Tres Leches Cake
This Tres Leches Cake is a heavenly and creamy chiffon cake, indulgent from soaking in a three-milk mixture. Very moist and delicate, this is a cake that I think you should make once, if not many times, in your life!
The last update of this post was April 27, 2023 and is now updated again with new photos and slight tweaks to the recipe.
One of my favorite things in the world is cake, and Tres Leches Cake might just be my most favorite one!
Of all the cakes I have made for occasions, this is the one I get the most questions about. What do you call this cake? What is in this cake? Do you remember the cake that you made? Tres Leches? Can you make it again? And I totally get why.
Tres Leches means three milk. Three types of milk in a cake, sealed with whipped cream on top, this cake is simply divine. You can then add any garnish of your choice: berries, dusting of cinnamon or shaved chocolate. I remember baking this cake twice in a week. If you don’t call that serious affinity, I don’t know what that is.
Why I Love Tres Leches Cake?
- It is a such a homey cake. Baked in a 9×13 inch pan, no complicated layering here.
- It only calls for a whipped cream icing, simply spread on top. No complicated cake art here.
- The airy crumbs of the chiffon absorbs the milk mixture nicely, making it moist and delicate without being soggy. It is like cake magic.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Folding the Egg Whites. Use a rubber spatula and gently incorporate the whipped egg whites into the yolk batter in lateral scooping motion. Try not to deflate the volume as much as you can.
- Let the Cake Cool Completely Before Pouring Milk. If the milk is poured while the cake is still warm or hot, it may hinder the cake from absorbing milk efficiently.
- The Milk Mixture. Stir the milk mixture really well. Condensed milk is thicker and if it is not mixed in well, there may be unequal absorption in the cake surface.
- Leftover Milk Mixture. The cake can absorb quite a lot. In most cases, it can handle the entire milk mixture. If in case, you see the cake has stopped absorbing the liquid after it sits for more than half hour or so, just reserve the leftover milk to use with your coffee or tea later.
- Frosting the Cake. You want the surface of the cake to be free of any sitting liquid, so you can frost the cake with ease. Tilt the pan to distribute the liquid along the edges and all over holes in the cake.
The Chiffon Cake
Whisk the Dry Ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Beat together the Yolks and the other Liquids. In another large mixing bowl, use a wire whisk to beat together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, milk and vanilla extract until everything is incorporated and the mixture is a bit frothy.
Combine the two Mixtures. Add the flour mixture in two batches over the yolk mixture, beating well but just until the batter is smooth.
Beat the Egg Whites until Stiff Peaks Form. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Then with the mixer still running, gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Fold the Whipped Egg Whites into the Yolk Batter. Now fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk batter in three additions. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold the whites to avoid deflating the volume so much. Transfer the batter into an ungreased 9x 13 inch pan.
Bake the cake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, until the cake springs back to the touch and lightly browned on top. Allow this cake to completely cook on top of a wire rack.
Next make the milk mixture. Stir together evaporated milk, condensed milk and whipping cream in a large measuring glass with a spout. Make sure to stir very well because condensed milk is thick, and if its not incorporated well, it may sit on top of the cake.
Pour Milk Mixture Gradually All Over the Cake. Once the cake is completely cool, poke holes using the tines of the fork all over the cake. Then in a slow stream, pour half of the milk mixture all across the of of the cake. This will pool on top for a while, and that is normal. Let the liquid be absorbed first before pouring more. You my think this is a lot of liquid but that chiffon can actually absorb quite a lot of liquid. Watch the rate it at which it absorbs, and if liquid seems to be slowing down, you can reserve the little amount of milk mixture to use for your coffee or tea.
Spread Whipped Cream Frosting. If there is any small amount of liquid that is not just being absorbed anymore, tilt the pan to distribute the milk all across the cake. Spread the whipped cream on top using an angled spatula.
Garnish. Finish by topping with berries, ground cinnamon or shaved chocolate. Finally, serve yourself a slice and enjoy every bite of heaven.
Want more cakes?
- Ovaltine Cake with Whipped Cream Icing
- Pineapple Chiffon Cake
- Ube Chiffon Cake
- Pandan Chiffon Cake
- Mango Cake Roll
- Mocha Cake Roll
- Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Cream Icing
Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
- 1 9 x 13 inch baking pan affiliate link
Ingredients
For the Chiffon Cake
- 1½ cup (198.13 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 egg yolks from large eggs
- ½ cup (105.67 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup (83.33 ml) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 egg whites from large eggs
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ cup (52.83 g) sugar
For the Milk Mixture
- 300 ml can condensed milk
- 354 ml can evaporated milk
- ⅔ cup whipping cream
For the Whipped Cream Frosting
- 2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
- 3 tbsp (36.52 g) granulated sugar
Toppings (optional)
- shaved chocolate
- berries
- Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a wire whisk to beat together the egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar, milk and vanilla extract until everything is incorporated and the mixture is a bit frothy.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two additions. Beat to incorporate, but just until the mixture is smooth.
- Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Then with the mixer still running, gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
- Gradually fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk batter using a rubber spatula, until the mixture is uniform in color. Be gentle so as not to deflate the volume. Pour and scrape the batter into a 9x 13 inch baking pan.
- Bake at 350℉ for 25-30 minutes, or until the cake springs back to the touch and is lightly browned. Place the cake pan on top of a wire rack to let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the milk mixture, Stir together condensed milk, evaporated milk and whipping cream very well until combined. Make sure the condensed milk is incorporated well as it is quite thick.
- Once the cake is cool, poke holes all over the surface using the tines of a fork. Make sure the holes are all over the cake and not just random. Slowly pour the milk mixture all over the cake, stopping once the liquid pools in the surface. Allow the liquid to soak the cake completely. Once the surface the liquid is almost soaked up, start pouring more. Repeat until the milk mixture is all used up. Tip: It helps to tilt the pan to distribute the liquid along the sides of the cake too.
- Spread the whipped cream all over the cake. Top with desired toppings.
Whipped Cream Frosting
- Combine whipping cream and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat over medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.
Notes
-
- Let the Cake Cool Completely Before Pouring Milk. If the milk is poured while the cake is still warm or hot, it may hinder the cake from absorbing milk efficiently.
- The milk mixture may seem too much at first, as it will start to pool on top of the cake. Give the cake some time to soak in the milk before pouring some more.
- Do not miss pouring milk along the sides of the cake, too.
- Leftover Milk Mixture. In most cases, the cake can absorb the entire milk mixture. If in case, you see the cake has stopped absorbing the liquid after it sits for more than half hour or so, just reserve the leftover milk to use with your coffee or tea later.
- Frosting the Cake. You want the surface of the cake to be free of any sitting liquid, so you can frost the cake with ease. Tilt the pan to distribute the liquid along the edges and all over holes in the cake.
My most favorite cake!
Your dulce de leche recipe says 1/2 cup sugar but says add remaining 1/2 cup sugar into egg whites. How much sugar do I need?
Hello there, Barbara! I updated the recipe to fix the amount of sugar in the directions. Thank you for pointing that out.
How much icing sugar do you add?
Hello! Sorry, I overlooked it. About 2-3 tbsp.
You are really a genius! I love every baked goodies you make.. nakakaumay lang talaga! Congrats on your second pregnancy
Not a genius, just matakaw 😉 thank you!