The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe

This post is sponsored by Sparkling ICE but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Inside: Tres Leches cake is an authentic Mexican dessert that is full of delicious flavor and perfect for any party or other gatherings.

September is a busy and exciting month for our family. Not only are the kids back in school, but we also have two birthdays to celebrate every year! My two oldest sons were both born in September, so they get pretty excited this time of year.

I enjoy talking to them about how they want to celebrate, and I always try to make it as special as possible for them. Part of that means making their favorite cake, which is tres leches cake.

“Tres leches” translates literally from Spanish to mean “three milks”, and that is because the cake is soaked in three different types of milk – sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and regular milk.

This gives it a delicious, moist texture that is complemented by the amazing homemade whipped cream frosting. I will talk more about the process below.

Serve Tres Leches Cake with Sparkling Ice Fruit Flavored Water

Making tres leches for their birthdays is a no-brainer, but I also like to make sure we have a tasty beverage to go along with the cake. My go-to drink lately has been Sparkling Ice fruit flavored waters. There are so many different flavors, and it is perfect to go along with a dessert like this tres leches cake, or just to drink at any other time.

While tres leches cake has quite a bit of sugar, I’m happy to say that Sparkling Ice has zero sugar. That doesn’t mean that it sacrifices flavor though – because it is delicious! My kids really enjoy it and I don’t feel bad letting them drink it. 

I usually buy my Sparkling Ice at local grocery stores, but I recently discovered that you can buy it online also. Even better, you can save up to 15% by subscribing to regular deliveries here.

Not only do I love this drink when we are celebrating birthdays, but it is also a great choice for sending to school for my kids’ lunches. They love it, and there are so many flavors so they don’t get bored with it.

How To Make Tres Leches Cake

If you are wondering how to make tres leches cake, now I am going to show you.

First, you need to make the basic sponge cake following the recipe below.

Next, you will want to poke some holes in the sponge with a fork, so that the tres leches mixture is absorbed into the cake.

Finally, you will want to pour the tres leches mixture over the sponge, letting it absorb while under refrigeration for at least 3 hours.

After you complete the base of the tres leches cake, you can decorate it however you want. In Mexico, it is common to frost with a homemade whipped cream, and then to top it with fruit. Other options are to add melted chocolate and even nuts.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Let me know in the comments below how it turns out.

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Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Cooling Time

3 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs

 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: bundt cake, food, mexican dessert, tres leches

Servings: 14 Slices

Calories: 413 kcal

Ingredients

• 12 Eggs
• 1.5 Cups sugar
• 2.5 Cups Flour
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla

cream

• 2 cups milk whole
• .75 can condensed milk
• .75 can evaporated milk
• Whipped Cream
• Strawberries

Instructions

For Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Beat the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer at medium speed for about 20 minutes, or until stiff peaks are formed. 

3. Slowly fold in the sifted flour a little bit at a time until completely incorporated.

4. Add the vanilla and oil a little bit at a time until completely incorporated. 

5. Add the batter to your cake pan of choice. This amount will fit into two 8 inch circle pans, or one 9 x 13. 

6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Remove from oven and let cool until completely cooled. 

8. Poke small holes along the surface of the sponge cake. 

For Tres Leches Mixture

1. Combine the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, and the whole milk and mix well. 

2. Pour the above mixture over the sponge cake, covering the entire cake. 

3. Leave cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, and then decorate with homemade whipped cream, strawberries, or other fruit of your choosing. 

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving (1 Slice)

Calories 413 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15g 23%

Saturated Fat 9g 45%

Cholesterol 163mg 54%

Sodium 117mg 5%

Potassium 302mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 56g 19%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 38g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 8.4%

Vitamin C 15.8%

Calcium 18.6%

Iron 10.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.