Tres Leches Cake is a light sponge cake soaked with three kinds of milk: sweetened condensed, evaporated and heavy cream (milk-ish enough to count), hence the name. Today is Cinco de Mayo and this cake seemed just the thing to celebrate with.
It’s a rather simple cake, both in its presentation and in the making of it. Just bake a sheet cake, soak it and cover in whipped cream. I added a layer of cinnamon for the intensity of flavor and because I like how it looks. The recipe is from the newest cookbook by the America’s Test Kitchen folks, The Perfect Cake
As is suggested in their name, they test the living daylights out of every recipe they print, so I always trust they will work. The book is filled with the hows and whys of baking cakes, so you understand what you are up to while baking. You know how I love a good tutorial on baking, so this is right up my alley. It’s a great book and covers all the basics of cake baking.
The only place I went off script was in the whipped cream topping. I had a little bit of homemade creme fraiche left over from my Pot de Creme, so I added it to the whipping cream and made a slightly more decadent topping. I also wanted a slightly thicker layer of the cream, so the creme fraiche stretched it for me. Then I dusted with cinnamon, which is not required, but it’s delicious.
There is a version of tres leches cake—Cinco Leches—in my book, Zoë Bakes Cakes!
Tres Leches
from The Perfect Cake by The America’s Test Kitchen
Ingredients
Milk Mixture
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche optional
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- cinnamon for dusting optional
Instructions
- Pour condensed milk into a large bowl, cover and microwave (set to low power) for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until it is thick and slightly darker.
- Stir in the evaporated milk and heavy cream. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Heat the butter and milk until butter is melted, cool completely.
- Whip the eggs (stand mixer or handheld will work), until foamy, then slowly add the sugar. Whip until thick and glossy, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed and slowly add the cooled milk mixture. Then add the flour mixture in three additions.
- Transfer batter to pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then poke it with a skewer to create holes in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.
- When ready to serve, let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then make the whipped cream. In a bowl whip the cream, crème fraîche, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until medium peaks. Spread over the cake, dust with cinnamon and serve.
This looks delicious! My favorite cake is strawberry cardamom cake; so great in the spring time!!
Wow this looks amazing!!!! Coincidentally, one of my most favorite cakes is très leches! Been thinking abt it a lot lately and am now inspired to make some myself soon!
Honestly it’s a toss up betweenclassic yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles, or pistachio cake with mascarpone frosting and raspberries. Either way you can’t lose!
Parisian cake from porto’s Bakery
White cake with white frosting!!!
My favorite cake is Tennessee jam cake that is my grandmother’s recipe!!
Tres Leches is my favorite cake!! Looking forward to trying this recipe soon
I love all the cakes! But a simple molten chocolate lava would be my favorite
Never met a cheesecake I didn’t like!
Tres Leches is one of my and my 94 year old Mexican born father’s favorites! I never considered that I could possibly make it, now I know I can thanks to Zoe’s IG video and American Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cake!
White chocolate lemon cake!
This is my (Mexican born) 94 year old father’s favorite dessert! I never considered that I could possibly make it, now I know I can. I can’t wait to make it for my dear Papa!
I just made a lemon”love” cake that turned out pretty good for me..but i love tres leche, and chocolate too..whats not to love
Just screenshot this recipe to try with my boyfriend later! Thank you!
I’m loving lemon and other citrusy flavors right now. Lemon pound cake with strawberries? Sign me up!
My favorite cake idea at the moment: many alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla cake,with whipped cream, ganache and raspberry jam between the layers, covered with whipped cream, all the berries and shaved chocolate on top!
How does one have a *favorite* cake??? If I had to choose, it would probably be a Black Forest torte, but not too sweet. I like the cherries to still be tart and the whipped cream unsweetened. Second to that, Nigella Ladin has a cornmeal and rhubarb cake I love. And, and, abd….
Thank you for this awesome post. I love Tres Leches on a sunny Summer day but I would have to say Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream always steals my heart <3
My grandmother’s caramel cake.
My favorite cake is coconut cake. I love baking and trying new recipes and I collect cookbooks. Thanks for the opportunity to win The Perfect Cake. I enjoy watching your Instagram posts and appreciate you sharing your tips with all of us. #zoebakes #testkitchen #i♥️baking
Tres leches is my absolute favorite! I’ve tried a few recipes with terrible luck! Excited to try this recipe- it looks delicious!!
I love chocolate mousse cake! This cake looks fantastic!
Lemon yogurt cake with rose water! with pistachios sprinkled on top 🙂
Tres Leches will always be one of my favorites because growing up my mom always bought one from the same bakery in East Los Angeles for my birthday. It’s simple and has been making the same cakes since 1972.
Carrot cake or coconut cake!