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THE BEST TRES LECHES CAKE

Tres leches cake gets its name because after making a soft, tender cake you poke holes in it before pouring over a mixture of three milks – sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. The cake is ridiculously moist, beautifully sweet, perfectly tender, and melts in your mouth.

Materials

  • 5 large eggs separated
  • 1 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1/3 cup Hiland whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

TRES LECHES MIXTURE

  • one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • one 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup Hiland heavy whipping cream

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

  • 2 cups (1 pinHiland heavy whipping cream
  • cinnamon optional for garnishing
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
  • To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl and handheld electric mixeadd the 5 egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and doubled in volume, about 4 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add 1/3 cup whole milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and beat on low speed until combined, don’t over-mix; set aside.
  • To a medium bowl, add the egg whites and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form but egg whites are not dry.
  • Gently fold egg whites into the cake batter.
  • Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 32 to 35 minutes (I baked 33 minuteor until cake is set in the center, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack. While cake cools, make the tres leches mixture.

TRES LECHES MIXTURE

  • To a medium bowl, add the 3 milks and whisk to combine.
  • Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake. I stuck the cake with the fork about 100 times. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the top of the cake letting it soak in as you go. Try to pour as much over the cake as possible, without neglecting the edges. All of the milk mixture for my cake soaked in, but if yours is pooling excessively and you have any leftover, the milk mixture is wonderful served in a small ramekin alongside the cake.
  • Allow cake to cool at room temp for a 1 to 2 hours before covering and refrigerating until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight. Tip – If making the cake in advance of an event, don’t add the whipped cream topping until the day of.

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and handheld electric mixeadd the heavy cream and beat on high speed until thickened and spreadable.
  • Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat to combine.
  • Evenly spread the whipped cream over cake and optionally garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon and serve any extra tres leches mixture on the side. Serve immediately.