Tres Leche cake is a delicious and moist dessert popular in Latin America and beyond. This recipe is undoubtedly perfect for any occasion and will impress your guests. Combining the moist cake and the rich and creamy Tres Leches mixture is irresistible. I grew up eating this cake at weddings, birthday parties, and family gatherings; it holds a special place in my heart! If you want to make a delicious dessert at home, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!
What does Tres Leche Cake taste like?
Tres Leche cake is sweet, creamy, and moist. The combination of evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream gives the cake a rich and decadent flavor. The cake is often topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, which adds a light and refreshing contrast to its creamy texture.
Ingredients You’ll need to make the perfect Tres Leche Cake (Full Recipe Below)
- Flour- All-purpose flour is preferred, but you can also use cake flour.
- Whole Milk- This is one of the kinds of milk you will soak your cake in. You can also use almond, oat, or macadamia.
- Evaporated Milk- Sweet and creamy tres leche anybody?
- Condensed Milk- Makes it creamy
- Eggs- You’ll need 5 large eggs, separated
- Sugar- Granulated sugar is your best bet, don’t experiment here!
- Baking Powder- This will help your cake rise; who doesn’t want a fluffy, thick cake?
- Salt- You always need salt
- Heavy Cream- This is for your whipped cream topping
- Powdered Sugar- so important!
- Vanilla Extract- Buy the best you can afford
- Fresh Fruit- To decorate, Strawberries are best
Equipment and Tools You’ll Need for Tres Leche Cake
- 13×9 Baking Dish
- Hand Mixer
FAQ for this Recipe
1. Can I use boxed Cake for this recipe?
A. Yes, you can skip the steps to make the cake from scratch and use a standard yellow box cake. However, baking from scratch will always yield better results for your Tres Leche Cake.
2. Can I substitute the types of milk in this recipe?
Tres Leches Cake gets its signature texture and flavor from the three types of milk used in the recipe: evaporated, condensed, and heavy cream. While you can substitute one type of milk for another, it will change the overall texture and taste of the cake. For example, substituting regular milk for evaporated milk will produce a less creamy and rich cake. If you use light cream instead of heavy cream, it will also produce a less rich cake. However, you can use coconut milk or almond milk as a dairy-free alternative, or a combination of different types of milk to create a unique flavor. All in all, if you decide to substitute any of the milk types, it is important to keep the ratios the same to maintain the consistency of the cake.
3. What is the best way to store Tres Leche cake?
A. This recipe contains dairy products, so it can easily spoil if left at room temperature for too long. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, but it is best to consume it within 24-48 hours for optimal freshness. If you want to store the cake for a longer period of time, you can freeze it.
Tres Leche Cake
Equipment
- 1 13×9 baking dish
- hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 5 large eggs room temperature, seperated
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 cup sugar divided into ¼ cup and ¾ cup
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
Milk Mixture
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- ¾ cup milk you can also use oatmilk
- 1 can sweet condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the topping
- 1 cup fresh fruit strawberries are preffered
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar add more if needed
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Begin by separating the egg whites from the egg yolks.
- Add ¾ cup of sugar to egg yolks. Beat until pale yellow. Slowly pour in milk and vanilla.
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the sifted flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
- Start by beating your egg whites on high speed, gradually adding 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating until stiff, fluffy peaks form.
- Gradually fold the beaten egg whites into the light yellow mixture until the batter becomes fluffy, light, and spongy in texture.
- Bake the dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
- While your cake is baking, whisk together whole milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk with vanilla.
- After cooling, use a fork to poke small holes in the cake and then pour the milk mixture over it, spreading it evenly.
- Cover the cake in saran wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
- The following day, whip together the whipped cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to create a topping. Spread the topping over your cake, decorate with strawberries and cinnamon, and serve cold.
I truly think that this is the real reason why I’m getting proposed to LOL!!! This right here will leave everyone speechless because of how delicious it is. Amazing!