In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I decided to share my authentic tres leches cake recipe! This Mexican dessert is a fluffy vanilla cake filled with condensed milk and topped with a homemade vanilla whipped cream frosting. Served with sliced fruit, this tres leches will impress everyone!
As someone who was born and raised in Mexico, I've found that there aren't many differences in how people from other Latin-American countries were raised; our roots, customs, and traditions are very alike. It’s actually funny when you meet someone from another country and find out that you watched the same TV shows or ate the same snacks as kids.
Jump to:
At the end of the day, it’s the simple things that connect us the most, like enjoying a cup of coffee with our friends and family! When you invite someone over for a cup of coffee in Latin America, you know that hours of good conversation will follow. I remember that my mom would always offer visitors something cold to drink or a hot cup of coffee, depending on the weather.
And when I say “coffee”, I don’t mean the kind that you grind and brew in a coffee machine. No, we were brought up drinking Nescafe. Yes, Nescafe, the granulated coffee that only needs hot water and “La Lechera” to make a good cup of “Café con Leche” almost instantaneously.
Even today, you can go to any Latin store and see people buying the exact same things that you’ve lived with for as long as you can remember, products like:
- Chocolate Abuelita
- Nescafe (instant coffee mix)
- La Lechera (condensed milk).
All these products are now readily available almost everywhere, starting from your local Walmart store!
The History Behind Hispanic Heritage Month
Something else that unites all of us Latinos is Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th to October 15th.
During this month, America celebrates the cultural and historical contributions of the people who came to this country from Mexico, Central and South America, and Spain. September 15 is a day of celebration in many Latin-American countries since they declared their independence between the 15th and 18th of September. Some of these countries include Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
How I Like To Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Tres Leches Cake
To celebrate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to make a cake with all of you, one that’s associated with birthday parties, graduations, baptisms, and all kinds of celebrations (I guess we always have a good excuse to celebrate!).
Today, we are making tres leches cake!
Many people love this Mexican cake as some trace its origin to Nicaragua, others to Mexico, but I guess what matters is how good it tastes and how easy it is to make it! Since many Latin Countries have a very similar Tres Leches Cake recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Tres Leches
Before I share my tres leches recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about homemade tres leches 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 there’s a lady holding a pot of milk on her head.
Does tres leches cake have alcohol in it?
That's completely up to you! Sometimes I'll add a splash or two of alcohol and sometimes I'll keep it very simple.
If you do 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 2 days but you can leave it up to 4 days in the fridge if wrapped tight and stored properly. And, you can even freeze the cake after you added the kinds of milk, to defrost place it in your fridge until it defrosts them decorate it with the whipped cream & fresh fruits. Remember that its texture is a little soggy.
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Here is the list of ingredients you will need...
For The Cake:
- 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)
For The Frosting:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla
For The Garnish:
- 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!
How To Make Tres Leches Cake: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to breakdown the directions to this recipe into sections.
Mix All Of The Dry Ingredients
First things first- preheat the oven to 325 degrees while you make the cake batter. Make sure to adjust the oven rack to the middle position. While you are 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.
- Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
Mix Together The Wet Ingredients
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds.
- Slowly add in the sugar until all of the sugar is incorporated.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, a little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running on low.
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.
Bake The Cake
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake looks lightly golden.
- 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.
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 completed mixed.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once the cake has cooled, pour the milk mixture over the cake.
- Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Make The 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.
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 the three kinds of milk, and decorate with fruit, until ready to serve.
What To Serve With Pastel De Tres Leches
I recommend enjoying your cake with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate!
More Dessert Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for tres leches, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
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!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Tres Leches Cake
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 oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust oven rack to 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 too 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 in 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 cool 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.
- To 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.
Swissmiss
How would you make this for a birthday cake?would the cream hold up for the filling ?
Mely
Hello Swissmiss,
You will need to make it in a baking pan that has a detachable bottom. After baking and slightly cool remove the cake, and place in a shallow plate that will hold any liquid form the mix of milks while you place it in the fridge.
Lyn ortiz
Makes sense, sounds yummy, making it for a fundraiser for Stepping Stones of East Texas Animal Rescue rescued animals with medical needs. Thank you.
Rosemary
If I wanted to makes this into a layered cake how would I be able to do that?
Mely Martínez
Hello Rosemary,
I wish I could answer your question but I haven't tried to make it in layers.
Ashley
I would think you could do it in a round pan just put last batter in it and follow the steps the same as the others I have seen it done
Mely Martínez
Thank you for your help, Ashley.
Alesha
Cake tastes very good but my consistency is very dense.
Emerita
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe Mely! My niece's birthday is coming up and I'd love to make the cake for the celebration.
I have you to thank for inspiring me to cook more. I'm from Ecuador and live in NY, but my boyfriend lives in Veracruz, Mexico (I love to cook for him when I visit) and one of his favorite dishes is Enchiladas suizas. I made them for his birthday, following your recipe, and he was so happy - he said they were the best enchilada suizas he ever had. And that's a lot coming from him - he loves to eat!
