time but I want to halve it.
How many eggs do I put in then?
Thanks
I would use two whole eggs plus one extra yolk. YOLKS Make cakes moist while whites add firmness and can be more dry as an end result. Since tres leches is to be moist and fluffy i would do two whole and one yolk . You could also use three medium eggs instead of large to an extra firmness to stand up to the added moisture of the three milks. At the end of the day it is up to your personal preference. I like the cake extra moist and fluffy.
Hello,
If make this cupcake, what would be the right temp how long should it be in the oven? Btw, I already tried it with the baking dish and it was a sucess. I just want to try it with cupcake this time.
Cupcakes would probably bake in 13-15 minutes (I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tested them)–just watch them carefully. I wouldn’t put a liner in them either, since the milk mixture would make it soggy. You would probably want to serve them on a plate 🙂
Tres leches is my absolute favorite dessert and I’m so glad I found your blog. I’ve been baking the same tres leches for years, but yours is my new go-to recipe! Even my husband, who isn’t much into desserts, loved it. It’s even better the next day, for sure. For anyone who wants to bake this, I recommend not skipping the cinnamon. It adds a whole new depth of flavor. Thanks for this recipe!
Did you add the cream the next day, or make it all at once?
I’ve made this cake several times with your recipe and it comes out awesome every time, I normally double the recipe and use a 9×16 pan. This time I made it using cake flour, but added 2 tablespoons extra per cup.. should it still come out right?
A
I think that would be fine. I’m curious to know how it turned out with the cake flour!
So far so good…. decided to try this today. Cake is out and looks great. It was done at the 20 minute mark. Just poured the leche on and was sorta numbed out because it looked like a mess but the cake has since sucked most of it up and it looks amazing. Will check back in when its complete.
Hope you enjoy it!
We loved it. I never had a Tres Leches Cake before, but I made a mexican dish the other night, saw your recipe and decided to make it. We are into “less sugar” I cut the sugar back to a bit less than 1/2 cup sugar for the cake. I also only added 1 TBSP to the topping. I did not have any cake baking issues, nor problems with the milks soaking into the cake. I used a knife to make slits in the cake. Thanks for a GREAT recipe!!
Hi. I made this recipe last night. Everything looked great and it’s sitting in the refrigerator today. But last night I took a small nibble of it and it tasted so eggy! Like an omelet. Albeit a sweet one. What could I have done wrong? The only thing I can think of is that the whites were medium peak and not stiff. Could that have caused it?
Thanks so much
How many cupcakes can this make?
Hi Lexi, I haven’t tested this for cupcakes, but you can see my recommendations above from others who asked a similar question.
I catered a dessert buffet for my brothers wedding and his wife is originally from Columbia so I made this as a special surprise! She and everybody loved it sooo much! I have now made it a few times and just made it today with my 5 year old daughter who also loooves it!! Thank you for sharing this with all of us!!
What a great story, thank you so much for coming! I’m so happy everyone liked it!
Mine sunk pretty hard but it seems to be absorbing the milk well and I think with some clever whipped topping I can mostly make it work.
I live at sea level, high humidity, the recipe just calls for a 13×9 pan without any specification so I used a dark pan and it came out perfect at 25 minutes. Egg whites were beaten into stiff peaks and folded gently. Not sure if a glass pan would have solved this issue. Seems to be the suggestion in the comments but there’s no mention of it in the recipe 🙁
When baking the cake I used a Corning Ware 9×13 dish… and it looked amazing coming out of the oven but when it’s cooling, it looks like the whole cake has shrunk…..like a dried up sponge almost. What did I do wrong or how can I fix it? Bc I doubt this is normal! Haha
Hi Danielle, I’m so sorry that happened. So many different factors including altitude, humidity, how ingredients were measured, how the egg whites were beaten, what pan you use, etc. can effect how a cake bakes. I would need more information, but my best guess would be that it had to do with baking in a heavy corning ware dish.
