Tres leches is a sweet decadent cake that is super moist. I mean it is called tres leches, which means three milks. The reason for the extreme moisture is in the title!

My husband has been asking for this, on his birthday, for years! I can’t even remember the last birthday we made something other than this exact tres leches cake recipe. He fell in love with this cake while traveling in Mexico when he was a teen.

A glass rectangular casserole dish on a wooden table with a tres leches cake inside. There is a spoon on top and a santa sleigh figure in the the background.

Over the years, I have adapted this recipe to fit our family’s tastes. He insists that the best tres leches cake is not fancy or intricately decorated. It should be made, and kept, in a casserole dish with simple ingredients, no fancy decorations. He insists that the most delicious food should look simple and be made with simple ingredients. In his opinion, fancy decorations are made to distract from a poor quality cake. So, that is how we make his cake.

How to make Tres Leches Cake From Scratch

A great homemade Tres Leches cake is not hard to make. There are 3 basic parts to the cake.

The sponge – This is the actual cake part of the dessert.
The liquid – A mixture of 3 milks. This is the Leches part of it. The milks in this tres leches cake are evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 10% (half-and-half) cream.
The topping – The icing is whipping cream (35% cream), whipped with icing sugar. It can have a variety of garnishes from a dusting of cinnamon, fresh fruit, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings.

Tres Leches cake should be made ahead of time. I make mine the day before and keep it in the fridge. The added day allows the cake time to soak up the 3 milks layer. The day of, I make, and place, the icing and garnishes on the cake.

How to store Tres Leches cake

Tres Leches should be covered in cling film, or kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. To be honest, I’ve never had it last that long! Even though the cake has a high sugar content, it is filled with dairy and eggs, as well as being super moist; this makes the refrigerator, and not the counter top, the best option for storage.

When is Tres Leches cake eaten?

Like most cakes, Tres Leches is served for celebrations like birthdays, weddings, graduations, and family gatherings. It is a common dessert centre piece in many homes in and around Mexico and Latin America.

Can Tres Leches cake be frozen?

Yes! You can freeze Tres Leches cake.

Freezing the sponge – Making the sponge ahead and freezing it is a great time saver. To do this wrap the sponge in cling-film and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready for use, remove and let the cake come back to room temperature. Assemble the cake the same way you would with a fresh sponge.

Freezing the sponge and the milks – Another great option is to make the sponge, poke the holes, and allow it to soak up the milks layer. Then store in an air tight container in the freezer. When you are ready to use the cake, let it come back up to room temperature. Freshly apply the icing and garnishes before serving.

Freezing a fully assembled tres leches cake – This is also possible. Wrap the cake tightly in cling-film, or place in an air-tight container, and store in the freezer. When you are ready for use remove the cake and let it come back up to room temperature. However, the icing and garnishes will not be preserved as well or have the exact same texture as a freshly made cake.

Woman greasing a rectangular casserole dish with butter

Flour mixture in a sieve on top of a large metal bowl.

Ingredients for Tres Leches Cake

For the sponge

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder

6 eggs, separated

½ cup whole milk

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Woman beating an egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla mixture in a glass bowl with rotary beaters.

Mixing an egg yolk mixture with a sifted flour mixture, in a metal bowl with a green and white spatula.

The milks

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1¼ cups half-and-half (10% cream)

Child adding sweetened condensed milk to a porcelain bowl with cream and evaporated milk in it.

Child stirring a bowl with a milk mixture for a tres leches cake, in a large porcelain bowl.

Topping

2 cups whipping cream (35% cream)

¼ cup icing sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnishes (optional)

Some ideas include: Chopped nuts, cinnamon, maraschino cherries, sliced fresh fruit, chocolate curls or shavings.

Whipping 35% cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment

Woman dusting a tres leches cake with cinnamon using a small sifter.

Method

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Grease a rectangular 9 x 13 in. casserole dish.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch 5 times. Set aside. (Don’t skip this step. It makes the flour really light and airy!)
Separate the egg yolks and whites. Beat the whites until they hold a stiff peak. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy.
Add in the sifted flour mixture and the milk. Beat until smooth.
Gently, with a large spoon or spatula, fold in the egg whites. Try to incorporate without destroying too much of the light airiness of the egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Bake 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Set the cake aside to cool to room temperature.

For the milk mixture

In a large bowl combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and the 10% cream (Half-and-half).
Whisk to combine.
Now that the cake has cooled. Punch holes all over the cake. We do not just punch 10 or 20 holes. We use a skewer and punch hundreds of holes! (Kids love doing this part!)
Gently, pour the milk mixture, evenly, overtop of the cake.
Cover with cling-film and place in the fridge, overnight, to soak up the milk mixture.

Icing and Topping

In a large bowl, add the whipping cream (35% cream). Whip until it starts to hold very soft peaks.
Mix in the vanilla.
While mixing on low, add in the icing sugar.
Gradually increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
Spread the cream evenly on top of the cake.
Slice and serve as it is, or garnish with your favourite topping!