En fin, estoy endeudada con usted y sus recetas - he probado ya varias y nunca me han fallado. Asi que estoy mas que segura que este pastel le encantara a todos.
Mil gracias por sus deliciosas recetas y la forma tan clara en la que las presenta.
Abrazos,
Emerita
Nicole
Hi. I have question. If I want to double it up in 9×13, would I double the time? Or use higher temperature?
Thanks
Mely Martínez
Hello Nicole,
It will take a little longer, like 15 to 20 minutes is my best guess, since I have never made a double batch as you mention. Same temperature.
Omayra Concepcion
Can egg whites be used, wondering if it would have too much of an eggy taste
Mely
Hello Omayra,
The tres leches cake is usually made with egg whites only. My family doesn't like the eggy sponge texture and flavor. That is why, I make it this way. But you can make it just with egg whites.
Crystal Hamilton
How many more eggs if using just egg whites?
Melissa Martin
I made two for New Years Eve - one with the tres leches sauce flavored with Khalua and one flavored with Gran Marnier! Amazing flavors!
Mely Martinez
Hi Melissa Martin,
It sounds so delightful with Khalua, I need to try that.
Happy New Year!
Leslie
Hey Mely
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this recipe. I made this for my boyfriends birthday and he loved it and told me its the best he has had here in the States. I added coconut to the frosting. I will have to try Khalua or Rum Chata next time..
mmartinez
Hello Leslie,
I'm so glad you and your boyfriend enjoy the cake.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Unknown
What is the purpose of cooking the milk mixture in a saucepan? I've never seen any other recipe do this and I was just wondering if it makes a difference to cook it or not?
mmartinez
Hello,
Yes, many recipes call for the three types of milk to be mixed, and then added to the already baked bread. But, there is a chemical reaction when you warm the mixture, it slightly reduces volumen making it thicker, and enhance the flavors.
But, you can still just pop everything in a bowl and mix. Happy cooking!
Unknown
What exact kind of liquor should I use.
mmartinez
Hello,
Rum is a good option.
Eduardo A Sanchez
Very extensive explanations with its variants. There is one small exception, however: THE TRES LECHES IS NOT MEXICAN; IT IS NICARAGUAN, FROM THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF JINOTEGA, where Swiss-Nicaraguans created it in the 1850s. There is one no failing characteristic with the TRES LECHES;?they always place a prune on top.
Sonia G.
I made this cake for dessert last night. I have made several recipes of Tres Leches, but this cake, without a doubt, was the most delicious that I have ever tasted. One of my dinner guests, who is from Honduras, said it was the best he had EVER eaten. Thank you so much. This recipe will now go in my "hall of fame" recipes.
mmartinez
Thank you fro taking the time to come back and comment about the recipe. Happy to be part of you "Hall of Fame" recipes! 😉
Mayra Alejandra
When you call for heavy cream does that mean heavy whipping cream? I went to the grocery store & was unsure what to buy
mmartinez
Hello Mayra,
Yes, heavy whipping cream.
Rocio Martinez
Hi, do I need cake mix to do this or with the all purpose flour be the one to use pretty much as a cake mix?
mmartinez
Hello Rocio,
Only use the all purpose flour.
Happy baking!
Brandie l ElKaraki
Hello , May I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
mmartinez
Yes, you can prepare a regular vanilla or golden cake box mix. I know people that make it that way with great results.
Happy baking!
Shelly Titan
I had tres leches before made by a woman from Mexico & it was so delicious. The best cake I had ever had. I have bought tres leches from stores through the years & they have never been the same. I found this recipe online & the cake looked just like the woman's cake from Mexico. I followed the recipe exactly & it turned out so delicious! It tasted just like the other cake I had had. I made two of these & took it to a cookout. Everybody kept talking about how delicious my cake was. It was a big hit!
mmartinez
Hello Shelly,
Thank you for trying the recipe, and for taking the time to come back and write about your experience with it.
Happy cooking!
Connie
I was wondering if I could add fresh drained strawberries to the batter also?
Mely Martínez
Hello Connie,
I think you can do that, it will be really tasty.
letty
Hi! How does it taste better with whipping cream or the media leche?
mmartinez
Hello Lety,
It taste good with either one, the only difference will the old fashion- homemade taste given by using media crema.
Happy baking!
mmartinez
Just remember that for the frosting you need to use Heavy cream, the one sold at the dairy fridge section at the supermarket.
larimar7
I made this once before exactly like your recipe called for. Can you elaborate on step 5 are you supposed to add more flour? Step 1 is showing you add the flour then. The reason for my concern was I was hoping the cake would be a little higher. It's Delish either way just curious.
mmartinez
Sorry, I didn't see this before. When I say to add in batches, I mean add the flour little by little and not all at once. The reason of adding the flour this way is to keep the fluffiness of the egg batter. I hope this explains it.
