The Daily Plate

Tres Leches Cake

The cake that drinks its own milkshake: a light, airy sponge soaked in evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cream until every bite is milky and tender. Crowned with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, it's the Latin bakery classic that converts everyone. A lighter finish than our root beer float poke cake, with the same soak-it-up magic.

Slice of tres leches cake with soaked milky crumb, whipped cream and cinnamon dust on a dark plate
Prep time20 min
Cook time30 min
Total4 hr 30 min
Yield12 slices
CuisineAmerican
📌 Pin it

🧺Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 1/2 cups more for topping
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

👩‍🍳Instructions

  1. Whip the whites. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding 3/4 cup of the sugar, until glossy stiff peaks form.
  2. Beat the yolks. Beat the yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until pale and thick. Beat in the milk and vanilla.
  3. Fold the batter. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the yolk mixture and fold gently, then fold in the whites in three additions — keep the air in.
  4. Bake. Spread in a greased 9x13-inch pan and bake 25-30 minutes until golden and springy. Cool 10 minutes.
  5. Soak. Whisk the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and 1/2 cup cream. Poke the warm cake all over with a fork and slowly pour the milk mixture over it. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  6. Top and serve. Whip the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream with the powdered sugar to soft peaks. Spread over the chilled cake and dust with cinnamon.

💡 Tres leches smarts

Poke deep holes with a fork while the cake is warm — cold cake resists the soak. Don't rush the chill; those 4 hours are when the crumb turns silky. Serve it in the pan — this is a scoop cake, not a slice-and-stack cake.

❓Common questions

Can I make tres leches less sweet?

Reduce the sweetened condensed milk to 3/4 of the can and increase the evaporated milk slightly. The whipped topping is unsweetened-ish, which balances it.

Is it supposed to be soggy?

Moist and milky, yes — that's the point. But there shouldn't be a puddle; if milk pools, the holes weren't deep enough.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes — full-fat coconut milk, coconut condensed milk, and coconut cream all swap in beautifully.

How long does it keep?

3-4 days refrigerated, covered. The texture is actually best on day two.

Slice of tres leches cake with soaked milky crumb, whipped cream and cinnamon dust on a dark plate
Save for later

Love this recipe?

Save it to your "Fall Baking Recipes" board so it's always one click away when the craving hits.

📌 Pin it for later