Tres Leches Cake

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Easy

A light whipped-egg sponge is poked and soaked in a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream, then chilled and topped with whipped cream. It is soft and sweet and served cold. Makes 15 squares in about 6 hr.

Prep 30 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 5 hr

Total 6 hr

Yield 15 squares

Ingredients

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squares

5 (250 g)eggs, separated
¾ cup (170 g)granulated sugar, divided: 85 g for yolks, 85 g for whites
1 ¼ cups (150 g)all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp (5 g)baking powder
¼ cup (60 ml)whole milk
2 tsp (10 ml)vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups (395 g)sweetened condensed milk, 1 can
1 ½ cups (350 ml)evaporated milk
½ cup (120 ml)heavy cream, for the milk soak
1 ½ cups (360 ml)heavy cream, for the topping
3 tbsp (40 g)sugar
½ tsp (1 g)ground cinnamon, for dusting

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan.
Beat the yolks with 85 g sugar until pale, then mix in the milk and vanilla. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
Whip the whites to stiff peaks with the remaining 85 g sugar. Fold into the yolk mixture in three additions.
Spread in the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and springy. Cool 15 minutes.
Whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk and 120 ml cream together. Poke the warm cake all over with a fork.
Pour the milk mixture slowly over the cake, in stages, letting it soak in. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Whip the topping cream with the sugar to soft peaks, spread over the cake and dust with cinnamon.

Tips

Poke the cake well so it soaks evenly.
Pour the milk in a few additions, giving it time to absorb.
Serve cold from the refrigerator.
Refrigerate the cake because the milk soak and cream topping spoil at room temperature; do not leave out more than 2 hours.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make tres leches cake?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 5 hours to chill. The recipe makes 15 squares.

How should I store tres leches cake?

Keep refrigerated, covered, up to 4 days.

Can I make tres leches cake ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 15 servings this recipe makes.

343 Calories / serving

17.3g Fat

39.5g Carbs

7.7g Protein

31.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (15 servings): ~5145 cal · 260g fat · 593g carbs · 116g protein · 479g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.