Tonya Adams
I bought Media Cream Table Cream is that what I need for the whipping cream for the icing?
mmartinez
Hello Tonya,
The media crema is mixed with the condensed and evaporated milk to soak the cake. For the frosting you will heavy cream.
Crystal
Mine came out a little flat. What did I do wrong? Help?
mmartinez
Hello Crystal,
At the time of mixing the egg batter with the flour, it has to be in a very gently folding manner, to keep the batter fluffy. Other thing, could be the baking powder, did you check the expiration date? Don't give up on the recipe, many people had tried with great results.
Happy baking!
Kelly Sawyer
my cake came out thin not as thick as in the photos, how come?
mmartinez
Hello Kelly,
So many things can happen while baking. Baking is a science by itself, sometimes is the temperature of the oven, the eggs not fluffy enough, baking powder with a pass due expiration date. Do not give up on the recipe, several people had tried it with great success.
Lourdes
I am planning on making this for Christmas. However, I will be traveling about 25 minutes. I live in Maine, so I can keep the car relatively cool. Can I put on the frosting before I leave (allowing some time to refrigerate it) or should I do that after I get to my destination?
mmartinez
Hello Lourdes,
You can do it both ways. It will be find, but if you plan to add the fruit, then add the fruit just before serving. Happy holidays!
Brianna Burroughs
Would chocolate ganache be good on this? I've never had tres leche cake before but I wanna try to make one for my daughter's birthday in April. I wanna try out some recipes first though and make sure we like it and that I can perfect the recipe.
mmartinez
Hello Brianna,
Yes, it will be delicious!
Cynthia Rivas
Hello Mely, I want to make this cake but none of my family drink so i was wandering if the liqueur in the recipe will effect us at all or will it bake away and does it make a difference in the taste of the cake if i do not want to use it
mmartinez
Hello Cynthia,
You can use vanilla instead of the rum.
Teresa
Mmmm, making Pork Carnitas for dinner and this for dessert. Family LOVES eating all of this deliciousness from your recipe blog. Thank you Mely!
I'm looking for the method to fry corn tostados for the pork. If its not on your blog (I'll look) and also will find on the internet, but I'm sure you've got some great techniques I'd love to learn.
mmartinez
Hello Teresa,
Are you talking about corn tortillas that are fried. The ones we call tostadas?
Brianna Burroughs
Could this be made as a double layer round cake? I made it for the first time last night and frosted it this afternoon and it turned out yummy! I've never had tres leche cake before though so I'm not sure exactly how it was supposed to taste. A few things I noticed I may have done wrong....... 1) the cake turned out kinda flat. I'm unsure why. 2) I missed where it said set syrup aside and pour on once cake is cool. The cake was cool but the syrup was warm. 3) I didn't realize I was out of plastic wrap and used tin foil. 4) The frosting seemed really light. Not sure how light it's supposed to be. Would any of these things change the outcome of the cake? It was really good though. I didn't use the rum because I was giving my almost 2 year old some and wasn't sure if it would cook out enough for her. Would it be safe to use rum if you plan on kids eating some?
mmartinez
Hello Brianna,
Yes, you can make a double layer, I personally had never make it that way, but it can be done. The flat part could be due to many reasons, remember that baking is a science and there are many factors that affect the end results. Sometimes is the oven temperature, other times is the freshness of the baking powder. Aluminum foil is fine instead of plastic film. The frosting has to hold its shape once you beat the cream. Make sure to use a cold bowl. I always place the glass bowl and the mixer beaters in the freezer for at least half an hour before mixing the cream. (Do not freeze the cream) Not everyone use rum, for the same reasons that you mention. You can use vanilla instead.
Happy baking! 😉
Anonymous
Hey. So i had a question about the milk mixture. Do we pour it when its still a little bit warm, or should we also let the mixture cool?
mmartinez
Hello,
Pour until it is completely cool.
Anonymous
For the milk mixture, what sized cans should we be using? Wondering if i need the small or large can of evaporated milk
mmartinez
Hello,
Use the regular large size cans.
Anonymous
I made this for my friends birthday and everyone loved it. It was the best recipe I have tried! So now my friends are asking me to make it for them, but the only problem is that they do not eat eggs. How can we make this without the eggs??
Thanks so much!!
mmartinez
Hello,
I try to look online for a good substitute but couldn't find one. Thank you for trying the recipe.
