What Do You Need To Make Tres Leches Cake

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How to Make Tres Leches Cake

If youve ever made a boxed cake mix, you know how easy it can be to create a dry dessert. But with the help of a bath of milk, this tres leches cake transforms a plain boxed cake into a delicious and decadent dessert.

The next time youre looking for a simple dessert to make for a party or celebration, this dessert is it! Simply whip up a boxed cake, moisten it with three different types of milk, frost the baked cake, and top with fresh fruit for an amazing dessert everyone at the party will devour.

How To Make It

  • Whip the egg whites and 1 cup of sugar to stiff peaks, then set this aside.
  • Beat together the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until creamy, then stir in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.
  • Whisk together dry ingredients, then alternate stirring the whole milk and dry ingredients into your into egg yolk mixture.
  • Gently fold in egg whites, then pour into a prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
  • Let the cake cool for an hour, poke holes all over, and slowly drizzle with the three milks mixture.
  • Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight before frosting with whipped cream and serving.
  • SAMS TIP: If youve never whipped egg whites to stiff peaks before, it simply means that the egg whites dont fold over or fall back into themselves when you pull your whisk straight out of the mixture. If youve made my meringues or white cake youve done this before! For a visual, check out my video below.

    With most of my cakes I encourage you to play around with different frostings on top, but not so with todays recipe. You need something light that pairs well with the milks-drenched cake and the whipped cream frosting is a classic for a reason!

    Why Youll Love This Tres Leches Cake Recipe:

    • LIGHT & AIRY: This sponge cake is beautifully light, airy, and fluffy, while still being moist and creamy. Its truly the most delectable texture!
    • EASY: Making this dessert is so simple and straightforward. Just whip up the cake, let it soak in the three milk mixture, and its ready to serve.
    • FAMILY FAVORITE: Everyone will love this delicious cake! It has such a simple flavor, yet its so addicting. Serve it up on birthdays or holidays for a surefire hit.

    This homemade tres leches cake is a favorite for Cinco de Mayo celebrations! As a traditional-style dessert from Latin America, it will be right at home.

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    Tres Leches Cake Recipe

    Tres Leches Cake has a soft and ultra-moist crumb. It is soaked with a 3 milk mixture and topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cream. This is an authentic Tres Leches Cake recipe and the best we have tried. It beats any store-bought version all day long!

    We love the simple, crowd-pleasing desserts that come together in a casserole dish like classic Tiramisu, our popular Strawberry Pretzel Salad, and of course this easy Tres Leches Cake. They are easy to make and perfect to bring to potlucks and parties. They transfer well and are always the first to disappear.

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

    Tres Leches Cake from Scratch

    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cakes + Cupcakes » Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

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    This simple recipe for chocolate tres leches cake will send any chocolate lover running back for seconds. A rich chocolate cake is soaked in a subtly sweet mixture of 3 kinds of milk, topped with cocoa powder infused Cool Whip, and garnished with dark chocolate shavings. Is your mouth watering yet?

    Chocolate anyone? Im talking chocolate 3 times over. Chocolate cake, chocolate-infused Cool Whip, dark chocolate shavingswow! This delectable take on the classic Latin American tres leches cake is just waiting to pull chocolate lovers into a delicious culinary dream.

    Imagine sinking your teath into a multi textural cloud of chocolate. A spongey devils food chocolate cake serves as the base for this dessert. It is soaked in a mixture of 3 different kinds of milk whole milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. The whole kit-and-kaboodle is then topped with fluffy Cool Whip that has been infused with cocoa powder and sprinkled with dark chocolate shavings. The end result is a nearly soupy, yet utterly divine chocolate masterpiece that is nearly impossible to resist.

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    When To Serve The Cake:

    • The holidays are the perfect time to share this cake with family and friends.
    • Make Tres Leches Cake for the next potluck you attend.
    • It’s is the perfect birthday cake! Make sure to keep it refrigerated until you need it!
    • Holiday party at work? Make this delicious Tres Leches Cake and WOW all of your colleagues!