My new favorite cake! My husband is from Mexico and loves Tres Leches. We’ve had our fair share of Tres Leches cakes on our vacations in Mexico. For his birthday last week, I thought I’d surprise him by making this recipe! It is the BEST Tres Leches cake I have ever had! My husband absolutely loved it, and his father, who is a Tres Leches connoisseur, did too! Everyone who tried it was blown away! The other night, I gave my husband two slices and then saw the next morning that he had snuck into the fridge to get more the night before. We loved it so much that I made another one today that is sitting in my refrigerator and waiting to be shared and enjoyed! So glad I came across your recipe and website! I can’t wait to try more recipes!
Thank you so much Megan, I couldn’t be happier that it got a stamp of approval from your native husband and father in law! Thank you for your kind comment. I hope you get to try more of my recipes soon 🙂
Wow! This cake was amazing! Easy to make and turned out delicious. I am glad I checked it at 25 minutes because it was done right then and there. I let the cake soak over night. My family and friends liked it so much, I am going to be making it again soon. Thank you so much for the recipe!
My go to tres leches receipe. It’s ok if it stinks as little in the middle. The topping covers it. Try letting it sit on a pulled out oven rack to cool a bit before picking up out of oven. This is a crowd pleaser every time. Thanks for the receipe!
Hi Lauren,
I am making this cake for my son’s birthday because this is his favorite cake and I have never made one before. I have the cake in my fridge for almost 6 hrs now. I just checked on it and didn’t seem like the milk liquid has soaked up. I didn’t even pour all the liquid in because I am afraid it won’t soak up all the liquid. Is there anything that I might have done it wrong? I am afraid the liquid will remain the same…. Not soaking in the cake much…
Thank you for sharing!!
Hi there, I guess I should start by asking how much hasn’t soaked up? The cake wont actually soak up all of the liquid–but that’s how it’s supposed to be. 🙂 There should be a thin layer of liquid at the bottom of the pan…
After the cake soaks will I be able to remove it from the pan to frost with the whipped topping? Or should it be frosted in the pan and served straight out of the pan?
Thanks!
Hi Jana, you should be able to do either. I usually just leave mine in the pan and serve it from the pan. 🙂
My husband’s favorite dessert is tres leches and I’ve tried different recipes. He didn’t hate them but he didn’t love them, so I got to the point of giving up. After buying a better mixer, I saw this recipe and had to try because it was one of the rarest tres leches recipe that asks to separate the yolk and white egg. After reading the coments and taking notes on tios/advice, I was ready to make this. BOY, was it delicious! And my husband loved it! This will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you!
I’m so happy you finally found a winner with this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing Erica!
Did this with my mom today OMG AMAZING!!!!
Thank you for the easy receipe
Hey this is the first time I have ever baked anything in my life and everything was easy to follow and the cake turned out amazing thank you so much.
Welcome to the baking world! I’m so happy you liked it and it turned out well 🙂
Have made this cake so many times now and each time it comes out amazingly. Everyone loves it! Could I use this recipe to make them in to cupcakes? If so how long would I cook them for? Shorter time or about the same time.
So happy you have enjoyed it! Cupcakes would probably bake in 13-15 minutes (I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tested them)–just watch them carefully. I wouldn’t put a liner in them either, since the milk mixture would make it soggy. You would probably want to serve them on a plate ?
Can I substitute self raising flour rather than plain flour and baking powder?
Yes, that would work! Replace the flour, salt and baking powder in this recipe with 1 cup of self rising flour. I’d love to hear what you think!
Hi,
Just wanted to make sure if i need to add butter in the cake mix. Cox it’s not mentioned in the instruction.
Thank you.
No butter 🙂 Enjoy!
