Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres leches cake is one of the most unique (and wildly delicious!) sweets, but it certainly doesn't get the recognition it deserves. A traditional Latin American treat, tres leches translates to "three milks" because of the three types of milk used to soak the sponge of the cake. The history of the tres leches cake is a bit murky, but some rumors point to its development thanks to the invention of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk in the mid-1800s.

The cake is light and refreshing, simply flavored, and has the most incredible texture, with a mouthfeel that's playful with an interesting mix between dense and fluffy. There's just a subtle sweetness that comes through in this cake, allowing the unique flavors of the three milks, along with a hint of vanilla, to speak for itself.

Topped with fresh whipped cream, diced strawberries, and a sprinkling of cinnamon, this soaked sponge cake is as delightful as can be. And now, you can make it at home from scratch for the whole family to enjoy.

To get started on making your own tres leches cake, first gather all of your ingredients so you aren't interrupted during the baking process. To make the batter for the cake, you'll need two cups white sugar, two cups flour, two-and-a-fourth  teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon baking soda, one teaspoon salt, four eggs, three-fourths cup vegetable oil, and one cup milk.

For the milk topping for the cake, you'll need one twelve-ounce can of evaporated milk, one twelve-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, and a half cup of heavy whipping cream. You'll also need an additional two cups heavy whipping cream to make the whipped cream topping, along with half a cup of powdered sugar and one teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

To get started on making your cake, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start prepping the batter by first combining the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the white sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a hand mixer to mix well until combined. If you don't have a hand mixer, a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a mixing bowl with a large wooden spoon will work as well.

Be sure the dry mixture is free of any large clumps before moving onto the next step.

Once the dry ingredients are mixed, it's time to add in the wet ingredients to finish the batter for your tres leches cake. First, add in the eggs one at a time (here's some tips on how to crack them like a pro). Mix in all four of the eggs, and then, mix in the oil. Lastly, mix in the milk until it's fully incorporated into the mixture. Be sure not to overmix at this step. Mix until the last of the milk is just combined, but don't go any further –overmixing will cause the cake to come out dense and dry.

Once your cake batter is ready, prepare a nine-inch by 13-inch rectangular pan by spraying it generously with cooking spray. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pan. Note: either a glass or metal nine-inch by 13-inch pan will work for this recipe.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, and then put your cake in the heated oven. Bake the cake for 35 minutes until the top is fully set. Once it's finished baking, remove the cake from the oven and set aside to fully cool.

The three-milk topping is truly the star of the show in this recipe. And although it may sound daunting to introduce three different milks to a baked cake, putting it together is really quite simple. In a large bowl, add the half cup of heavy cream and the entire can of evaporated milk. Then, pour in the entire can of sweetened condensed milk. Be sure to stir the mixture together well to fully incorporate the sweetened condensed milk, as it's thicker than the other milks.

Once the cake has fully cooled, it's ready for the milk mixture. Use a large fork or a skewer to poke tiny holes into the entire cake. It's best to poke the holes all over the interior and outer edges of the cake — but don't poke the fork all the way down to the bottom.

Next, gradually pour the milk topping evenly over the cake. The milk topping will start to seep into the holes, along with a bit around the exterior and then into the bottom of the pan. Pour the entire bowl of milk topping over the cake, and then place the cake in the fridge for a minimum of one hour to allow the milk mixture to fully seep inside so the cake can truly absorb the delicious flavors of the milk.

Once your cake is ready and refrigerated, with the milk mixture fully poured on top, it's time to make the whipped cream topping to finish it off.

Pour two cups of heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to continuously whip the cream until stiff peaks begin to form. This will take eight to ten minutes with the hand mixer. If you have a stand mixer, feel free to use it with the whisk attachment instead. Once the cream is fully whipped, mix in the half cup of powdered sugar and one teaspoon vanilla extract.

Once the whipped cream is ready, evenly spread it across the top of the cake using a flat spatula. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top of the cake and then top it all with diced strawberries, if desired.