Rocksyo
Hi! I actually made this today, however my cake came out flat too, Ive made sponge cake before and usually to have a full proof spongey cake that will not come out flat you need to first whip the egg whites till nice and fluffy and then add the yolks if using the yolks, afterwards slowly add the sugar, thats normally how I do it and learned to do it that way, however I wanted to give your method a try because learning new things is good! Now when I whipped up the whole eggs it took longer for the eggs to whip, and I got a nice amount of volume, however, when I mixed in the butter the consistency turned sort of weird, I have never made sponge cake using butter, so I'm not sure how the batter is supposed to look? Now, I saw your picture of how your batter came out and it looks FANTASTIC but I don't know what I did wrong, once I mixed all the butter in (and I did it slowly) the batter turned streaky and looked oily like it was coming apart, when I added the flour the batter looked much better, but I wanted to know why do you think this happened? do you think I overbeated the eggs? I don't think I did, but you never know, anyways my cake is cooling in the fridge, I didnt worry about the cake coming out a tad flat, but that was because my volume went down after I added the butter, BUT knowing that it is a sponge cake it is soaking up the liquid nicely!~ By the way thank you for sharing these recipes!
Anonymous
The butter also has to be added slowly, little bu little. And it had to be melted but cool. A war or hot butter will kill of the fluffy eggs.
Thank you fro trying the recipe!
IWant2Believe
Do you know if I can substitute goats milk (condensed) for regular condensed mlk?
mmartinez
Hello,
Of course you can, nowadays there are many cakes similar to this that combine not even 3 but 4 types of milk, and some add coconut milk or some liquor.
Happy baking!
Allie Reyes
The milk mixture isn't being absorbed and I left it over night. What did I do wrong
mmartinez
Hello Ellie,
Is you over beat the eggs while adding the flour (little by little), this will create that the air or bubbles we had start collapsing that the cake will not have the effect we want of absorbing the liquids.
Anonymous
Hi Mely,
I've made this cake three times already, my family loves it. Can you tell make if I can make it ahead of time and freeze it?
Anonymous
Mely thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it for a Fiesta and all the guests could not get enough! It was absolutely delicious! I added Cointreau and rum to the milks before soaking the cake, turned out great. I've already shared your web site with friends requesting the recipe. Looking forward to trying more recipes from your website. Thank you! Edith Orlando, FL.
Jessica Limauro
Hi. What size pan would you recommend for this cake?
mmartinez
Hello Jessica,
I always use the pyrex 9 X 15 baking pan.
Jessica Limauro
Thank you!
Andrea Campos
Anyone know if u can use egg whites only? And how many? Does it change the texture of the cake ?
mmartinez
Hello,
You can use egg whites but it will be like an angel cake. You will neeed about 8 egg whites.
Sara
If I want a nice stronger fresh dairy taste can I play with the milk mixture and change the portions to be more heavy on the fresh milk? Or must I keep everything in the same proportions. I am originally from Wisconsin and my husband is Mexican so it must be authentic enough for him but I love fresh dairy.
mmartinez
Hello Sara,
You can do any combination you want according to your taste. That will be up to you is you want to lean towards the heavy milk flavor or the mexican (media crema) flavors. HAve fun!
Megan
Hi Mely,
Thank you for this recipe! I absolutely failed but I kind of suspected I would. My husband is Mexican and this is his favorite cake so I wanted to make him a proper one for his birthday. I've never made a cake like this before and when I was making it I kind of felt like I was messing up. I'll keep trying though! He'll eat whatever I make so he wont mind me practicing.
We both love your blog by the way, he's already made your agua fresca and one of your marinades.
Thanks!
Vanessa
Hi,
So let me start off by saying that this is the best 3 leches cake I’ve EVER had! I followed all your steps exactly as you stated and the cake came out amazing!! However, some Parts of my cake were really dense, would you have an idea as to why that could’ve happened?
Mely Martínez
Hello Vanessa,
This cake compared to other tres leches cakes that a light airy sponge texture comes out a little dense. But no too much.
Rosa Reyes
I want to put a layer of fruit and whipped cream in the middle of the cake. Would you do this before or after pouring the milk over it? I don't want to put the filling in and have it prevent the bottom layer from not absorbing the milk.
mmartinez
Hello Rosa,
Pour the milk over the first layer, then add the fruit and cream on top of that first layer. Later on when the fruit and cream had settled, pour the rest of the milks mix to the top layer.
Luis
So good
Sheri
I made this cake for Christmas and it was DELICIOUS! And super moist. Everyone loved it. My daughter's boyfriend is from Veracruz and it's one of his favorite desserts. He said this one tasted better than the one he typically gets from the Mexican bakery. Thank you for sharing!!
Mely Martínez
Hello, Sheri,
I'm so glad to know your boyfriend from Veracruz approved it! Thank you for trying her recipe.
Jessica
Making for a baby shower. Can I leave out the rum or substitute with rum flavoring?
mmartinez
Hello Jessica, Yes, you can use vanilla or other types of flavorings.
Susan Lee Stahl
Mely, I don't usually bake, but this cake was so delicious that I now look for occasions to make it. My friends and family have parties just so I can bring it. Wonderful!
mmartinez
Hello Susan,
SO glad to know you and your friends like the cake. Provecho!
