Tres Leches Cake
This Tres Leches Cake is soaked in three kinds of milk for the perfect moist dessert topped with a creamy whipped topping, cinnamon and fresh strawberries.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 5 eggs separate whites and yolks
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsalted browned butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Milk Mixture
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Garnish
- Cinnamon
- Strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper or baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, white sugar and brown sugar until fully combined.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold everything together until a smooth batter forms. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites using a hand mixer on high speed until stiff fluffy peaks form, about 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter a little at a time. Be gentle so the batter stays light and airy.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, prepare the milk mixture.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, milk and vanilla extract until combined.
- Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake, allowing the liquid to soak in before adding more.
- Let the cake rest for at least 2 hours so it can fully absorb the milk mixture.
- During the last 30 minutes of chilling, prepare the whipped topping and slice the strawberries.
- In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
- Use a hand mixer to whip until soft peaks form and the topping becomes thick and fluffy.
- Spread the whipped topping evenly over the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and garnish with sliced strawberries.
- Slice, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Helpful Tips
- Make sure to gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter so the cake stays fluffy.
- Let the cake cool slightly before pouring on the milk mixture so it absorbs better.
- Pour the milk slowly to avoid flooding the cake all at once.
- Chill the cake for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better for flavor.
- Use fresh whipped cream instead of store bought for the best texture and taste.
Storing Tips
Store Tres Leches cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this cake as the texture will become watery once thawed.