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You are here: Home » Recipes » Mexican Desserts

Authentic Tres Leches Cake Recipe (Pastel De Tres Leches)

Published: Sep 18, 2014 · Updated: Nov 12, 2022 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

This Authentic tres leches cake recipe is a fluffy vanilla cake filled with condensed milk and topped with a homemade vanilla whipped cream frosting. The combination of the three kinds of milk gives a sweet and cool flavor to the fluffy sponge cake. One of the most popular cakes to serve at parties, birthdays, and many celebrations. Perfectly paired with sliced fruit, this tres leches will impress everyone! 

Tres leches cake recipe is a rich and moist, milk-soaked sponge cake.

What does tres leches cake taste like?

Imagine taking a bite of a fluffy, moist, and sweet cake, well then that is what a tres leches cake tastes like. This traditional cake is light, sweet, and soaked in different types of milk. The cake gets soaked with a combination of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and media crema milk to create a perfectly moist cake. The result is a perfect combination of sweet, cool, and moist desserts that will leave you craving for more. 

Jump to:
  • What does tres leches cake taste like?
  • Where is the Origin of Tres Leches Cake Recipe?
  • How To Make Tres Leches Cake Recipe
  • How To Make Authentic Tres Leches Cake: Step By Step Tutorial
  • Other Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Tres Leches (Pastel de Tres Leches)
  • More Dessert Recipes To Enjoy
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments
Easy and moist Mexican Cake

Where is the Origin of Tres Leches Cake Recipe?

Some people believe that the three milk cakes are  Spanish or Mexican. But, historians believe that this cake can trace its origins in Mexico and Nicaragua. Especially after Nestle's sweet condensed milk “La Lechera” started printing the recipe on the back of the milk cans. 

The truth is that this cake can be found all over Latin America, from Peru to Cuba and even Colombia. The recipe is very similar in all countries, with just a few additions but always with the same moist consistency of the combined kinds of milk. 

I guess what matters is how good it tastes and how easy it is to make it! 

Tres Leches cake recipe

How To Make Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Here is the list of ingredients you will need...

For the Cake Ingredients:

  • Butter 
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla

For the Milk Mixture:

  • Condensed milk (I prefer to use La Lechera from Nestle)
  • Evaporated milk (I prefer to use Carnation) 
  • Heavy whipping cream (I prefer to use Media Crema from Nestle)
  • Vanilla
  • Rum or Brandy (optional)

Frosting and Garnish:

  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Canned fruit (I prefer to use peaches and mangos or fresh fruit like strawberries and kiwi)

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make Authentic Tres Leches Cake: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to breakdown the directions to this tres leches cake recipe into sections.

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees before making the cake batter. Make sure to adjust the oven rack to the middle position. While at it, prep the 13-by-9-inch pan with grease and flour. For a taller cake, use an 8 X 8-inch pan. Set it aside. If you check the pictures, this cake is not too tall.

Mix All Of The Dry Ingredients

  • Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
Ingredientes for pastel de tres leches

Mix The Wet Ingredients

  • With an electric hand or stand mixer, beat the eggs one by one on medium speed for about 45-60 seconds.

Tres Leches Cake recipe

  • Slowly add in the sugar until all of the sugar is incorporated.
  • Reduce the mixer speed, slowly add the melted butter little by little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer on low.
Sponge and moist cake, easy delicious family recipe

Incorporate The Dry And Wet Ingredients

  •  Add the flour in batches and gently fold with a spatula until well combined.
  • Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread them evenly.

Tres Leches Cake, really delicious

Bake The Cake

  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake looks lightly golden.
  • Remove the cake and transfer it to a wired rack to cool completely.
  • Poke holes in the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer, or fork all over.
Sponge cake out of the oven.

Make The Milk Mixture

  • Whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream together with the vanilla and rum in a saucepan.
  • Warm the mixture over low heat until thoroughly mixed.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.
Mixing the three kinds of milk for the sponge cake.
  • Once the cake has cooled, pour the milk mixture over the cake.
  • After pouring the milk mixture, let the milk soak for a few minutes at room temperature. 
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
A combination of three kinds of milk getting poured on cake.

Whipped Cream Topping

  • Place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. This step will take about 2 minutes.

Assemble The Cake

  • To assemble the cake, spread the whipped cream over the cake.
  • Decorate with fruit as desired!
  • Refrigerate to chill until ready to serve. Remember, it is better to leave in the fridge overnight to soak all three kinds of milk and decorate with fruit or a sprinkle of cinnamon until ready to serve.

