What Milks are Used in Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches literally means ‘three milks’ in Spanish. This authentic Mexican cake recipe uses sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and regular cow’s milk (it can be whole or 2%). Some recipes substitute heavy cream or half and half in place of the milk. I don’t find it necessary in this recipe since it’s decadent enough without it.
Ingredients Used in Tres Leches Cake
This authentic Tres Leches Cake recipe is simple to recreate. Use these simple ingredients and follow my instructions and you will feel like a pro when you go to serve up a slice of this cake. For exact measurements for the ingredients, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Cake
Large Eggs: Whipping of the egg whites ensures a light airy cake, perfect for soaking up the three milk mixture that will be poured over top. Granulated Sugar: The sugar, when combined with the eggs, helps create a light, fluffy texture. Vanilla Extract: Adds the perfect warm flavor to this luscious cake. Whole Milk: Adds moisture to the batter, which gives you a soft, tender cake. All Purpose Flour: Gives the cake its shape and texture. Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent which creates air bubbles in the batter giving the cakes it light and airy texture. Salt: Enhances the flavors, giving contrast to the sweetness in the sugar and vanilla extract.
Milk Mixture
Whole Milk: Regular milk gives the milk mixture the right consistency to soak into the cake and, additionally, adds a mild creamy sweetness. Sweetened Condensed Milk: This thick and rich milk adds a caramel-like flavor and helps create a luscious texture when combined with the cake. Evaporated Milk: Has a concentrated nutty sweetness that enhances the richness of the cake.
Whipped Cream Topping
Chilled Heavy Whipping Cream: This creates a rich, creamy whipped topping that is full of flavor and decadence. Powdered Sugar: Adds sweetness that enhances the flavor of the whipping cream. Vanilla Extract: Gives the topping a sweet aromatic taste and smell.
Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe
This recipe might feel overwhelming, but if you follow my step-by-step instructions, I promise you will have the most delicious cake you have ever had! Serve this at your next Cinco de Mayo party, and your guests will be begging you for the recipe!
Cake
Milk Mixture
Whipped Cream Topping
Prep Bowl and Whisk: Make sure the bowl and whisk you use to whip the egg whites are super clean! Put a little bit of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice on a clean paper towel, then wipe the bowl and whisk down before adding the egg whites. This will eliminate any residual fat that might be left over from previous cooking. Egg Whites: Discard any egg whites where even a tiny bit of the yolk has gotten into the white. I like to crack each egg into a small bowl before separating and adding the clean white to the ones I’ve already separated. If you do get a speck of yolk, it won’t ruin all of the other egg whites as well.
Pour Milk Evenly: Make sure you pour the milk mixture evenly! Otherwise, if you miss parts of the top of the cake, only the bottom of those sections will soak up the milk as it sits. No Butter: Where’s the butter? Well, there’s no butter or oil in this recipe! Instead, the egg yolks act as the fat in the cake. It is best not to substitute the egg yolks for another fat in this cake. Whipped Topping: You can adjust the sweetness of the whipped cream by adding a tablespoon or two more or less of powdered sugar according to your tastes. You can also substitute an 8-ounce container of thawed whipped topping. Boxed Cake Mix: Can I substitute the cake for a box mix? You can use a box mix for the base of this recipe, but I recommend using the written recipe! Box cakes tend to be very tender and crumbly, which means your cake is going to fall apart very easily after soaking in the milk mixture. However, in the trials for this recipe, I found that a slightly sturdier and denser cake offered the most pleasant milk-soaked bite of cake.
Make Ahead: the cake (not soaked) can be made up to 5 days in advance. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Refrigerator: Cover the cake with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will last 2-4 days refrigerated but will become more soggy and lose its freshness the longer it sits. Freezer: You can freeze Tres Leches cake, but you can only freeze the actual cake before you drench it with the milk mixture. So after the cake has been baked, you can freeze it like you would any cake. Then, when you are ready to use, bring it to room temperature, drench it with the milk, let it soak overnight, and top with the whipped cream.
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