    If you like desserts, checkout these other amazing recipes:

    What Youll Need To Make Tres Leches Cake

    Before we get to the recipe, can I just tell you how many tres leches cakes I baked before arriving at this version? Eight! Finally, I found a recipe by pastry chef Nick Malgieri that was a spot-on. The key to his recipe? Using a chiffon batter for the base and cooling the cake upside-down. I jazzed up the recipe by adding rum and dulce de leche.

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    How To Make :

    • Step 1:Prepare the dry ingredients.
    • Step 2: Separate the eggs and mix the egg yolks with sugar to create a thick, creamy mixture.
    • Step 3: Add the vanilla to the wet ingredients.
    • Step 4: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet to create a smooth batter.
    • Step 5: Stir together the wet and dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter.
    • Step 6: Whisk the egg whites with a stand or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
    • Step 7: Combine the egg whites with the cake batter.
    • Step 8: Mix until batter is smooth.
    • Step 9: After baking the cake, use a fork to poke into the cake, this helps the milks soak into the cake.
    • Step 10: Evenly pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake.
    • Step 11: Top with fluffy whipped cream, then cover the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

    Tres Leches Cake Made From Scratch

    How To Make Tres Leches Cake

    Also called pan tres leches, this classic Mexican dessert offers up an insanely moist sponge cake with subtle vanilla sweetness. Soaked in tres leches, or three milks, it has the creamy flavor of a custard cake without the richness and dense texture. Its perfect when youre looking for decadence but dont want to fill up on dessert.

    The key to this cake is the sponginess in the crumb. Like a sponge, it can soak up the moisture of the tres leches mixture without ever getting soggy. It always keeps its shape and tender consistency, even under the weight of the creamy whipped topping.

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    Allrecipes Community Tips And Praise

    “So delicious,” raves Sunnyd. “Relatively easy to make the results are WOW! I added coconut milk rather than the whole milk. My family asked me to make it again soon!”

    “I think this was a great recipe,” says Kate Cedeno. “I would definitely suggest covering it with foil and letting it sit in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.”

    “This recipe made an amazing cake,” according to Namira Anjum. “I cut it in half and it worked perfectly for a 9-inch round. The great thing is you can do it all in the pan you bake it in, so you don’t have to worry about parchment paper.”

    • 1teaspoonvanilla extract

    Tres Leches Cake With Dulce De Leche Glaze

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

    A stunning tres leches cake with a rum-spiked dulce de leche glaze.

    Popular in Latin America, tres leches cake or pastel de tres leches is a light and fluffy cake soaked with a mixture of three milks: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream . Its a homey cake served right from the baking pan and it has a consistency similar to bread pudding or custard.

    In this version, rum is added to the soaking liquid and, instead of the traditional whipped cream topping, a simple rum-spiked dulce de leche glaze covers the cake . My husband calls it heaven on earth.

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    How To Make Tres Leches:

    **Scroll down for full printable ingredient list and directions**

    • Get all the ingredients together.
    • Bake the cake according to the directions on the box, then allow to cool 15 minutes.
    • Combine the three milks, and set aside.
    • Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes all over the cake. Pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake.
    • Cover the cake with plastic wrap . Place into the refrigerator for at least one hour.
    • Make the whipped cream by combining heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beating vigorously. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake evenly, then cover and refrigerate the Tres Leches Cake at least an hour.

    That’s it! Tres Leches Cake is simple to make, and so insanely delicious!

    Can Tres Leches Cake Sit Out Overnight

    Tres Leches Cake

    Should Tres Leches Cake be refrigerated? Tres Leches Cake should be refrigerated because it is heavily flavored with three types of dairy combined with the whipped topping.

    Tres leches cake, an decadent and delicious treat, should never be left out of the refrigerator. Not only does it improve the flavor of the cake, but it also helps to keep the food safe. refrigeration is required to keep the combination of three different milks and whipped cream toppings fresh. You can keep this cake in the refrigerator for up to four days if youre going to eat it out of season. To ensure that the cake tastes good, be sure to consume it within 48 hours. After that, the cake can become slightly soggy. As a result, if you want a special treat, keep your tres leches cake in the refrigerator.

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    A Sweet Summertime Favorite

    Everyone loves cake, and one of our favorite variations is Tres Leches Cake!

    If youve never had Tres Leches Cake before you are in for a sweet treat! Its the perfect dessert to share with family and friends this summer at all your barbecues and fiestas.