Tina Truit
Hello
Thank you for the recipe, It is a winner, everyone in my home loves it.
Karen
Hi Mely,
When substituting the vanilla for the rum, how much vanilla are we using?
Thank you!
mmartinez
Hello Karen,
Use one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Teresa
Hi! I am making this for Christmas dinner, my husband is from El Salvador.
After you heat the crema and you sit it aside to coo before pouring on the cake, can you refridgerate it so that its nice and cold? Or does it have to be room temperature?
mmartinez
Hello Teresa,
You can refrigerate it.
Nikki P
Made this for my sister's bridesmaid's birthday and everyone LOVED it. Thank you!♡
Alicia
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe. I’m making this cake for Christmas and want to make sure about an ingredient for step 1 and step 5. How much flour for step 1 and how much for step 5? It was a little confusing on that part and I want to make sure my cake doesn’t come out flat.
Thank you ahead of time!
mmartinez
Hello Alicia,
The amount for the cake is in 1-1/4 cup as the ingredients list indicates. Also, the ingredients say that you need to have extra flour just for dusting the baking pan. It could be about 2- 3 tablespoons just for dusting the pan.
Laura
My family and I love this recipe!!
Leanne
What an amazing recipe! I tried tres leche from a local Mexican bakery and my bf and I love it sooo much. He asked me to make one for him. I wanted to find a recipe that was well rated, authentic and easy to follow. This recipe checked all the boxes! Thank you for helping me impress my bf and so many others.
mmartinez
Hello Leanne,
Thank you for trying the recipe. I'm so glad to know your bf and others like it.
Brooke
What kind of sugar- brown or white?
mmartinez
Hello Brooke,
it is white sugar.
Sara
Would this recipe work for cupcakes?
mmartinez
Hello Sara,
Maybe it could work, you will need to watch the baking time.
Heidi Axcell
Any suggestions for why the milks would not have all absorbs into the cake? We poked the cake with a toothpick all over and refrigerated it overnight. There is about half the mixture still sitting on top ) :
mmartinez
Hello Heidi,
Sorry to hear your cake didn't absorb the milk, that is kind of weird. I know that when you bake at certain levels of altitude the recipes need to be changed. Like if you live at sea level, or in the high mountains.
Hailey
Hi!! Depending on when you poke the holes and the size of them, they can close up easily. My friend always recommends waiting at least 10 minutes to poke the holes and to make them a decent size.
Alissa
This recipe was PHENOMENAL. Thank you so much for sharing. One of my coworkers is Dominican and he said this cake was better than his mother's, haha. This is the first time I've ever had this cake and the texture and taste is amazing. It's like eating rice pudding flavored ice cream with a nice dense cake. SO GOOD!!!
mmartinez
Hello Alissa,
Love your description of the Tres leches cake!
Michelle
Can this be done in a layered cake?
mmartinez
Hello Michelle,
Yes, but I had never tried it.
Candice
This cake was so simple to make and so delicious! Perfect for a crowd. It was all gone within 20 minutes 🙂
Tani
I made this as recommended with two little changes. I used coconut extract instead of vanilla. YUM. The cake is delicious although just one thing I didn’t like was how dense the cake is. I like mine a little fluffier and softer. But it was still good. I also added a guava purée frosting on top.
Cash
I think I did something wrong! My cake didn’t rise very much...
mmartinez
Hello Cash,
Sometimes, the baking powder is outdated, or the oven temperature is not right.
Thank you for trying the recipe!
Sophia Silva
Hi i followed recipe but my cake turned out about 1/2 thick. Is that how it’s supposed to be ?
mmartinez
Hello Sophia,
The cake should be about 1-3/4 inch to 2 inch thick.
Leeanna
I made this cake for my coworker's birthday. This is by far the best tres leches cake I have ever made or tasted. I followed the directions exactly, other than I used 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil because I did not have enough butter on hand. My coworker is from Mexico City and she raved about it and how it tastes truly authentic. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
mmartinez
Hello Leenana,
Thank you for trying the recipe!
Cheri Castricone
Cake was a big hit! Everyone loved it! And I loved it. My baking powder was not outdated, and my cake did not rise very much either, so I loaded up the whipping cream to make it appear taller.
I see below a picture of Mexican rice, do you have a recipe for rice?
mmartinez
Hello Cheri,
Yes! Here is the link to the rice recipe. MEXICAN RICE
Thank you for commenting about the Tres leches cake!
The Twin Ma
Tastes authentic, just like the ones I had back in San Antonio, made by some of my colleagues who were from Mexico. It was very easy. I added some Dulce le Leche (caramel) to the heated milk mixture and substituted coconut cream for the sweetened condensed milk, to reduce calories and make it less sweet for my son who does not have a sweet tooth. These added a lovely variety to the flavour.