GF worked for me! Just made a GF double batch of this cake in a half sheet pan (pretty full, but no problem). Substituted Namaste GF Perfect Flour Blend cup for cup and followed everything else exactly as written. A bit touchy figuring out when it was done… toothpick came out clean when there was still obvious movement in the cake at about 35 minutes. Ended up taking it out around 45 minutes (DOUBLE BATCH at 350) – figured with the soaking, wouldn’t hurt to leave it a touch long and ensure stability. The cake was very level at end of baking and I was nervous about it collapsing, so I shut the oven off and left it in the oven with the door half open for about an hour before removing and finishing cooling. The texture was SPOT ON. Just a trace of liquid on the serving plate and a perfectly moist tender cake. Tons of comments and people wondering why they had never had this cake before??? Didn’t even announce it was GF… I just wanted to be able to eat it 🙂 Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
I made this recipe today and it exactly looked the same. I was surprised to see the end result because I honestly never thought it would look that great. Everyone at my home said that this is the best dessert I’ve ever made. Thank you sharing this recipe.
I’ve made this recipe several times and everyone Loves It! I want to double the recipe. Can I without ruining it? I only ask because I’ve doubled other recipes in the past and they don’t turn out.
Thanks Cynthia! You could double the recipe and bake it in two separate 9×13” pans.
I’m soooo happy that I found your site. I’ve tried 3 recipes so far and I’m going to have to say, WOW! each one is better than the last. German chocolate cake is devine. Coconut cake with pineapple filling is delicious. The cake is so good . Tonight I tried the tres leche cake and it is the best version I have ever had. This weekend I am turning 50yrs old and will be serving each. Thank you so much for sharing these.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Those 3 could be my top 3 favorite cakes, and I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed them too.
I’m thinking of baking the cake tonight for tomorrow night’s dessert. I’m contemplating if it will be better to soak in the milk tonight or tomorrow morning? Will soaking it with the milk close to 24 hours cause it to become dry? It’s not really about convenience to me I just want to know if close to 24 hours is too long or should I just stick to the morning of (9 hours before serving) ? Thanks in advance!!
Honestly you can’t go wrong either way! If you add the milk 24 hours in advance it definitely wont make the cake dry. Hope you love it!
Can you double this recipe and bake in a half sheet pan?
Hi Katherine, if you’re interested in doubling the recipe I would recommend baking it in two separate 9×13” pans. I don’t think a sheet pan would fit the volume of this recipe doubled, and if you used only enough batter to fill the pan it will still produce a very thin cake, rather than a thicker cake that will soak up the liquid well. Hope that helps at all…
I love this recipe! I did modify it just a bit, instead of cinnamon on top I grated some Abuelita chocolate over the top.
My cake pan measures 13” x 19”. How many recipes do you think I should make? Trying to serve 50 people .
Hi Maria, this cake serves about 12-16 people, depending on how large you cut the slices. I would plan on making 3-4 batches to feed 50 people 🙂
Hi. I have made this cake and love it. I usually use a glass pan. This time I tried using it in a aluminum pan and the cake shrunk a bit. Is that ok?
does the cake need to be refrigerated until serving?
Yes, because of all of the milk poured over it and the whipped cream topping, this cake needs to be stored in the fridge.
Hi i am making this cake for a friend and i accidentally didnt add the milk and vanilla with the egg yolks but when i finished with the cake batter. Will that drastically affect the cake and its flavor?
Do you have a chocolate version of this recipe? Would adding cocoa powder work?
I have not experienced with a chocolate version, but I hope to soon! You could try adding about 1/3-1/2 cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients in step 2. Also, when pouring the milk mixture over the top of the cooked cake you could add chocolate milk instead of regular milk. It’s a version I hope to experiment with soon, but I’d love to hear if you try it!
Hi! I’m making this cake for a party tomorrow. After I poke and soak, should I wait until tomorrow to add the icing? Or will it be fine if I add the icing tonight and refrigerate?
It would be fine either way! I wouldn’t suggest adding the whipped topping more than 1 day ahead, but overnight would be just fine 🙂 Enjoy!
I enjoyed how easy this recipe was. I made this cake as a special birthday cake and it is a hit.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your comment. I am surprised that your cake cooked so quickly but it certainly could be attributed to your oven. I’m glad you kept an eye on it so that it didn’t over cook.
hi, this looks delicious. I am planning to make it next week but for just two people.
can the recipe be halved and made into a round cake? how many eggs to use then?
will the cake be sturdy enough for some buttercream roses?
really hope you reply 🙂
Yes, you could have the recipe for two people, and I do think it’s probably sturdy enough for small buttercream roses on top. Enjoy!
