Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches (Spanish for “three milks”) cake is a popular Latin American dessert made from a light sponge cake soaked in three types of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk (or cream). The milk mixture gives the cake its signature moist texture, creating a dessert that falls somewhere between a traditional cake and a pudding.

I tested this recipe many times (and failed more than once) before developing the final version. My goal was to create a soft, airy sponge cake that absorbs the milk soak without becoming soggy or overly sweet. Since sugar contributes to a cake’s structure, as well as its sweetness, finding the right balance took plenty of testing. The result is a light, tender sponge that fully absorbs the milk soak without being sickeningly sweet.

 

FAQ

Why did my tres leches cake sink in the middle?

A properly made tres leches sponge should rise in the oven and maintain most of its structure as it cools. Some slight shrinking is normal, but a significant collapse usually means the sponge didn’t develop enough structure. This can happen if the batter was overmixed or if the whipped egg whites deflated during folding.

I specifically tested this recipe to create a sponge that stays light and airy while still being strong enough to absorb the milk soak without getting soggy.

 

Why didn’t my tres leches cake absorb the milk?

Tres leches cake may struggle to absorb the milk soak if the sponge is too dense, too moist, underbaked, or doesn’t have enough holes to allow the liquid to distribute evenly.

Adding too much flour or overmixing the batter can create a dense cake with a tighter crumb that doesn’t absorb liquid well. Similarly, an underbaked cake already contains excess moisture, making it more difficult for the milk mixture to penetrate the sponge.

Finally, make sure you poke plenty of evenly spaced holes throughout the cake and give the milk mixture enough time to fully absorb.

 

Why is my tres leches cake dense or chewy instead of light and fluffy?

A dense or chewy tres leches cake is usually caused by too much flour or overmixing the batter. To avoid this, carefully measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method, and be gentle when folding the whipped egg whites into the batter.

The goal is to keep as much air in the batter as possible while still fully incorporating the ingredients.

 

Why is there milk pooling at the bottom of my tres leches cake?

Some liquid pooling at the bottom of the pan is normal with tres leches cake, but excessive pooling can happen if the sponge is too dense to absorb the milk mixture or if there aren’t enough holes to help distribute the liquid evenly.

Make sure the holes are evenly spaced throughout the cake and allow enough time for the sponge to absorb the milk before serving.

 

How long should I let tres leches cake soak before serving?

I recommend allowing the cake to soak in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, though overnight is even better. The extra time allows the milk mixture to gradually distribute throughout the sponge, for a more evenly soaked, flavorful cake.

 

Can I make tres leches cake ahead of time?

Absolutely! In fact, tres leches cake is one of those desserts that often has an even better texture after resting overnight. Making it a day ahead allows the milk mixture more time to fully absorb into the sponge and develop its signature texture.

Just keep the cake tightly covered with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

 

Preparing the Cake Pan and the Dry Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350℉.

Grease the bottom (but not the sides) of a 9″ x 13″ x 2″ cake pan with melted butter or vegetable oil. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

 

Prepare the Egg Yolk Mixture

In a second, large bowl, combine the egg yolks with ⅔ cup of the granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer (or whisk), beat the egg yolk mixture until it becomes thick, pale yellow, and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon on the surface when you lift your whisk out of the mixture. Set aside.

 

Prepare the Egg White Mixture

In a third large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer), whisk the egg whites until they begin to foam. Then, sprinkle in the cream of tartar followed by the remaining 2 Tbsp of granulated sugar, and continue to whip until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.

 

Preparing and Baking the Cake

Whisk the vanilla and whole milk into the egg yolk mixture until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.

Sift in the dry ingredients, half at a time, and mix with your electric hand mixer (or whisk) just until combined.

Note: Kosher salt may not pass through the wires of a sifter. Make sure to invert and pour in the salt into the batter after the flour is sifted through.

Pro tip: It is very important for this type of cake not to over-mix. Over-mixing the batter will lead to gluten development which can make the cake tough and unable to absorb the milk soak!

Next, using a rubber spatula, fold in ¼ of the egg whites into the batter. You can be less gentle here, as this is simply to lighten the batter to make it easier to incorporate the remaining egg whites.

Fold in the remaining egg whites (in two additions), just until incorporated, but ensuring that no streaks of the egg whites remain.

Important: This is the trickiest part of this type of cake. The egg whites must be evenly distributed throughout the batter or you will be left with dense patches throughout the cake (where the egg whites didn’t combine). On the other hand, over-folding can deflate the egg whites and make the entire cake dense.

Pour the finished batter into your prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula (or the back of a spoon) and tilt the pan in all directions so the batter fills in all of the corners and moves up the sides about ½” above the batter line.

Place the pan into the centre of the oven and bake for about 25 to 28 minutes, until the cake is nice and golden brown, springs back when pressed gently, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Note: It is very important for this recipe for the cake to be fully baked. It is better to overbake than to underbake, as a drier cake absorbs the milk soak much more effectively.

Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it upside down in the pan on a wire baking rack. This is to prevent it from collapsing. Don’t worry, the cake won’t fall out!

Allow the cake to cool completely — at least one hour.

 

Soaking the Cake

In a large glass measuring cup or pitcher, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and rum (as desired).

Note: If adding rum, I recommend adding it in 1 Tbsp at a time and tasting with each addition until it’s to your liking!

Run a knife around the edges of the cake. Using a fork or wooden skewer, poke holes throughout the entire cake. (Don’t worry about the appearance; the more holes, the better to allow for optimal soak absorption!)

Slowly pour the milk mixture over top of the cake, about ½ cup of the mixture at time, waiting for each pour to absorb.

Note: After a couple additions, I recommend poking a few areas around the cake to feel for resistance — the more resistance, the more soak needed in that area.

Once the liquid is fully absorbed, allow the whole thing to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but ideally overnight.

Pro tip: Improper mixing of the batter, not enough holes poked into the cake or not letting the cake soak for long enough can lead to uneven moisture distribution and dry spots. You can fix this by drizzling a small amount of additional whole milk over any problem areas just before serving!

 

Preparing the Toppings and Serving

For the whipped cream, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into a large bowl and whip with an electric handheld mixer until desired thickness (I prefer it lightly whipped for this recipe).

For the berries, combine the berries in a large bowl and sprinkle over 2 to 3 Tbsp of granulated sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries).

Cut and serve the cake with berries on the side and a dollop of whipped cream. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.