Janine
I made this for a dinner party. It was a complete hit with everyone adults and children. According to one of the children "it's so good it looks like it's bought from a shop" and the person who declares not to be a sweet tooth and normally forgoes dessert took home seconds. Thank you for this simple to make, tasty recipe. Loved it!!!
Chela
Hello,
Will the frosting hold up if I make this the night before to eat next day around noon?
Thanks!
Mely Martínez
Hello Chela,
It will, but it tastes better when done the same day.
Chelsea Marquez
Hi! I just made this cake yesterday, tried it today, amazing flavor! It just came out really dense and hardly rose any, I've had tres leches before and it was nice and soft. Is this recipe meant to be this dense or did I do something wrong?
Mely Martínez
Hello Chelsea,
This is a dense cake, but it should rise a little.
Lauren
Hello! I was hoping to use this recipe for a 12x18 sheet cake pan! Would you suggest doubling or tripling the recipe? Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello,
I suggest you double the number of ingredients, and bake any extra batter in a small 6 IN round cake pan.
Lauren
Thank you of such for getting back to me! I appreciate it!
Ingerid Traetteberg
I'm currently on a food journey where I make dishes from around the world. I'll definitely make this on and probably a few others from your site:)
Phalula Baghabot
This recipe is so awesome! I will definitely be making it again!
Mely Martínez
Thank you for trying it Phalula!
Claire
I love it! Best thing I’ve ever made. It’s so simple yet so delicious! ❤️
Mely Martínez
Hello Claire,
I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for your comment. Happy baking!
Chrissy
Going to try it today to serve tomorrow do i refrigerate it for the 4 hours then take out and do frosting and then re-refrigerate covered again? Also im adding cherries do i wait until tomorrow as well?
Mely Martínez
Hello Chrissy,
it is better if you refrigerate overnight, then top with the frosting a couple of hours before serving. If adding cherries, make sure you drain them very well over a paper towel to absorb any of the liquid from the cherries.
Chrissy
Thank you! Came out soooo good!! I wish i could post a picture!
Mely Martínez
Hello Chrissy, You can share a picture on your IG and tag me, or send it to me via email, Facebook or Instagram. I share all the pictures readers sent me on my Instagram stories.
Chrissy
Sounds great what is the email. I am making it again today lol, i couldnt help it 🙂
El Cook
Currently making this. To be clear, stop mixing the batter in the mixer before adding the flour and fold in the flour by hand? Am I understanding that correctly?
Mely Martínez
Yes, you mix in the flour by hand with a spatula.
Monica
Should I put the whole milk mixture? It looks like it's a lot...
Mely Martínez
Hello Monica, Pour it little by little, and it is better to allow the cake to absorb the milks overnight in the fridge. Trust me, you are going to like this cake.
Yesenia Dee
Do i have to wait the 4 hrs?
Mely Martínez
Hello Yesenia,
Yes, even longer, like overnight, it is the best! I usually pour the milks and store it in the fridge overnight. Well, worth the wait.
Nancy
So for the milk mixture , the tres leches used are condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy heavy cream, is that correct?
Mely Martínez
Hello Nancy,
Yes, that is correct.
PS. Let the milks soak for several hours, and for a better flavor overnight works great.
Samantha
Hello! So far I’ve used your tres leches recipe 3 times. The first time it came out perfect but the second and third time it came out super dense and dry even though I poked several holes, added all of the milk mixture and put it in the fridge overnight.. not sure what I did wrong! Help!
Mely Martínez
Hello Samantha,
I am really not sure what could have happened. Are you using the same flour?
Dodie Skinner
Help, emergency, I'm making the cake tonight and wanted to add the 8oz. of Cream Cheese, how do I add it? And when? I'm thinking that I add it at room temperature whipped up at about the same time
I add the butter???Would it be good to add it to the butter to get it to melt alittle? Am I on the right path? Thank you so much!
Stella
Mely Martínez
Hello,
This cake doesn't have cream cheese.
Dodie Skinner
When do we add the rum or brandy and how much do you add?
Mely Martínez
Hello Doddie,
You use rum or brandy instead of the vanilla extract in the milk mix you pour at the end.
Sydney
I am from the USA while my husband is from Mexico, and I asked him what his favorite cake was and he said Tres Leches cake. I just made this recipe yesterday and he absolutely loved it!! He said it tastes exactly like the Tres Leches cake from his hometown in Mexico. Thank you so much for this amazing and truly authentic recipe!
Laura
Hi, this cake was delicious! Do you really use a 13x9 pan when you make it? Your glass pan looks a little bit smaller than my big 13x9 baking pan. I noticed other people mentioned the cake was flat, my husband followed the recipe to a T and it is a thin cake with fresh baking powder that we bought yesterday. I think next time we will use a 9x9 baking dish so the cake is a bit taller. Otherwise tastes incredible and thank you for all your recipes! We love your website.