Would it be okay to substitute eggs in this recipe with applesauce? Trying to make the cake for someone who doesn’t eat eggs ^^
Sorry, the egg yolks are essential for the texture and volume of this cake recipe. Applesauce is often a fine substitute but since this is more of a light “angel food” type of cake that uses whipped egg whites, that wont work. I would suggest using Aquafaba (which is the liquid from a can of chickpeas, that you can whip similarly the egg whites.) You can read more about it here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/580-what-is-aquafaba Good luck, and I’d love to hear if you try it!
Used your recipe today. Tastes amazing!!! Only thing is, I used a 9×13 glass dish at 350 degrees. After 25 minutes, it started to turn brown around the edges like it was overcooked so I took it out then. 25 minutes was perfect. Any longer and I’m afraid it would have been burned.
Hi. Can i actually freeze this cake until im ready to serve?
Hi Aevah,
I would recommend refrigerating the cake for serval days instead of trying to freeze it.
So I have to make this cake and I was thinking of letting it soak overnight. Would I need to make the topping the next day or can I make the whipped topping tonight and refrigerate it until morning?
Hi Alana,
That should work fine! I hope you love it!
Super delicious. First time making a Tres Leches Cake. Was worried it would be too soggy and sweet, but was neither! Very light cake. Only tip I have is when you are separating the eggs. Place the egg yolks and egg whites in mixing bowls. I had them in small bowls and had to transfer them to a mixing bowl so I could blend the sugar in with a mixer.
I Made this for our Cinco de Mayo celebration. It was delicious. Followed the directions exactly and the cake came out just as I wanted it to. The past recipes I’ve had the cake is mushy & falls apart but NOT this One. The cake stays firm but soaked up all the milk. I topped it with home made whipped cream a fresh raspberry and blackberry and sprinkled the top with Abuelita choclate & a dash of cinnamon. This will be my go to Tres Leche cake
For years to come.
Thank you so much for sharing! I love your topping ideas and I’m so happy you liked it! Hope you get to try more of my recipes soon 🙂
The dessert was a winner for my family! Everyone complimented on the taste and lightness of the cake. I couldn’t take credit because it’s your recipe, but I made sure to let them know where to find your inspirations. Thank you for sharing such a delightful recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that–thank you so much for your comment, and for sharing the recipe! 🙂
It’s been soaking for over 2 hours and there is still milk floating. I poked a lot of holes and just repoked. Party is in 2 hours. Very worried.
Hi Pat, it’s okay if all of the milk doesn’t get soaked up–(although it wouldn’t be normal to have puddles at the bottom…) It should have soaked up most of it. Hope everyone at the party loved it 🙂
I have tried this recipe twice and both times the cake sunk as it cooled. It was very disappointing and I can’t figure out what I did wrong. The cake baked in a much shorter time the first time so I lowered the oven temp to 325 but it was still done 10 minutes early. I was very careful not to over mix. The second cake didn’t sink quite as much but is still about 1 1/2 ” thick. It was so beautiful when it first came out of the oven. Any suggestions?
Hi Dianne,
I am so sorry that the cake didn’t turn out like you hoped. Be sure to beat the egg whites to very stiff peaks. You also may be under mixing the cake- you don’t want to stir it rapidly but you do want to incorporate it enough that there are not big pockets of egg white throughout the batter. Is it possible that any of your measurements were slightly off or that the cake had too much baking powder? Are you buy chance using a self-rising flour? Were you using a metal or glass baking pan? All of these could have been factors! I hope you are successful with it in the future!
I made this following the recipe to the letter and soaked the cake for 8 hours. It received rave reviews at an early cinco de mayo potluck! Thanks for the recipe!!
Wonderful! I’m so happy everyone loved it. Thanks for coming back to comment 🙂
This recipe does not call for butter?
That’s right, no butter. This cake is like a sister to an Angel food cake in how light and airy- it is. No need for butter or oil. Hope you get to try it soon!
