tres leches cake
Tres Leches Cake, or Pastel de Tres Leches, in my mind, is the mother of all cakes. This tender sponge cake soaked in a sweetened syrup composed of three milks is a light and custardy treat worth eating directly out of the pan.
My mom’s favorite cake of all time is Tres Leches. I started baking them for her almost 10 years ago now, and it’s still highly requested for birthdays and holiday gatherings.
My favorite way to eat Tres Leches? Late at night, hunched over the kitchen counter while scooping it straight out of the pan with a spoon and directly into my mouth. It’s an intimate experience, truly.
The method for making this cake requires separating egg yolks and egg whites, and whipping the egg whites until stiff peaks form. The whipped egg whites will provide structure for our light and tender sponge cake – a perfect base for soaking up all that sweet and syrupy milk.
Baking powder works in this recipe as an extra assurance for a good rise, and mascarpone cheese is added to the whipped cream for stabilization. You can easily double this recipe for a 9×13 serving tray.
I’ll also share a method for preparing and soaking the cake so you can serve it on a dish and frost the sides (or just keep it in the baking pan and scoop the cake out by the spoonful because that is how you live life fully).
ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Granulated Sugar separated between 2 tablespoons (for the egg whites) and 1⁄3 cup (for the egg yolks); or 25 grams and 75 grams.
- Large Eggs room temperature and separated.
- Whole Milk
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Sea or Kosher Salt
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Heavy Cream
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Mascarpone Cheese softened at room temperature.
- Fresh Berries optional.
- Ground Cinnamon optional.
tools
- 8” Cake Pan (or 9×13 if doubling)
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Whisk
- Plastic Wrap
- Small Pallet Knife
- Rubber Spatula
- Ladle or small pitcher
step by step: the process
Prepare the Cake Pan
If you’d like to serve the cake on a serving dish (like I do for this recipe) rather than in the pan, line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment. Do not grease the sides. If you plan to serve the cake out of the pan, no parchment is necessary.
Prepare the Cake Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, and separate the egg yolks and egg whites into two separate medium to large bowls. Weigh or measure the sugar, salt, milk and pure vanilla extract, and set aside until needed.
Prepare the Sponge Batter and Bake
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until they begin to foam and almost triple in size, about a minute or so.
Turn the speed up to medium and gradually add in 25 grams (2 tablespoons) of sugar and continue beating for another minute.
Adjust the speed up to high after all the sugar is added, and beat just until the egg whites have become voluminous with stiff peaks.
Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 75 grams ( 1⁄3 cup) of sugar on medium high speed until the mixture is pale, fluffy and noticeably thicker. The yolks should ribbon off the beaters as you lift them from the bowl.
Add the milk to the yolk mixture, and follow with the vanilla extract and salt. Beat the batter on low until fully incorporated.
Whisk the flour into the egg yolk mixture in two additions, folding the ingredients in until just combined, and no visible traces of flour remain.
Add about a third of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in with your whisk.
Once the mixture is combined, pour it all back into the whipped egg whites and begin folding the two mixtures together gently until fully combined.
To properly fold the batter, run your whisk around the perimeter of the bowl, turning the batter slowly into the center to fold it in.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Your batter should be a pale yellow with no streaks of white.
Pour the batter into the cake pan. Tap the cake pan on the counter to reduce any air bubbles, and smooth over the top using a palette knife.
Bake at 350 F/180 C for about 30 minutes, depending on your oven. The cake is ready when the center springs back after pressing gently, and it’s a deep golden brown color. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, inverted upside down on a wire rack (this will prevent the sponge cake from collapsing).
Prepare the Milk Soak
To a glass measuring cup or pitcher, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture together well, ensuring all the thick condensed milk has been incorporated thoroughly.
Cover and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Instructions for Wrapping the Cake (skip if serving cake in pan)
Using a palette knife or small paring knife, gently cut around the sides of the pan to loosen and release the cake.
Wrap the cooled cake in two pieces of plastic wrap, ensuring the bottom of the cake is completely sealed, and the top of the cake is where the plastic seams meet. Place the wrapped cake back into the cake pan with the seam side facing up, and open the plastic seams, exposing the top of the cake.