Penny
Delicious! It was a hit , will be making again.
kristina.kham@yahoo.com
Hi, I am wanting to make this cake for my boyfriend who is from Mexico! However, I was wondering if I could turn this into a circular double layer cake.
I have also been seeing reviews about the cake being flat, should I add more baking power to the recipe if so?
Thanks!
Mely Martínez
Hello Kristina,
You can add more baking powder, or add more egg whites beaten until fluffy. Another option is to make it in a smaller size baking pan.
maya
Made it for the first time for my husband's birthday. One question to ask you. Can I use a pan thats round with removable bottom?
Mely Martínez
Hello Maya,
Yes, just make sure that when to cover the outside bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to avoid any leaking when you add the milk mixture.
Jenny
Would it affect the taste if I dont use alcohol?
Mely Martínez
Hello Jenny,
Of course not! You can only add the vanilla extract. Enjoy!
Sandra Campos
I love how this cake turned out. We leave it in the fridge all night, as you mention in the instructions. I made it for my sister's birthday, we finished it in two days. And it was only 4 of us!
Anna
So happy I found this recipe! Not much to it at all! I had always loved tres leches and have ordered cakes for my birthday previous years... but now I make them for everyones birthdays with this recipe! 🙂 They turn out perfect and absolutamente riquísimo every time!! Every who has tried my tres leches cakes loves them. I may even start selling them they're so good! Muchas gracias Mely!! (I wanted to add photos but it is not an option unfortunately)
Mely Martínez
Hello Anna,
Thank you for trying the Tres leches cake,I'm so happy to know you like it.
Tara
Sorry but this cake does not come out light and fluffy. I tried it several times. I think the recipes for tress leches where you fold beaten egg whites into the batter will be much fluffier. Also I think you must beat the egg sugar much longer than 60 seconds to get it fluffy enough. This recipe is very finicky and it is very easy to lose the air beaten into the eggs
Mely Martínez
Hello Tara,
This is no a classic egg fluffy batter cake that taste a strong egg flavor. This is a cake with the regular dense cake texture with the added three kinds of milk. I explain that above.
Samy
Hola,
Me llamo Samy y estoy aprendiendo español. Quería aprender sobre la cultura mexicana así que hice este pastel para mi familia. Fue muy delicisio, gracias por la receta!
Mely Martínez
Hola Samy.
Que bueno saber que te gusto el pastel de tres leches y que estas aprendiendo español. Saludos!
Steph
Loved it! I've never made a tres leches cake before and followed the recipe to a t. It turned out perfectly. I ended up baking it in a 9x9 pan because that's all I had and it rose wonderfully. Thank you for the recipe.
Adriana
Can I substitute the butter for milk? If so, how much?
Mely Martínez
Hello Adriana,
I'm not sure if you substitute milk for butter it would work.
Michelle Towler
Hi, Thank you so much for sharing your passion and talent with us. I do have one question - Can you freeze this cake after the milks have been added?
Mely Martínez
Hello Michelle, yes, but only for a couple of days. You do not want to lose the flavors of the milks.
Holly P
Hi! I made this recipe yesterday having never eaten tres leches before, so I don't really have anything to compare it to and I was hoping you could help me.
The flavor was fantastic! I had it for breakfast this morning. 😀 My question is about the density of the cake. It looks to be about as thick as in your pictures, and it's definitely on the denser side, though not rubbery or difficult to eat. It gives when poked and I was able to remove it from the pan in one piece without breaking. My husband thinks the texture should be airier, but he's no expert either.
So when you make the cake part, how is it supposed to feel? Slightly dense, or light and fluffy?
Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello Holly,
Traditional tres leches is cake airy, sort of a sponge cake. My recipe is my own version, which has a dense texture similar to a regular cake.
Lisa
I will be making this cake next week. A couple of questions. Can I double the recipe and put in a taller spring pan or make the recipe twice and put in two 8X9 pans to layer when completed? Also for the "milk mixture" do you recommend Heavy Heavy whipping creme or the Media Crema Nestle?
Mely Martínez
Hello Lisa,
I have never tried making a double batch of the batter and bake in a taller spring. If you do, my guess is that it will take a little longer to bake. My first choice for the milk mixture will be "Media Crema Nestle", if I don't find that one then the second choice will be heavy whipping cream.
Debbie
Quick Question .... by 'condensed milk', do you mean sweetened condensed milk? We winter in Mexico and love this cake. I am looking forward to making it..
Mely Martínez
Hello Debbie,
Yes, the sweetened condensed milk.
Silvia Valle
Can I make the milk mixture a day before?
Mely Martínez
Hello Silvia,
Yes, you can. Store it in the fridge.
Silvia Valle
Thank you for your reply, by the way I love all your recipes.
Pamela Regan
Made this for my son's birthday. It was a huge hit! Did find Media Crema Nestle and used that instead of heavy cream. This recipe is a keeper!