Is it not as good if you don’t leave it overnight to soak ?
It will still taste great if you can leave it to soak for even just 1 hour 🙂 .
I made the cake and used a straw to make holes in the cake then poured the milk into the holes . My guests loved it ! They took some home. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you
Just pulled my cake out of the oven. It’s golden brown and the cake tester came out clean, but it only took 25 minutes. Maybe it’s my oven?
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your comment. I am surprised that your cake cooked so quickly but it certainly could be attributed to your oven. I’m glad you kept an eye on it so that it didn’t over cook.
Same with mine, Robin.
mine cooked in 20 minutes and i was confused that the stick came up clean
Does the type of baking dish matter a lot? I have casserole dishes, 9″ glass pie dishes, baking pans (large and small) etc but I don’t have a glass 9×13″ baking dish. I am trying to make this for Cinco De Mayo and not sure if I need to buy another baking accessory. Thanks!
Hi Greg, it doesn’t matter necessarily, you just need pans to fit the volume of the cake. I made it recently divided between an 8” square pan and a smaller 5” cake pan. Depending on your size of casserole dish you could make it in that, and put the leftover in a bread loaf pan, a pie pan etc. You want it to fill the pans at least 1” deep, and then just watch your cook time so that you don’t over cook it if you’re using smaller pans. Good luck, hope you love it!
Made this tonight & very pleased with the results. Everyone raves that it was the best ever. Only tweak wa Grand Mariner instead of vanilla in the whipped cream.
i agree the vanilla in the cream on the cake the cream didn’t taste so great
This is the easiest and best-tasting tres leches cake I have ever made. Wonderful recipe! My family just devoured it! It would be a very nice dessert to take to almost any event.
I completely agree! Thanks so much for sharing, Lisa!
I made this yesterday for my Granddaughter’s birthday and everyone loved it. I could not believe how easy and was surprised at having no butter or oil. I have another in the oven to take to an event tomorrow. Glad I chose your recipe❣️
What a fun birthday cake to choose! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your comment.
BEST TRES LECHES EVER!!! I have probably made this ten times in the last few months. Everyone asks for this recipe and requests it for birthdays and parties all the time. Highly highly recommend it!
I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed it so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Would I be able to make this in cupcake form? And if so, how would I accomplish the milk part in cupcake liners?
Hi Kate, I think they could work, but I haven’t tested it yet.
If it were me, here is what I would try: I would bake them in a muffin pan, without liners. Out of the oven, gently prick holes on top with a fork, and pour some milk mixture on each, (not completely drenching them, but enough that I know it will mostly soak into the cake). Allow them to cool completely. Store them, still in the muffin pan, covered with a piece of plastic wrap, for several hours or overnight. When it’s time to serve them, spoon them out of the muffin pan and into the cupcake liners. I may even double up on the liners, in case. Then add the whipped cream topping and a strawberry. Hope that helps. I’d love to hear if you make them!
I made this cake and took it to work. Received a lot of compliments! My fiance even said that it is the best tres leches cake he has ever had! I really don’t have a sweet tooth, perhaps, I wasn’t able to eat a slice of this kind of cake before, until today. It’s not extra sweet, which I love.
Thanks for sharing with us!
I’m really happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing.
This was delicious! Will be adding it to my arsenal of delicious baked goods ? Thank you for sharing, Lauren!
I’m really happy you liked it! Thanks Chelsea!
Made it last night for a gathering. Everyone enjoyed it and was asked for the recipe. Though it sounds like it would be a very heavy, overly sweet cake, I did not find that to be true. It came out looking exactly like the photo too! Added cinnamon to the cream as I whipped it as well. (To be successful, I think you have to make sure you are comfortable knowing how to whip and fold in the egg whites.) Very good!
Thanks for sharing Michelle! I’m really happy it was a hit!
Making this cake this week. Do you pour all of the milk mixture on the cake or is it better to discard 1 cup?
I usually use all of the mixture, but you can pull out one cup if you want 🙂
I added my milks in while the bottom of my cake was still warm. I hope that won’t hurt. It’s my first time.