What To Serve With Pastel De Tres Leches

I recommend enjoying your cake with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate! or a Or, if you prefer a spiced cup of coffee, try our Cafe de olla. For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina 

Tres Leches cake recipe

Other Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Tres Leches (Pastel de Tres Leches)

Here are some questions I've asked about homemade tres leches cake.

What do tres leches mean?

Tres leches are a mixture of three kinds of milk; in this cake is condensed milk, evaporated milk, and media crema. The mix is then poured into the sponge cake, letting it soak and making a perfectly moist cake. 

What is 'La Lechera'?

La Lechera is the name of the condensed milk made by Nestle. “Lechera” means “milk lady,” and if you look at the picture on the can, you can see that a lady is holding a pot of milk on her head.

One of the three kids of milk for pastel tres leches
La Lechera (Sweetened condensed milk )

Does tres leches cake have alcohol in it?

That's entirely up to you! Sometimes I'll add a splash or two of alcohol, and sometimes I'll keep it very simple.

If you decide to add alcohol, I recommend adding some rum or brandy.

Can you leave tres leches cake out overnight?

I would not recommend doing this. Since the cake has dairy in it, it's not safe to leave it out and eat it later. However, you need to place it in the fridge overnight to allow it to absorb all the milk. Besides, the tres leches cake tastes better when is cold.

How long can I store this Mexican cake?

This tres leches recipe is best to eat within two days, but you can leave it up to 4 days in the fridge if wrapped tight and appropriately stored.  You can even freeze the cake after you add the kinds of milk. To defrost it, place it in your fridge until it defrosts, and decorate it with whipped cream & fresh fruits. Just now that the texture is a little soggy.

More Dessert Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for tres leches, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

  • Chimbo Sweet Bread
  • Buñuelos de Viento
  • Homemade Mexican Flan
  • Chocolate Tamales
  • Mexican Churros

I hope you make this recipe for one of Mexican favorite birthday cakes! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

authentic tres leches cake

¡Buen provecho!
Mely

📖 Recipe

authentic tres leches cake

Tres Leches Cake

Mely Martínez
This Authentic tres leches cake recipe is fluffy vanilla cake filled with a combination of three kids of milk and topped with homemade vanilla whipped cream frosting. The one cake that’s associated with birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, and all kind of celebrations (I guess we always have a good excuse to celebrate!). Many people love Tres Leches cake.
4.84 from 246 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Desserts
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12
Calories 322 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Butter to grease the pan
  • 1 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour sifted (plus extra for dusting pan)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt*
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled (1 stick)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 whole eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE MILK MIXTURE

  • 1 can condensed milk NESTLE LA LECHERA 14oz
  • 1 can Evaporated milk CARNATION 12oz
  • 1 cup of Heavy Heavy whipping or 1 can of “Media Crema Nestle”
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 Tablespoons rum or brandy optional

FROSTING

  • 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream the one you buy at the dairy fridge section
  • 4 Tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

GARNISH:

  • Canned fruit like peaches mangos or fresh fruit like strawberries and kiwis. If using fruit to decorate, add just before serving.

Instructions
 

  • Turn the oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust the oven rack to the middle position. grease and flour a 13-by-9 inch pan and set aside. For a taller cake, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. Set it aside. If you check the pictures, this cake is not tall.
  • Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
  • With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds, and slowly add the sugar as in a light dusting, until all sugar is incorporated. The egg mix will be very fluffy and be turning a light yellow.
  • Reduce speed of mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running in low. (The butter HAS to be melted and cool if not, it will flatten your bubbles, meaning flat cake)
  • Add the flour in batches (spoon by spoon) and gently fold with a spatula until well combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
  • Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread the evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake looks light golden or a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
  • Remove the cake and transfer to a wired rack to cool completely. Poke the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer or fork all over.

MILK MIXTURE:

  • Whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream together with the vanilla and rum in a sauce pan, warm over low heat until completed mixed. Remove from heat and set aside. (Not everyone warms the milk, some people just mix them and pour over the cake, that is a personal choice)
  • Once the cake has cooled, pour the milk mixture over the cake, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight.

FROSTING:

  • Place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a bowl and mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. This will take about 2 minutes. I usually place the mixer attachment in the freezer and the bowl in the fridge before making whipping cream. This trick always works to form a smooth and fluffy frosting.
  • For assembly, the cake spread the whipped cream over the cake. Refrigerate to chill until ready to serve. Remember, it is better to leave in the fridge overnight to soak all the three kinds of milk, and decorate with fruit, until ready to serve. (If you are making this cake ahead of time, add the fruit just right before serving time). To make them look shiny you can glaze them with a mix of apricot preserves and water and use a kitchen brush to cover the fruit.