Mely Martínez
Hello Pamela,
That was so clever to substitute the Media Crema with Heavy Cream, sometimes I do the same if I do not have Media Crema in my pantry. Thank you for trying the Tres Leches Cake - Three Milk Cake. Happy birthday to your son!
Abbie Smith
This cake was amazing!!! I just made it for a culture project for my Spanish class and everyone loved it! I have never made Tres Leches Cake before and was a little worried that it was going to be hard to make, but it turned out to be pretty easy and is definitely going to made very often at my house.
Mely Martínez
Hello Abbie,
Thank you for trying the Tres leches cake! Thank you!
Shaun
Just made this and we loved it!!!!!
Mely Martínez
Hello Shaun,
Enjoy your Tres leches cake!
lorell todd
question I'm going to be making this cake in about a week. what is the difference between 1x, 2x, and 3x? does it just make it thicker because when I change it the pan size doesn't change
Mely Martínez
Hello Lorell,
I'm not sure what do you mean by 1x, 2x, and 3x.
Bailey
I have made this cake once with great success and it was amazing. Unfortunately about 5 times with the flat and chewy cake result. Any recommendations? How long should the whole process of beating the eggs, then sugar, then butter and vanilla be?
Mely Martínez
Hello Bailey,
Thank you for trying the recipe for the Tres Leches Cake.
This cake renders a texture similar to a regular old fashion cake, not the airy eggy sponge texture found in other tres leches cakes. Not sure if you want to try a sponge recipe and use the rest of this recipe to get the results you are looking for.
Bailey
Hi Mely,
Thank you replying. I love the cake when it worked out for me. It was perfect and reminded us and our friends of our countries. But everytime I make it except that one time when I add the butter to the fluffy pale egg and sugar mix the entire mixture goes flat and turns from fluffy and cloud-like to liquid and no air. Besides the butter being too hot any ideas? I’ve let it cool down and still be liquid and even Cool down to start being thicker again. Any ideas?
Mely Martínez
Hi Bailey,
I'm not sure why it worked for you before and not this time. Is your oven working properly for you on other recipes?
My only other idea is that you could add an extra 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
Dawn Mann
Do you beat each egg 45 to 60 seconds, or 60 seconds total?
Mely Martínez
Hello Dawn, the total time is 60 seconds.
Tori
Yes!! I made this for a neighborhood party and it was gone. So good. Highly recommend!
Sarah
The cake turned out great but I would note this uses regular vanilla cake as a base (I've never attempted making Tres Leches cake at home so I wasn't sure how it would turn out) It won't give you the super fluffy cake that a sponge cake would. The author of the recipe replied to someone and suggested using sponge cake as the base then following the rest of the recipe.
My Hispanic boyfriend enjoyed it so it's definitely worth a try! I'll be trying out a sponge cake next for him.
Overall I prefer this texture since it's similar to regular poke cakes, the taste is phenomenal!
Mely Martínez
Hello Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your experience with the cake.
Yes, I mentioned in a comment that this cake renders a texture more like a cake rather than a sponge cake.
Happy cooking!
Amanda
5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kris
Incredible and came out perfectly the first time I made it for my fiancee's birthday. Her family is Mexican so she's had the real deal and she loved this recipe!
Mely Martínez
Hello Kris,
Thank you for trying the tres leches recipe. Happy birthday to your fiancee!
Ophelia
Hola,
I just made this for my Mexican partner and after the painful overnight wait We can safely say we Loved it! It made us feel we were celebrating something. We’ve tried your churros, tacos, tortilla, soup, and will be trying more as soon as we can! Very happy to discover your blog. I discovered it while looking for pictures of this cake while we waited for it to chill!
Thanks for your wonderful book and recipes!
Ophelia
Peggy
Hello!
I’m in the process of making it (I should have read the comments first because I beat each egg for 45 seconds — d’oh!), but I’m giving it 5 stars anyway because I’m sure it’s good. Quick question, though: Does warming the milk mixture have a different result than using it cold/room temperature? Is it thicker or something else? Just curious. Last time I made 3 leches cake, I used a mix and it was a flooded mess, so wish me luck on this one. haha!
Mely Martínez
Hello Peggy,
The milk flavors are enhanced when you warm them.
Peggy
Hello again, Ms. Martinez.
Thank you!
Haily Simon
Absolutely delicious! The only problem I had was the milk mixture did not totally absorb. There is still large puddles everywhere. I soaked it overnight and followed the recipe exactly. The only thing I did not do was warm the milk mixture.
Victoria L
This was my first attempt at making this delicious dessert and I was so very very pleased with the results! I only had enough heavy cream on hand to add to the milk mixture but it still worked out. I topped it with fresh strawberries. My women’s group absolutely raved about it! Thank you for sharing your thorough directions. I’m so looking forward to trying your other recipes. ❤️
Victoria L
Sorry, that should read “had 1/2 cup of heavy cream” 🤪