It will still taste great! Enjoy!
I have done this recipe for 4 years now and it’s just perfect for any occasion. Every body loves it!
Thanks so much Wendy! I agree–it’s a winner!
I need an authentic cake recipe for a Honduran Birthday and this was the perfect one! This cake is easy to make and everyone who tasted it ranted and raved about it. In fact, I have been requested to make one for an upcoming birthday for 30 people. Have you made a larger version of this cake or have any suggestions on how to do so?
So happy to hear that! I would suggest making two or three 9×13 pan cakes to feed a big crowd. It wouldn’t work well as a sheet cake because it would be too thin.
So I decided to take a chance and bought a lasagna pan, non stick, size 15.4 in x 10.5 in x 2in. I made two separate batters poured them into this pan. I will let you know if it works out. Fingers crossed!
The lasagna pan worked out great! There are a few potential tweaks that you may need to perform based on your personal preference. Since the pan I used is non-stick, it took less time to bake. I think it was around 20 minutes, so keep your eye on it. If you like the cake texture slightly juicy, you may want to play around with the leches ratio; you shouldn’t have to add too much to achieve this type of texture.
I have made two more of these cakes for birthday parties and the guests love this cake!!!
For my next cake request, I may try out a fruit topping like raspberry or mango ……..:)
Love the fruit topping idea! Thanks for your tips!
I made this cake today and it turned out absolutely perfect! I followed the recipe exactly. I had no problems my cake was beautiful and did not deflate my first time trying Tres Leches cake and just loved it!!
This was delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe– super easy to make and a great treat for the family. I also love how few ingredients there were, it made this a breeze.
Hi! I was wondering if I could turn this into a 2 Layer cake? 🙂
Sure! I’d try 8” round pans and be sure to line the bottom of the pans with a piece of wax or parchment paper. The cake wont stack as perfectly/sturdily as a regular 2 layer cake because it’s such a soft/spongy cake, but I think it would work.
I followed the cake and milk mixture recipe exactly and it was fantastic! The only thing I did different with the whipped cream was add 2 Tbls of cornstarch to the recipe to stabilize the topping. 3 days later and it was still perfect! I made the cake in a 9” springform pan. It was beautiful-wish I’d taken pictures!
Could you double the recipe and bake in a jelly roll pan?
Hi Sharon,
I don’t know if I can recommend using a jelly roll pan for this recipe but if it worked for you, I’d love to hear!
I just made the cake and am about to put it aside to cool – It hasn’t deflated, and I snuck a piece off of a corner (and despite it still being soggy since I just made it) it is absolutely delicious. I have a question, though – when I leave it to cool in the fridge, should it be covered? I’m guessing no, but since I definitely will be making this cake again, I would like to hear from others on whether or not it ought to be covered.
Hi Maria, I let it cool completely, add the milks, and cover it with plastic wrap to go in the fridge 🙂 Hope you love it!
I made this for a birthday. It was excellent. We sampled a corner after a few hours and it definitely tastes better overnight.
I made this today for a family gathering! It looks perfect 🙂 I’ll report back on taste, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be good since every element tasted good separately lol.
So this is my first time ever baking from scratch. I followed all of the directions and used the proper ingredients. What I am confused about is the cake pa . You stated 9×13 so that’s what I purchased and used and the cake itself came out so thin so I’m a little disappointed with. No biggie next time I will use a smaller pan.
Hi Julio,
The cake will be thin but shouldn’t be too thin. The bigger issue is possibly due to the egg whites. If they are mixed too roughly or too much into the batter (rather than being gently folded into the batter), then the cake may turn out a little flat. I hope that helps!
This looks delicious. I’m having a party for 20 and was figuring I’d probably need to make two. My only concern is the whipped cream. I really want to make this ahead of time, but with all the other cooking I have to do, Im wondering how long the whipped cream will last? Should I refrigerate the cake with the cream on top? Or can I be lazy and buy canned whipped cream and just spray on before serving?
