Tres Leches Cake

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated Jan. 9, 2020

Tres Leches Cake
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
About 1 hour, plus chilling
Rating
4(2,818)
Comments
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Tres leches, which means “three milks” in Spanish, refers to the whole milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk that make up a creamy soaking sauce for the baked cake. Over time, it saturates the cake, making it soft and luscious. While a thick garnish of softly whipped cream may seem excessive, it actually tempers the sweetness of the whole confection. Serve with some berries or sliced fruit to complete the presentation.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings
  • Butter for the pan
  • 2¼cups/285 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2¼teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 1cup plus 2 tablespoons/225 grams granulated sugar
  • ½cup plus 1 cup whole milk
  • 1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1(12-ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1½cup heavy cream
  • 1tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

548 calories; 22 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 78 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 59 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 316 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch pan lightly, leaving a ¼-inch border that remains ungreased. Do not butter the sides of the pan; you want the cake to “climb” up the sides of the pan as it bakes.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the egg yolks and ½ cup/100 grams of the sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in ½ cup of the milk, lower the speed and then mix in the flour mixture just until combined.

  3. Step 3

    In another large bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until foamy and the yellowish color has disappeared, about 1 minute. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/125 grams sugar while beating. Continue to beat the mixture until you have shiny, medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Stir a big scoop of the egg white mixture into the batter to loosen it, then, using a spatula, gently fold the remaining whites into the batter without deflating them.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack to cool slightly.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. Using a skewer or a toothpick, poke holes about ½ inch apart all over the cake. Cut the edges of the cake from the sides of the pan. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake, about a cup at a time, allowing 5 to 10 minutes for it to soak in before adding more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).

  6. Step 6

    To serve, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar to soft peaks. Top the cake with the whipped cream.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,818 user ratings
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Comments

CAROL

Delicious! For a coconut version, add a drop of coconut extract, substitute 1 c of whole milk with coconut milk. Sprinkle toasted coconut overtop when serving...use frozen fresh coconut.

Julie

Not clear to me why you haven't updated the flour amount in this recipe when so many people have said that it's incorrect.

Jennifer

To all of the people past, present or future who make this cake. Follow the directions. This is a very dense and dry cake that soaks up about 3 cups of liquid. It is not supposed to light and fluffy. Do not change the flour amount. I made this 4/4/2021. It is perfect and delicious as directed. The people who say other wise, do not know what Tres Leches Cake is.

Need steps separated for foolproofing/clarity.

I really wish egg separating related recipes would separate the whites and yolks steps more clearly. I have managed to fail to make meringue 6 times by adding the sugar to the whites prior to whipping the whites. A process made more difficult because I mix by hand currently. Estrimated times for mixing by hand would also be appreciated (liddites/camping/broken appliances/attachments in the dishwasher more frequent than toy might imagine).

Ac

Absolutely fire

KC

I feel like my cake turned out lumpy. I was worried about over stirring the first batch of egg whites into the mix. Tragedy.

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