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Tres Leches Cake

The ultimate celebration cake. Three milks, infinite love, unforgettable memories.

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Prep Time

30 min

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Cook Time

30 min

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Servings

12

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Difficulty

Medium

Tres Leches Cake

The cake that means someone is loved

The Story

In our house, tres leches isn’t just dessert—it’s a declaration. Birthdays, graduations, promotions, or just because someone needed to feel special. When the tres leches comes out, everyone knows: today, we celebrate you.

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Three Milks

  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Ground cinnamon for dusting
  • Maraschino cherries (optional)

Instructions

1. The Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Separate the eggs. Beat yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks.

Fold flour mixture into yolks, then gently fold in egg whites.

Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

2. The Soak

While cake bakes, mix all three milks and vanilla together.

When cake is done, let it cool 10 minutes in the pan. Poke holes all over with a fork.

Slowly pour the milk mixture over the warm cake. It seems like too much—trust the process. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

3. The Topping

Beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread generously over the soaked cake.

Dust with cinnamon. Add cherries if you’re feeling festive.

The Secret

“The cake must drink all night to be ready for the party.”

Patience is everything. The longer it soaks, the better it gets. Make it the day before for best results.

Variations We Love

  • Café Tres Leches: Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso to the milk mixture
  • Coconut Tres Leches: Replace heavy cream with coconut cream
  • Dulce de Leche Drizzle: Because more is more

Made with love for every celebration since 1972

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