Create this Amazing Tres Leches Cake for Cinco de Mayo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Latin American dessert that may look simple, but tastes oh so incredibly complicated.

Tres Leches Cake is a dessert that’s hard to resist. It’s a sponge cake soaked in three types of milk - evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. The cake is then topped with whipped cream and, optionally, fresh fruit. It’s a popular dessert in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The history of Tres Leches Cake is not clear but it’s believed to have originated in Nicaragua or Mexico. Some say it was created by home bakers as a way to use up leftover milk. Regardless of its origin, Tres Leches Cake has become a staple dessert in many Latin American countries and beyond.

If you’re looking for a dessert that’s sweet, moist, and delicious, Tres Leches Cake is the way to go! The preparation is a little more complicated than its simple looks may have you believe, but the PantryChic should help you measure out and bake this up in no time!

SmartCanister Lineup

This recipe is made easiest if you are using PantryChic SmartCanisters to store all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

If you are not already storing all of these ingredients in their own SmartCanister, you can always use the PantryChic's scale function to manually add an ingredient.

Start the Cake Batter

You will need two mixing bowls and an electric mixer bowl to best make this cake. To start the cake batter, use the PantryChic to dispense the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir everything together to evenly disperse the baking powder and salt.

Separate and Mix the Eggs

Separate the eggs, placing the egg yolks into a clean mixing bowl and the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer.

Place the mixing bowl of egg yolks on the PantryChic scale and dispense 3/4 cup sugar. Whisk for 2 minutes, until yolks are a pale yellow color. Whisk in whole milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In the electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high, until soft peaks form. Place the bowl of the electric mixer on the PantryChic scale and dispense 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks have formed.

Finish the Cake Batter

You should have three bowls of ingredients, the dry flour ingredients, the beaten egg yolk mixture, and the beaten egg white meringue.

Fold the egg yolk mixture into the mixing bowl of dry ingredients, until a smooth batter has formed. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites, until no streaks of white remain. Pour the combined batter into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Bake the Cake

On the center rack of a preheated 350°F oven, bake the cake for 25–28 minutes, just until the top is well browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 30 minutes.

Soak the Cake in Three Milks (Tres Leches)

In a clean mixing bowl, whisk together the three milks that give this recipe its name, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. This creates a “cake soak” that you will pour over the cake to absorb.

Once the cake has cooled, pierce the top of the cake all over with the tines of a fork. Pour the cake soak over the entire surface and allow it to absorb into the cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Top Things Off (Here Comes the Whipped Cream)

Prepare the whipped cream topping by pouring the heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl on the PantryChic scale and dispense the small amount of sugar to make a slightly sweetened cream. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. You want this thicker than traditional whipped cream to make it easier to frost over the cake.

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the entire surface of the soaked cake. Slice into squares and serve. Top with fresh sliced strawberries, whole raspberries, or blueberries, if desired.

Recipe: Tres Leches Cake

Active Prep Time: 45 mins ∙ Cook Time: 28 mins ∙ Serves: 9–12

SmartCanister Ingredients

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (5.3g) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

Other Ingredients

5 large eggs

1/3 cup (81.5g) whole milk

1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract

Tres Leches Cake Soak

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

3/4 cup (230g) sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup (60g) heavy cream

Whipped Cream Topping

SmartCanister Ingredients

2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

Other Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Place oven rack in the center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray, vegetable oil, or butter.
2. Place a large mixing bowl on the PantryChic scale. Dispense 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir together. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, separate the eggs, placing the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer and the yolks into a clean mixing bowl.
4. Place the mixing bowl of egg yolks on the PantryChic scale and dispense 3/4 cup sugar. Whisk for 2 minutes, until yolks are a pale yellow color. Whisk in whole milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
5. In the electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high, until soft peaks form. Place the bowl of the electric mixer on the PantryChic scale and dispense 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks have formed.
6. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the mixing bowl of dry ingredients, until a smooth batter has formed. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites, until no streaks of white remain. Pour the combined batter into the greased baking dish.
7. Bake 25–28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the cake soak by whisking together evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.
9. Once the cake has cooled, pierce the top of the cake all over with the tines of a fork. Pour the cake soak over the entire surface and allow it to absorb into the cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
10. Prepare the whipped cream topping by pouring the heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl on the PantryChic scale and dispense 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. You want this thicker than traditional whipped cream to make it easier to frost over the cake.
11. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the entire surface of the soaked cake. Slice into squares and serve. Top with fresh berries, if desired.