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Slice of tres leches cake on a plate with strawberries on top.
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Tres Leches Cake

Traditional tres leches cake recipe, this authentic Latin dessert consists of a sponge cake soaked in a mix of three milks: condensed milk, evaporated milk and regular milk or cream, topped with a classic meringue frosting.
Course Cakes, Dessert, Sweets
Cuisine Colombian, Ecuadorian, Latin American, Mexican, Peruvian, Venezuelan
Keyword authentic, Condensed milk, Sponge cake, Swiss meringue, Three milks, Traditional, Tres leches
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Time to soak in the milk mixture 4 hours
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8 portions, or one 8 or 9 inch square or round cake

Ingredients

For the sponge cake:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup of regular sugar 1 cup = 200 grams = 7 ounces
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour sifted, 1 cup = 140 grams = 5 ounces
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the tres leches or three milks mixture:

  • 1 can condensed milk 14 ounces = 397 grams
  • 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces = 355 ml
  • 1 cup of whole milk or cream, 1 cup = 240 ml
  • 1-2 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbs of rum optional – can also use rum extract for the rum flavor without the alcohol

For the meringue frosting (Swiss meringue)**:

  • 4 egg whites 4 egg whites = 5 ounces
  • 1 cup of sugar 1 cup = 200 grams = 7 ounces
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar or use a few drops of lemon juice instead
  • 1-2 tbs powdered sugar

Decorations and garnishes:

  • 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon
  • Strawberries canned peaches, cherries, fresh mango slices, chocolate shavings, etc

Instructions

For the sponge cake:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180 C)
  • Separate the 4 eggs into whites and yolks.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the 4 egg whites and use an electric mixer to beat them until they are fluffy. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a hand mixer or whisk, it will take longer, but you should get the same end result.
  • Add the 1 cup of sugar and continue beating the egg white mix until you have a shiny stiff mix.
  • On low speed, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the pinch of salt.
  • Use a spatula or mixing spoon to add the sifted flour in batches, mix gently to incorporate the flour without losing the airiness of the batter.
  • Add the cake batter to lightly greased mold, either a square or round 8-9inch mold.
  • Bake at 350F for about 30-35 minutes (if baking at 180C bake it for 20-25 minutes) or until golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven.

For the tres leches milk mixture:

  • In a medium sized bowl, mix the condensed milk, the evaporated milk, and the regular milk (or cream). Mix well.
  • Keep the cake in the baking mold and use a toothpick, skewer or even a fork to poke small holes all over the cake.
  • Add the three milks mix to the cake, make sure you cover the corner areas if using a square mold.
  • Refrigerate the cake for several hours, overnight is ideal.

For the meringue frosting:

  • In a medium-sized pot, heat a small amount of water over low temperature.
  • Then place a glass bowl containing the egg whites, sugar, pinch of salt, and cream of tartar. Bring the water to a simmer while constantly beating the egg whites with a hand mixer, mix the ingredients for 8-10 minutes. It is important not to stop beating or the egg whites may cook and will no longer work for the meringue.
  • When the sugar has dissolved and you have foamy mixture, remove the glass bowl from the heat and switch to an electric hand mixer, increasing the speed from medium to high until the meringue forms peaks and the meringue is glossy and shiny. This should take about 5-7 minutes of mixing.
  • A tip to stabilize the meringue is to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar when the creamy meringue texture begins to form.

To decorate:

  • If you prefer a more rustic or homemade style cake decoration, simply spread the meringue over the entire surface of the cake. I usually do this with the back of a spoon.
  • If you want a fancier style cake decoration, the best option is to use a pastry bag with your favorite tip and use the frosting to make a more elaborate design.
  • To finish, sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the meringue. It is totally optional, but traditionally a classic tres leches should have a little cinnamon topping.
  • You can also decorate the top of the cake with your choice of fresh fruit like strawberries, mango, passion fruit, raspberries, or canned fruit like peaches, etc. Other topping ideas include caramel or dulce de leche, or chocolate shavings.
  • Refrigerate your decorated tres leches cake until it is time to serve it.

Notes

  • **For a lighter frosting option, you can replace the meringue frosting with a whipped cream frosting.
  • The quantities in this recipe can be doubled to prepare a 9x13 inch rectangular sheet pan cake, or you can make two round or two square cakes.