Tres Leches Cake

Name: Tres Leches Cake (Mexican Milk Cake)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 1 (18 ounce) package white cake mix; 1 1/2 cups flour; 5 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 2/3 cup cooking oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 cup milk; 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk; 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk); 1/2 pint whipping cream or 1/2 pint heavy cream; 1/2 pint whipping cream or 1/2 pint heavy cream; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Tres Leches Cake is a moist, milk-soaked Mexican dessert made with a simple white cake base, topped with a three-milk filling and whipped cream frosting. The standout trait is its incredibly tender, saturated crumb achieved by poking holes and soaking the cake with a mixture of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and regular milk.

🏷️Mexican 🏷️Weeknight 🏷️< 4 hours

Total

1h 45m

Servings

1

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Food.com · by Dawn399

Ingredients

14 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 13 x 9" cake pan with cooking spray (Pam).
2
Mix cake ingredients together and pour into prepared cake pan.
3
Bake for 45-50 minutes until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
4
Allow to cool for 20 minutes.
5
While the cake is baking, mix filling ingredients together and refrigerate.
6
For frosting, whip cream until soft peaks form; blend in sugar gradually and add vanilla extract.
7
When cake is done, allow to cool; then fill with milk filling.
8
You can poke holes in the cake or use a flavor injector.(I use a syringe since I am a nurse).
9
Frost with whipped cream and decorate.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use a syringe or flavor injector to distribute the milk filling evenly and minimize structural damage to the cooled cake.
Chill the milk filling before pouring or injecting—cold filling is easier to control and helps the cake set properly.
Whip cream only to soft peaks; overwhipping turns it to butter and affects the frosting texture.
Allow the cake to cool fully (at least 20 minutes) before adding the milk filling to prevent the filling from running off.

Substitutions

White cake mix → homemade vanilla cake (use the flour, eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, baking powder, and 1 cup milk as your base)
Whipping cream or heavy cream → store-bought whipped topping (for convenience, though fresh whipped cream has better texture)
Sweetened condensed milk → dulce de leche thinned with a little milk (adds caramel flavor)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. The cake is best eaten chilled and does not freeze well due to the whipped cream frosting.

Equipment

flavor injector or syringe · electric mixer (for whipping cream) · 13x9 inch cake pan

Common Questions

What are the three milks in Tres Leches Cake?

The three milks are regular milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Do not substitute evaporated milk for condensed milk—they are different products.

How long should I bake Tres Leches Cake?

Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes before adding the filling.

Can I make Tres Leches Cake ahead of time?

Yes. Refrigerate the finished cake covered for up to 2 days. The cake absorbs the milk filling better when chilled overnight.

What is the best way to soak the cake with the milk mixture?

Poke holes in the cooled cake using a fork, toothpick, or flavor injector (syringe). Pour or inject the milk filling slowly so it absorbs evenly without making the cake fall apart.