Notes

• *If using salted butter, omit the ¼-teaspoon of salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 91mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Scott

    November 12, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    Hello,
    What would you suggest for a dessert for 26 people on Christmas Day to go along with beef and chicken enchiladas?
    Thanks,
    Scott

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      November 23, 2023 at 11:55 am

      Hello Scott,
      Besides a creamy flan, you can also offer an "arroz con leche". You can play around with the recipe to mix coconut cream or even a little cardamon.

      Reply
  2. Isabel G

    November 11, 2023 at 2:29 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. I decided to try this recipe because I wanted a truly authentic flavor. This cake taste fabulous! My mom is Mexican and she said it tastes just as she remembers it used to taste in Mexico.

    Again, muchas gracias!
    Isabel G.

    Reply
  3. Kelsey

    August 31, 2023 at 7:53 am

    I'm so excited to make this recipe! I've been wanting to make tres leches for a long time. One question - I have some spiced rum that I wanted to add. How much do you recommend adding? I don't want it to be too boozy, just a little flavor.

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      August 31, 2023 at 11:52 am

      Hello Kelsey, about 2 tablespoons will be fine.

      Reply
    • Kelsey

      September 01, 2023 at 3:57 am

      Sorry I see the 4T now - that's what I get for reading on my phone!

      Reply
  4. Tamla

    July 14, 2023 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    I haven't tried this yet but I know it's going to be good. I was looking for an authentic recipe. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Dreyer

    June 26, 2023 at 7:13 pm

    I made this cake for my school project and it came out amazing, you will be amazed on how quick and how much this cake absorbs the milk mixture. 10/10 would make again. (I made mine with some pineapple as well)

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth

    May 11, 2023 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Delicious !!! You have to make this one. Everyone loved it.

    Reply
  7. Janelle Diaz

    April 29, 2023 at 6:02 pm

    I tried your tres leches cake this week, and let me tell you, everyone loved it. OMG! It was so good, there was nothing left on the pan!
    As you recommended, I used a small square pan and let the cake soak the milk mixture overnight.

    Thank you, this recipe is the best!

    Reply
  8. Lauren

    April 14, 2023 at 3:33 pm

    5 stars
    I love your recipes! Everyone wants me to make this for their birthdays 🥳 thank you!!

    Reply
  9. Esther

    March 06, 2023 at 6:31 pm

    If I use an 8x8 inch cake pan, do I need to bake it for longer?

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      March 13, 2023 at 12:01 pm

      Hello Esther,
      I usually follow the exact timing in the recipe and test with a toothpick to be sure it is done.

      Reply
  10. Anita

    January 01, 2023 at 8:10 pm

    4 stars
    The cake itself came out perfect when dry, however after adding the milk it became almost sickeningly sweet. Perhaps the milks combined were just so rich, I wish it was a little thinner, les sweet, or watered down just a smidge. It just felt like I was drinking from the cans it was so sweet. But like I said, the cake separately came out great and so did the whipped topping. The only issue I had were the sweetness/richness of the 3 milks combined, sorry too much for me.

    Reply
  11. Victoria

    December 11, 2022 at 2:22 pm

    Hi, currently making your recipe & very excited to see how it turns out. Just one question though- Am I supposed to add the frosting before refrigerating or after?

    Reply
    • Victoria

      December 11, 2022 at 2:29 pm

      I see where I overlooked, my bad. I see now 😊

      Reply
  12. Linda

    December 05, 2022 at 11:04 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely incredible, made the recipe in a rush for a friend’s birthday and it was delicious and easy to follow.

    Reply
  13. Christina

    November 22, 2022 at 6:45 pm

    Do you know if the cake could be made a couple days ahead of time, refrigerated, and then add the milk and frost the day before serving? My son's 21st birthday is coming up and we're taking a family trip so am trying to make as much ahead of time as possible.

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      November 22, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      Hello Christina,
      You can make it about 2-3 days ahead, wrap it highly with plastic film and store it in the fridge. the day before cutting the cake, pour the milk to be absorbed overnight.
      If you bake in a large rectangular 13-IN baking dish, it will not be too high, use a square 8X8 IN pan. happy Birthday to your son!

      Reply
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About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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