Tres Leches Cake

Light, fluffy yellow cake baked with milk and then soaked in sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream with a light whipped cream topping. This simplified Tres Leches Cake is an easy, delicious version of your favorite sweet milk cake.

So Soft and Sweet

One bite of this Tres Leches Cake will have you swooning. A moist yellow milk cake is baked with whole milk and then soaked in heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk with a cinnamon sugar coated whipped cream topping. It’s so heavenly, soft and sweet, an experience like no other.

Simple and Delicious

Traditional Tres Leches is one of my favorite desserts when we’re eating out. Its name comes from soaking the cake in “three milks” – usually sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream or whole milk.

I loved creating this easy recipe using a cake mix that I baked with whole milk instead of water and then soaked it in sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream to achieve that moist, sweet milk cake flavor without quite as much time and effort. With whole milk in the cake, it still technically uses three milks, in case you’re counting! 😉 So while it’s definitely not an authentic tres leches cake, it’s still absolutely scrumptious and super satisfying.

Chill Time

This cake is served well chilled (though I recommend resting the cake at room temperature for 10 minutes for a milky soft texture). So make sure you build in enough time for it to properly chill and set up. It’s such an enjoyable dessert experience. I can’t wait for you to try it!

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• Boxed moist yellow cake mix
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Whole milk
• Large eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Canned sweetened condensed milk
• Heavy whipping cream
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon, for garnishing

Supplies:

• 13×9-inch baking dish
• Nonstick cooking spray 
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk

How to Make Tres Leches Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the dry cake mix, melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Once the cake has finished baking, poke it all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals across the cake to the bottom of the baking dish.

• Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Pour the sauce evenly over the cake, letting it fill the holes and soak into it. Let cool for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the mixture is completely absorbed.
• Meanwhile, in an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

• Add the vanilla and beat for another 5 to 10 seconds until well incorporated.
• Evenly spread the cake with the whipped topping.

• Whisk together the 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the whipped topping. Return to the refrigerator for at least one hour or until ready to cut into squares to serve. Store in the refrigerator.
• NOTE: When serving, I recommend letting the cake set at room temperature for 10 minutes so the cake becomes a milky soft texture again for best enjoyment!

Storage

Store leftovers in the baking dish, covered tightly in plastic wrap for up to three days. You can also store leftovers in an airtight container.

I don’t recommend freezing leftover tres leches cake because the milkiness of the cake and the creaminess of the topping will lose its structure when defrosted. You could freeze the cake without the whipped topping, but the cake will defrost with a slightly more soggy and grainy texture.

If you make this Tres Leches Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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