Lusciously sweet, creamy and moist, this Tres Leches Cake, after years of perfecting the recipe, is simply divine. It’s served with fresh berries for balance and beautiful color – a festive, red, white and blue!
All Good Things Do Come in Threes
Although today there are countless variations and flavors, the classic Tres Leches Cake (pastel, tarta or torta de tres leches in Spanish) is essentially a sponge or butter cake that is soaked with a mixture of three types of milk (tres leches) and topped with whipped cream or meringue. The three milk products typically consist of sweet and condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk. Our Tres Leches Cake recipe calls for an all-purpose flour based butter cake and cream instead of whole milk for a denser, richer and creamier cake: yum!
Tres Leches Cake Fun Facts
The precise origins of Tres Leches Cake are widely disputed. Some say it originated in Nicaragua, others say it was in Mexico, but regardless of where it originated, it’s clear that Nestlé played a significant role in popularizing this delicious dessert.
According to The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (a must-have resource for anyone with a serious sweet tooth):
The immediate origin is almost certainly a recipe developed or at least disseminated by Nestlé in the 1970s or 1980s in cookbooks and on the backs of labels on cans of La Lechera (the milkmaid) condensed milk. The technique of soaking cakes and tortes in liquids goes back several centuries and is found in English trifle and Italian tiramisù. In the Spanish world, antes (starters) were often liquid-soaked cakes and tortes that bridged the sweet-savory boundary. By the 1990s, tres leches cake had spread across Latin America. . . . By the first decade of the twenty-first century, tres leches cake was to be found in the United States, Canada, Australasia, Britain, Germany and India . . . . Laudan, Rachel. The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, “tres leches cake.” New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
We owe you a BIG thank you, Nestlé!
Pastel de Tres Leches (Tres Leches Cake) with Fresh Berries Recipe
- For the Cake:
- • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 4 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for pan
- • 1 cup granulated sugar
- • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)*
- • 5 large eggs at room temperature
- For the Milk Glaze:
- • 1 (14-ounce) can sweet and condensed milk
- • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- • 1 cup whipping cream (or half-and-half)
- • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)*
- For the Cake Topping:
- • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
- • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- • Fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries, for serving
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan; set aside.
Step 2: Preparing the cake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl, as necessary. Add the vanilla paste (or extract) and mix to combine. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing for 1 minute in between each addition. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Step 3: Baking the cake: Place cake pan on the middle rack of oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until edges are golden brown or a cake tester comes out clean. Turn the cake halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Remove cake pan from oven and place on a cooling rack; allow to cool completely.
Step 4: Poke holes all over the cake (approximately every half inch) using a fork or wooden skewer.
Step 5: For the milk glaze: In a 2 quart sauce pan add the sweet and condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream and vanilla paste (or extract) and warm over low heat until just combined. Using a ladle, slowly pour the warm milk mixture evenly over the cake. Allow the cake to rest for at least 4 hours (or preferably refrigerate overnight) for the liquid to be fully absorbed.
Step 6: For the cake topping: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar. Whisk together on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with fresh berries.
*Although vanilla extract can be substituted for vanilla paste, we prefer to use vanilla paste for this recipe. Vanilla paste is essentially the inside of vanilla pods that has been scraped out and made into a paste, so it has a more intense sweet vanilla flavor and a touch of vanilla specs for color.
We hope you LOVE this Tres Leches Cake recipe. Thank you for visiting!