Hi Amy, how fun! You should be fine to make the whipped cream topping (be sure to beat it until it’s very stiff), frost the cake with it, and store it in the fridge, covered, a day ahead of time. Also, I would use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in the whipped cream–it should help stabilize it better.
This receipe is delicious. I doctored it up a bit. I added 1 tsp coconut extract to the cake batter (with the milk) and to to the soaking milk. I added 1/2 tsp of rum each to the soaking mixture as well as to the whip cream frosting.
Cake was decimated at office party!
I bake alot!!! This is the best cake I have made!!! I made my own evaporated and condensed milk. My eggs were fresh from the farm!! This is an awesome cake!! Top on my list!
Absolutely wonderful! Only thing I did for fear of the cake collapsing was turn off the oven and leave the door open for a while to let it cool slower. It stayed very puffy. Oh and the whipped cream frosting I added a scoop of dolce after it was whipped and whipped it some more. It was great!!!
I did something wrong. My cake was so thin but I followed the recipe exactly… Will try again tomorrow.
I plan on making this cake today and just curious how it works without any butter? I wanted to make sure I wasn’t leaving anything out? Thanks!!!
This cake turned out perfect!!! I followed the recipe to the letter, and I ran into no issues. The part I am most happy about this cake is the consistency. I prefer my Tres Leches to not be too wet. When a cake has not absorbed the milk mixture, and the liquid pools at the bottom, I usually lose interest. This cake does not do that, and retains all of the milk!
Also, when you pour the batter into the 13×9 pan, don’t worry about the low-level of batter. She will rise in the oven!!!
I am not sure what I did wrong. I followed the directions exactly as written but I was very disappointed as I love this cake when I go to Mexico. The cake was more like a pudding – it was very mucky and not like cake at all. Any suggestions as I would like to try it again.
OMG! My boys loved it. I was just right. Thank you.
I’m currently baking the cake as we speak. The batter tasted delicious and I can’t wait to try it when it’s done! I’m making this for Christmas Eve tomorrow. I figured I would make the cake tonight and let it cool. And either add the milk tonight so it has 24 hours to soak or add the milk early tomorrow morning so it has 11-12 hours to soak. My question is would 24 hours be too long to soak it? If I do add the milk tonight and soak for 24 hours would I be able to add the whipped cream in the morning or should I wait till the evening to add the whipped cream, like and hour or so before serving? Thank you!
Hi Ashley, 24 hours in advance should still taste delicious! And you can definitely add the whipped cream in the morning, if that’s easier for you. You don’t have to wait until right before serving. I’d love to hear how you like it!
Fantastic! The cake looks great so far, I will definitely let you know how it is! Thank you
It turned out wonderful! Couldn’t have been more perfect, everyone loved it. Thanks for the great recipe!
How thick is the cake? It looks kind of thin in the pic. I’m wondering if I should double it.
It’s not thick. Thinner, light and fluffy cake. I’m not sure how doubling it would work but you’re welcome to try it:-)
Hi just wondering if you ever doubled this recipe and how it turned out?
I have made this cake twice and both times it has come out delicious! Followed the recipe exactly as written. I might add a little more milk next time. I also posted a pic of my daughter on her 20th birthday! She LOVED it.
Thanks Eva! I’m so happy to hear you’ve loved the cake–and especially that your daughter enjoyed it on her birthday! How fun. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
I’m new to baking, went slow, took my time and it turned out PERFECT! My husband took some to his co-workers because he loved it. They loved it as well. Thank you so much! This is a new go to and I can’t wait to take to a few holiday parties in the upcoming weeks.
I just finished the recipe, and the cake came out PERFECTLY 🙂 …no problems at all. I have it in the fridge right now until my husband comes home, but I can’t wait to try it! Thanks so much.
Thanks so much for sharing! Hope you and your husband enjoy it!
Can I bake the cake then freeze it, say for a week before Christmas? Put the milk on it the night before serving it, and frosting it with the whipped cream right before dinner the next day?
Hi Lynne, I haven’t experimented with freezing this cake, but your method should work fine!
This was just wonderful. I made it for a friend’s birthday and the next day on thanksgiving, it was such a big hit. I did reduce the sweetness though by mixing more milk and it was perfect for our Indian taste buds.
