If you invite me over for dinner, I will never be rude. I will make you feel like you are the best cook in the world. You might even send me home with your recipes. Truth is: my mom raised me to always be polite to someone who has opened their home to me. But when you serve me a Tres Leches Cake (or Pastel de Tres Leches) made from a cake box and topped with Cool Whip, that’s where I draw the line. My excuse will be “I have no room for dessert,” but secretly in my head I’ll be saying, “Lord, help me!”
Tres Leches Cake (or Pastel de Tres Leches) is one of those Mexican desserts that will make you swoon (like the girls at a Beatles concert), but it has to be made right. So delicious and a great way to end a meal. It all starts with the cake. The problem with most Pastel de Tres Leches cakes is that the cake is too sweet. Then, the end product is like eating sugar over sugar. Bleh!
You also want the texture of the cake to be soft and tender. That means egg whites. Gently fold them to create the batter.
Do the hokey pokey all over the cake. This will help the milk absorb.
Next pour the milk mixture all over the cake. Let this rest in the fridge to absorb all the milky goodness.
Top it off with homemade whipped cream. It must be made with real whipping cream. You’ve got to whip it! Whip it real good! None of that stuff you find in the frozen food section.
Most places in Mexico will sell Tres Leches Cake (or Pastel de Tres Leches) sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate powder. I like a few strawberries or raspberries. Not too many, just a few will do. You really want the milky flavors of the cake to shine and with bite of fresh fruit.. YUM! It takes this dessert to a whole new level. Tell me you wouldn’t like a slice of this cake.
Tres Leches Cake (or Pastel de Tres Leches)
Ingredients
- Butter and flour to butter the pan
- 1 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk can
- 1 12-ounce evaporated milk can
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- maraschino cherries strawberries, raspberries, or cocoa powder (for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F).
- Butter and flour bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar for 1 minute.
- Stir in milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, flour and baking powder.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks.
- Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar.
- Beat until firm.
- Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it.
- Fold in remaining egg whites.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool 10-15 minutes.
- Run a knife along the edge of cake before removing from pan.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- Place cooled cake on a deep serving plate.
- Use a fork or toothpicks to pierce the cake in several places.
- Mix together condensed milk, evaporated milk and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream.
- Set aside 1 cup of the measured milk mixture and refrigerate for another use.
- Pour remaining milk mixture over cake slowly until absorbed.
- Whip the remaining whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons sugar until it thickens.
- Frost cake with whipped cream and garnish.
- Store cake in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
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Anonymous says
March 22, 2019 at 10:56 amBest tres leches recipe!
Jocelyne says
March 27, 2019 at 10:08 pmWhat type / size of cake pan did you use? Could you send me or post a picture please. Is it a regular round cake pan or is it deeper?I have both
Tara says
April 18, 2019 at 11:55 pmWhat size cake pan did you use? We are doing ‘Mexican’ theme for Easter Day. I’ve never made tres leches, a little nervous. Ive always LOVED the cake! Thank you!
Tara says
April 18, 2019 at 11:57 pmAlmost forgot! I also will need to double the recipe, and was thinking I should use a 9×13 rectangular dish 😊
Maggie Unzueta says
April 19, 2019 at 7:12 amHi! Yes, use a rectangular dish. You really can’t mess up this recipe for Tres Leches Cake. I think that’s why so many people like it. Even if you mess up the cake baking part, it gets soaked up in all the creaminess, hiding all the imperfections. lol. Happy Mexican Themed Easter!!
Rebecca says
April 21, 2019 at 5:15 pmI was wondering if I baked this in a rectangular dish, if I could use all of the milk mixture instead of saving a cup for another use. Would this batter be enough to fill a 9 x 13 pan or should I use something smaller?
Lori says
April 25, 2019 at 10:07 amHi! Will this get mushy in a regular cake pan? I don’t have a springform pan. Thanks!
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