    This cake is so flavorful and delicious and is the perfect addition to any Mexican meal or Cinco de Mayo party.

    Tips For Making Tres Leches Cake:

    • Use a boxed cake mix! This makes it much easier and follow the directions on the back of the box to make the cake. I like using a ‘moist’ yellow cake mix, and any brand is fine.
    • I highly recommend making this cake at least a day before you need it, because it gets even more delicious the longer it sits in the fridge. I really think it’s best after a few days in the fridge, but it’s hard to resist eating it!
    • If you like to mix things up, tryChocolate Tres Leches Cake as well!

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    Can I Freeze This Cake

    You can freeze the plain cake once baked. However, I do not recommend freezing the cake after its been soaked and assembled as it would be too mushy from the milks. To freeze the cake, allow it to cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before poking the cake, soaking it with the syrup, and topping it with frosting.

    Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

    Tres Leches Cake | Basics with Babish
    • When folding the egg whites into the flour mixture, turn the mixture in on itself with a cutting motion, not stirring. This way, you do not deflate the egg whites.
    • When whipping the egg whites, make sure theres no water or liquid in the bowl as itll prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.
    • I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you dont have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup, leading to a dense tres leches cake.
    • Eggs are much easier to separate when cold, but egg whites whip up easier when closer to room temperature. I recommend separating them in advance if you have the time so that the egg whites can come to room temperature.
    • Tap the cake pan on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles and level out the batter in the pan for an even bake.
    • Careful not to overmix the batter, or youll overdevelop the gluten, and youll end up with a tough cake.
    • When you poke the holes in the cake, take care not to poke through to the bottom of the cake. If you poke to the bottom, the milk mixture will run out the bottom.

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    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 & frac13 cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined .
    • 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 prepared 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.

    How To Make Tres Leches Cake

    Tres leches cake is a cake soaked in a sweet milk syrup and topped with whipped cream. If you want to get really fancy, spoon some diced strawberries and syrup over the cake. It’s really moist, delicious, and simple.

    • 1tablespoonvegetable shortening, or as needed

    • 1 packageyellow cake mix

    • 1 canevaporated milk

    • 1 cansweetened condensed milk

    • 1cuphalf-and-half

    • 1cupheavy whipping cream

    • 1tablespoonwhite sugar, or to taste

    • ½teaspoonvanilla extract

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    How To Make Tres Leches Cake From Scratch

    First, youll need to make the homemade sponge cake. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs yolks, most of the sugar, and vanilla until doubled in volume. The mixture should be light in color as well .

    Mix in the milk, then gently fold in dry ingredients.

    Next, the egg whites need to be beat to soft peaks at first. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. In other words, when you lift the beaters up, the egg whites should stand straight up.

    Gently fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites. You need to fold the egg whites into the batter in batches to prevent them from deflating.

    Once the batter is ready, pour it into an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish, then bake until done.

    Note: Dont grease the baking dish, otherwise the cake can deflate and shrink up. This is a sponge cake, and leaving the dish un-greased lets it cling to the sides so it can rise taller.

    Once the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool completely. Then, poke holes all over the cake a skewer or fork works well for this step!

    Next, whisk together the three milk filling. Youll want to reserve 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, as I find that the full amount is just a bit too much. You can cover the reserved liquid, refrigerate it, then serve it with the cake later.

    What Country Is Tres Leches Cake From

    Tres Leches Cake

    Tres Leches is a cake that originated in Latin America. Its a popular celebration cake. It seems that many of the Latin America countries have their own versions so recipes may vary slightly. I may need to taste test to see the difference between each countrys version.

    Its crazy popular in America also. I mean.three milks? Why not?!

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    Can You Make Tres Leches Cake Recipe Ahead Of Time

    Yes! This authentic Tres Leches Cake recipe can be made 1-2 days in advance and will taste even better as the cake has more time to soak up the tres leches. You can even add the whipped cream topping IF you use the corn syrup because this stabilizes the whipped cream. If you dont use the corn syrup, you will want to add the topping right before serving or it wont be as fluffy.

    If you want to make the cake further in advance than a coupledays, I suggest making the cake portion, poking with holes, then freezing.

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