Great Recipe
Thanks
So happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
My cake was fine until I brought it out the oven. It deflated in the course of 3 minutes. Not sure if maybe I over mixed it? Suggestion appreciated.
Hi Christine, I am not sure why it deflated. The only thing that I can think is that you possible folded the egg whites in too vigorously! I hope you have the chance to try again in the future!
It tasted delicious even though i was worried i may have taken it out of the oven too soon and maybe that was why it had deflated. I will be making it again and I will try and be more gentle with the egg whites. ?
I tried this recipe just to try it out. It came out too sweet for our taste, compared to other recipes I have used. The cake fell when I took it out of the oven and more so as it cooled. It was very uneven, so when I poured the milk, some parts were saturated while others were completely dry. Again, hadn’t had that problem before. I was very discouraged because my cakes are usually a hit, this one was a miss.
I have made this cake three times! I’m a beginner baker trying to get into baking from scratch and the directions were great and so easy to follow! All three times I’ve been showered with compliments from my friends and family (why I’ve made it three times in a month). I love how easy it is to finish too haha the cinnamon on the whipped cream makes it look so much more sophisticated
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
So easy… so good!
I will make this again, and again!
Awesome recipe! I’ve already made it twice (in two weeks) and can’t get enough of it. Love the combination between the milky sweet cake with the cinnamon and slightly sour strawberries. My only trouble is that the cake falls when it cools so there is a little cake climbing the pan. I think it also makes the cake a bit denser than your pictures show. I do whip everything by hand because I don’t have a mixer. I wonder if that is the problem….
I suggest that you invest in a hand mixer. They are not expensive and that will make a difference. I couldn’t imagine how you could beat stiff egg whites by hand. You must be really strong!
I just made this and it came out super thin, and I’m wondering why. Has this ever happened to you?
I made this cake ,, followed the ingredients an it did not turn out right at all. It’s like my cake floated on top of the milky substance I pored over the top ,,, it was very soupy .. an same with the whip cream part for the top ,, it didn’t thicken up an separated on the cake.
You baked the cake first, right? Before adding the milk on top? If your whipped cream didn’t thicken, it needs to be beat for longer. You want to smooth it over the cake when it’s very thick and “whipped”.
HI
I want to try this cake but does it come out really sweet ?
Can I omit some of the sugar in the cake or leave it out altogether?
Thanks
I haven’t tried omiting the sugar so I can’t say for sure. The baked cake is not overly sweet. It’s when you add the milk mixtures that it’s made sweeter.
You pair it with a coffee no sugar, it’s delicious.
Planning on serving this at a Mexican themed bridal shower, could I make this into cup cakes for easier distribution?
Hi Wendy, I haven’t tried this as cupcakes, but im pretty confidant it would work great. I would make them a day head to allow the milk to soak up into the cake more so they’re not super liquid-y. I would even cut down on the milk you pour over them by 1/2 cup.
This recipe was DELICIOUS!!! Everyone loved it! This will be a family favorite. So so good! Thanks for sharing!
This is my first time making this cake. I made it for our office Cinco de Mayo celebration. It was easy to make and was delicious! Only change I made was to use all of the milk mixture (rather discarding “about a cup”). My cake baked a bit faster than normal so I think it needed the little bit of extra liquid. The final cake was perfect. Thumbs up from Tres Leches lovers.
Do you ice the cake prior to refrigerating overnight or after ?
Either way works! I personally like to add the whipped cream right before I serve it.
this is almost exactly like my recipe and I always get rave reviews.
It’s a great recipe and always a fun cake to bring to parties!
I´m having a birthday party probably on September 17, 2023. But my actual birthday is September 26, 2023! I might have my mom make this as a dessert! It looks really delicious!
Going to make this for Cinco de Mayo!!
Awesome! Let me know how you like it!
I done mine today it looks delicious
Soo good
I do not care about LOOKS. TASTE?????
Thanks Chris. It drives me crazy when people post a review for a recipe based only on how it looks.