This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to all the readers of A Sassy Spoon for all your support! xo

I’ll be honest, I’m actually not a big fan of cakes in general.

For birthdays, I usually prefer another dessert like guava cheesecake, Cuban shortbread cookies, or ice cream cake.

This authentic tres leche cake, however, is the exception to the rule!

Just imagine a dense vanilla cake soaked with three different types of milk and then topped with whipped cream and cherries.

SO GOOD.

What is Tres Leches Cake?

Tres leches cake (or pastel de tres leches) is a popular Hispanic sponge cake (or milk cake) that is soaked with three different kinds of milk.

This is why it’s called “tres leches” (translation: tres = three, leches = milks).

It tastes very rich and sweet, yet light and fluffy, like a soft, sponge cake. You don’t have to add the cherries but that’s how I grew up seeing it in my Cuban family.

In other Hispanic cultures, I’ve seen it being enjoyed with cinnamon or sliced strawberries, or even with the whipped topping by itself.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. They will blend well with the rest of the ingredients.

For the cake batter, you need:

• Dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt.
• Eggs. Make you separate the yolks from the egg whites but don’t throw out the egg whites. We’re using both.
• Vanilla extract.
• Whole milk.

For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill’s Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour. This flour is a premium baking flour freshly milled from certified organic, hard red wheat. You can use this high-quality wheat flour product for baked goods, including yeast breads, quick breads, biscuits, muffins, cookies, and cakes. It’s unbleached and unenriched, with no potassium bromate added. Bob’s Red Mill is one of my favorite brands of all time for baking.

The three kinds of milk we’re using for this recipe:

• Sweetened condensed milk.
• Evaporated milk.
• Whole milk. I’ve seen some recipes use heavy cream but I prefer whole milk.

For the whipped cream topping for the cake, you need:

• Heavy whipping cream.
• Vanilla extract.
• Salt.
• Powdered sugar.
• Maraschino cherries.

Step-By-Step Instructions

I recommend you read the instructions thoroughly and prep the ingredients before you begin. There are a lot of moving parts to this recipe so for it to run smoothly, make sure to read it through and prep accordingly.

• Sift the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

• Start with the egg yolk mixture. In a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar at medium speed until it turns a pale yellow color. Mix in the vanilla and milk until combined. Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Fold until all is well combined. Set aside.

• Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl. In the stand mixer, beat the egg whites until you get stiff peaks. Careful not to over mix. This process should only take 4-5 minutes in total. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter until all is well combined.

• Bake the cake! Pour batter into the prepared 9×13 baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes then let the cake cool completely.

• Mix the three milks. In a bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. Set aside.

• Poke holes and pour the milk mixture. Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over the cake using a fork, skewer, or a toothpick. Drizzle the 3 milk mixture on top making sure to cover the entire cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight, until all the milks are soaked into the cake.

• Make the whipped cream. In a stand mixer, add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until you get soft peaks.

• Assemble and enjoy! Spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the cake. Slice and serve with maraschino cherries.

When you’re done making this recipe, make another one of my homemade Cuban desserts!

Make Ahead Tips

Yes, you can make this cake 1-2 days ahead of time however I’d wait to top the cake with the homemade whipped topping until you’re ready to serve with cherries.

Storage Tips

This cake needs to be refrigerated because of the dairy ingredients.

You can place the cake in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container or in the same baking dish tightly covered with plastic wrap.

I don’t recommend freezing the cake with the frosting. I’d only freeze the cake without the whipped topping.

Authentic Tres Leches Cake Recipe (Three Milks Cake)

4.84 from 12 votes

By: Jamie Silva

Tres Leche Cake (or Pastel de Tres Leches) is a light and fluffy sponge cake soaked with three kinds of milk then topped with homemade whipped cream and cherries! The word "tres leches" means "three milks" (sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk). This is a classic Hispanic dessert with a deliciously rich, sweet taste.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Chilling Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Latin

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

 

Cake Batter

• 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs separated (don’t throw out the egg whites)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole milk

Tres Leches

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 14- ounces evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Cake Topping

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Maraschino cherries

Instructions

 

• Read the instructions thoroughly and prep the ingredients before you begin.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until it turns a pale yellow color. Mix in the vanilla and milk until combined. Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Fold until all is well combined. Set aside.
• In the stand mixer, (make sure the bowl is clean!) beat the egg whites until you get stiff peaks. Careful not to over mix. This process should only take 4-5 minutes total. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter until all is well combined.
• Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes then let the cake cool completely.
• In a bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. Set aside.
• Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over the cake using a fork. Pour the 3 milks mixture on top making sure to cover the entire cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight, until all the milks are soaked into the cake.
• In a stand mixer, add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until you get soft peaks.
• Spread the whipped cream evenly on top of the cake. Slice and serve with maraschino cherries. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 square sliceCalories: 426 kcalCarbohydrates: 54 gProtein: 10 gFat: 19 gSaturated Fat: 11 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 141 mgSodium: 276 mgPotassium: 314 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 41 gVitamin A: 745 IUVitamin C: 2 mgCalcium: 262 mgIron: 1 mg

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