The plastic wrap will serve as a container for the milk as we pour it onto the cake, locking it in and preventing it from seeping into the pan.
Soak the Cake
Poke holes into the sponge cake with a fork, covering the entire surface and getting as close to the edges as possible.
Using a ladle, pour the tres leches mixture over the cake. I like using a ladle to have more control over where I pour, getting all around the edges of the pan. Allow the milk soak in.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (or for 12 hours).
Prepare the Chantilly Cream
Prepare the chanilly cream the day you plan to serve the cake.
To a large bowl, add the cold heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, softened mascarpone, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Begin whipping on medium high speed using an electric hand mixer.
Gradually increase the speed until stiff peaks are achieved and the cream has thickened (careful to not overmix or the cream will have too many air pockets). Run a rubber spatula through the chantilly cream to smooth it out and prepare to assemble the cake.
Instructions for Unmolding the Cake (skip if serving cake in pan)
Remove the soaked cake from the pan and open the plastic wrap seams to expose the cake. Take a serving dish of your choice and invert it onto the exposed part of the cake.
Gently place your hand under the cake while your other hand rests on the bottom of the plate (that is now facing upward). Lift the cake and plate together, and invert it again so the cake now rests on top of the plate.
Remove the plastic wrap and center your cake gently on the plate with your hands.
Frost and Assemble the Cake
Frost the cake with the chantilly cream as desired. I like to cover the top with a smooth layer, and then gradually add more cream, piling it on and creating gentle swirls and waves with my pallet knife.
Garnish the cake with fresh berries or dust the top with ground cinnamon (if desired) and enjoy!
Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
- 1 8" Cake Pan (or 9x13" if doubling recipe)
- 1 Electric Hand Mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Small Pallet Knife
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Measuring Glass or Small Pitcher
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 95 grams all purpose flour sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder sifted with flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt sifted with flour
- 25 grams granulated sugar for the egg whites
- 75 grams granulated sugar for the egg yolks
- 3 large eggs separated, room temperature
- 60 ml whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla exract
Tres Leches Milk Soak
- 175 ml evaporated milk
- 200 ml sweetened condensed milk
- 120 ml whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chantilly Cream
- 237 ml heavy cream
- 113 grams mascarpone cheese softened at room temperatue
- 15 grams confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare Dry Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉/180 ℃.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and sea salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat the Eggs and Sugar
- Seperate the eggs and egg yolks into two separate medium to large bowls.
- Beat the egg whites on medium speed while gradually adding in sugar (2 TB/25 grams). Turn the speed up to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Beat the yolks with the remaining amount of sugar (⅓ cup/75 grams) on medium high speed until pale and visibly thicker. The yolk mixture should ribbon off the beaters as you lift it from the bowl.
- To the yolk mixture, add in the vanilla extract, salt and 60 ml (¼ cup) of whole milk until fully combined.
Make the Sponge Batter
- Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture in two additions, gently whisking and folding the ingredients in until just combined, and no visible traces of flour remain.
- Add about a third of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in using your whisk.
- Once the mixture is combined, pour it all back into the whipped egg whites and begin folding the two mixtures gently until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into an 8" cake pan (or 9" x 13" if doubling). Tap the cake pan on the counter to reduce any air bubbles, and smooth over the top with a palette knife.
- Bake at 350 ℉/ 180 ℃ for about 30 minutes. The sponge will become golden brown, and spring back when pressed.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan while upside down on a wire rack.
Prepare Milk Soak and Soak the Cake
- To a pitcher or measuring cup, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Whisk together well.
- Poke holes into the cooled sponge cake with a fork, covering the entire surface and getting as close to the edges as possible.
- Ladle the tres leches mixture over the cake, getting all around the edges of the pan. Allow the milk soak in before covering with plastic wrap.
- Place the soaked cake into the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (or for 12 hours).
Whip the Chantilly Cream
- Add the cold heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, softened mascarpone, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to a large bowl.
- Whip on medium high speed using an electric hand mixer, gradually increasing the speed until the cream is thickened with stiff peaks.
Assemble the Cake and Serve
- Frost the cake with the chantilly cream. Top with fresh berries and a dusting of cinnamon if desired.
- Serve the cake cold immediately after frosting and enjoy. The cake will keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.