Ever since I can remember, there has always been one dessert I’ve begged my aunt Ani to make: her signature tres leches cake recipe. She is an amazing baker and cake decorator, but her tres leches are hands-down the best. Aside from some additions I’ve made to the soaking liquid, this recipe reflects her signature cake. I can’t wait to share it with you.
What is Tres Leches Cake?
I was born in Venezuela and though many people think tres leches is from Mexico or Nicaragua, the origins of the tres leches are a Latin American mystery. So for our purposes and my pride, the tres leches is Venezuelan, OK?
This beloved cake gets its name from the trio of milks—evaporated, condensed, and whole—that soaks into every bite, creating a delectably moist texture.
Why You’ll Love This Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Tres leches cake is the dessert equivalent of a cozy cashmere sweater: indulgent, comforting, and endlessly luxurious. It’s the kind of cake that demands a fork and a moment of silence to appreciate the blend of sweet, creamy goodness. Perfect for gatherings or just when you need a little extra decadence in your day, tres leches is the cake that proves more is definitely more.
Tips for Making Tres Leches Cake
Pour the soaking liquid with a heavy hand. The cake should be drenched in the liquid, so if you find yourself wondering whether it’s enough, make a little more and pour it over.
Perfect the soak. To get that ultra-moist texture, pour the liquid slowly and evenly over the soak. Use a skewer or fork to poke holes all over the cake before pouring. This helps the milk seep in thoroughly, ensuring every bite is as luscious as the last.
Chill for maximum flavor. Once you’ve soaked the cake, let it rest in the fridge for at least four hours, or better yet, overnight. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, making the cake even richer and more flavorful. Trust us, patience pays off with this one!
Swap out your meringue. While I’m partial to meringue for the topping, fresh whipped cream is another tasty option. To elevate the flavor, add a splash of vanilla extract and a bit of sugar while whipping. Keep it light and fluffy, then spread generously over the cake just before serving for that perfect balance of creamy and airy.
Make it kid-friendly. My soaking liquid has rum in it (ahem Venezuelan rum) and coffee! Feel free to replace the quantities of these for more milk, but if you can stick to the recipe you’ll be happy you did.
Rum & Coffee Spiced Tres Leches
Serves 1 Cake
Tres Leches is the perfect cake for the holidays because you can make 1 or 2 days in advance and it will only get better. If you are like me there are too many things to cook during the holiday season, so start as early as you can so you can enjoy every recipe.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 4 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Soaking Liquid:
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk,
- 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup rum
- ¼ cup espresso (or cold brew concentrate)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
Meringue:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartas
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt in a small bowl. Sift through a fine-mesh colander onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until soft peaks forms, the slowly add the sugar, then add egg yolks one at a time.
- Add the milk, vanilla, and then the sifted flour.
- Grease well with butter a 9-inch springform pan
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and place in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a long toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Soaking liquid:
- Using a blender, combine all the ingredients for the soaking liquid until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust anything at this point.
- Using a toothpick or a skewer, poke holes on top of the cake, about 1 hole every inch, until you cover the whole top of the cake with holes, making sure the skewer hits the bottom of the pan. Pour over the cake slowly 1 cup at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed as you add it until it is all completely absorbed and continuing to the next cup. It will take some time, be patient, this is the key to the tres leches.
- Place the soaked cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. When you are ready to eat, open the springform onto a rimmed plate, or not and get messy like we did for this photoshoot, food is for playing in my house!
Meringue (make this the day you are ready to enjoy your tres leches!):
- Using a metal stem thermometer, bring sugar and ½ cup of water to a boil until it reaches 250F.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until medium peaks form. As the mixer is one start incorporating the hot sugar water, VERY slowly. After it’s fully incorporated, add the cream of tartar and the salt. Keep the mixer at high speed until the peaks are stiff, this will take approximately 5 minutes.
- Pour the meringue over the cake and use the clouds as inspiration to shape the meringue-like a pillowy dream over your cake. Enjoy!