The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe (Easy and Authentic)
This Easy Tres Leches Cake Recipe is a dreamy, crowd-pleasing dessert that's soaked in rich, spiced milk and topped with sweetened whipped cream. Light, airy, and irresistibly moist, it's everything a homemade cake should be simple to make, rich in flavor, and perfect for sharing. Whether you're baking for a birthday, church potluck, or just a cozy night in with family, this from-scratch recipe brings sweetness and connection to the table. Prep Time: 25 mins | Chill Time: 4 hours | Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins | Yield: Serves 10 to 12
I first tried tres leches cake years ago, and I've been baking it ever since. Over time, I've added my own twist, just a little extra sugar and a hint of spice to make it feel like home. Tres Leches Cake literally translates to Three Milks Cake. The simple yellow cake is soaked in a mixture of three milks. I've seen variations on which three milks to use. I prefer sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream. The heavy cream gives an added creaminess to the mixture that is almost custard-like.
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- The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe (Easy and Authentic)
- 🥛 What Makes This Easy Tres Leches Cake So Delicious
- 🍰 Our Family-Favorite Tres Leches Cake Recipe (With a Sweet Topping)
- 🍽 A Family-Favorite Dessert for Every Gathering
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe
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Indulge in the ultimate Authentic Tres Leches Cake with this rich, flavorful twist on the classic! This sponge cake is soaked in a creamy blend of three milks: sweetened condensed, evaporated, and heavy cream, creating a custard-like texture that melts in your mouth. Infused with hints of cinnamon and cloves, each bite brings a subtle warmth, topped with sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for an elegant finish. Warning: the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the cake to cool before diving in!
My kids (and friends) ask for this cake all the time, and honestly, I'm not mad about it. It's one of those recipes that disappears fast but lingers in memory. But, if you're craving more cozy desserts, don't miss our decadent flourless chocolate cake recipe, or our flourless brownies.
🥛 What Makes This Easy Tres Leches Cake So Delicious
This version, which is a variation from a New York Times recipe, infuses the milk with cinnamon and cloves adding a subtle hint of spice, which I love. Pouring the milk over the cake while it is still warm helps it absorb the milk and spice flavors.
🍰 Our Family-Favorite Tres Leches Cake Recipe (With a Sweet Topping)
My Tres Leches Cake recipe adds more sugar to the whipped cream topping than most. That may be controversial for some; to each his own, I like the sweetness! A dusting of cinnamon finishes the cake off, making it look deceptively elegant.
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the cake to cool and absorb all of that delicious milk before eating!
🍽 A Family-Favorite Dessert for Every Gathering
Whether you're prepping for a birthday, church gathering, or simply want to end a weeknight dinner with something special, this easy tres leches cake recipe fits beautifully into family-centered hospitality. It's the kind of dessert that feels both humble and celebratory, simple enough for a weeknight, yet rich and elegant enough to bring to a potluck or holiday table.
This easy tres leches cake is a must-try for fans of creamy desserts, moist cakes, and classic Latin-inspired recipes. With its custard-soaked sponge, lightly spiced warmth, and sweet whipped topping, it's homemade, approachable, and sure to impress your loved ones with every bite.
Check out more easy cake recipes and from-scratch desserts for your next celebration.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Authenticity comes from both tradition and ingredients. This recipe uses the classic three milks: sweetened condensed, evaporated, and heavy cream, along with a light sponge cake that soaks it all up. The added touch of cinnamon and cloves gives a subtle warmth that's often found in Latin American home kitchens.
Yes! In fact, tres leches cake is better when made ahead. The cake needs time to fully absorb the milk mixture, at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. It's the perfect make-ahead dessert for parties, holidays, or Sunday dinner.
A proper tres leches cake should be moist and custardy, not soupy. If it's overly wet, the cake base may have been too soft or the milk wasn't absorbed long enough. This recipe is designed to balance soak time and sponge texture so you get that dreamy, tender bite every time.
If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute whole milk for a lighter version, though the texture will be less creamy. For a slightly indulgent but still lighter twist, half-and-half works well too.
Cover the cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor actually deepens over time, making leftovers even better. Just wait to add any garnishes like cinnamon or fruit until right before serving.
Recipe
Tres Leches Cake Recipe: Easy, Authentic, and Irresistibly Moist
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup AP flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch glass baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy. This make take several minutes depending on the speed of your mixer. The mixture is done when it leaves a ribbon behind when stirred.
- For the remainder of the recipe I prefer to mix by hand. Add half of the flour mixture and fold together gently. Mix in milk and then remaining flour mixture. Take care to fold gently and only until the flour and milk are just combined. Over mixing will create a tough cake crumb.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.
- Allow cake to cool on wire rack while you make the milk mixture.
- In a small pot combine cream, evaporated milk and cinnamon stick and warm over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. This allows the cinnamon stick to infuse the milk.
- Remove from the heat and add sweetened condensed milk, ground cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk well to combine.
- Poke holes all over cooled cake, I use a fork for this. Slowly pour milk mixture over cake. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for several hours, up to overnight.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.
- Whisk on medium speed until beginning to thicken. Turn mixer to medium-high speed until thickened and holds soft peaks.
- Top completely chilled cake with whipped cream and sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon before serving.
Private Notes
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About Kendra Boettner
Hi, I'm Kendra, wife, mom of three, and the baker behind The Baker's Table. My love for baking began in my mother's and grandmother's kitchens and grew through more than 15 years of practice, professional kitchen work, and now daily life baking for my family, and sometimes even with my own kids.
Every recipe here is developed, tested, and photographed in my real family kitchen. They are created for home bakers who want dependable instructions, nostalgic flavors, and encouragement to bake with confidence. Favorites like our Cinnamon Rolls and Tres Leches Cake have become trusted go-tos for thousands of readers.
When I'm not baking, I also serve foster families in South Carolina through my work with Lily Pad, a nonprofit rooted in comfort and care. My husband Eric manages the tech and digital strategy so I can focus on creating recipes you can count on. Together, we built The Baker's Table to share from-scratch baking that brings connection back to the table.
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Eric Boettner says
Amazing!
Eric Boettner says
Crowd favorite for sure! Friends ask for this often.
Lauren says
Where do the cloves go? Whole or ground?