Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Welcome to the delightful world of Puerto Rican cuisine! Today, we're deeply diving into a beloved traditional dessert—the Puerto Rican Tres Leche. This luscious treat is a moist sponge cake soaked in a tantalizing blend of three kinds of milk, hence the name. Light, creamy, and bursting with flavors, it promises a heavenly experience for your taste buds with every bite. Ready to satiate your sweet cravings?

Let's get baking!

In our house, we really love making a special cake called Puerto Rican Tres Leches. It's super yummy and is our go-to treat for parties and birthdays! The best part is that you can create this with ingredients in your pantry.

What is tres leches cake?

Tres Leches is a popular dessert originating from Latin America. The name ‘Tres Leches' translates to ‘three milks' in Spanish, and as the name suggests, it's a sponge cake— or sometimes a butter cake— soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.

The cake is typically baked, then holes are poked into the top so that the three-milk mixture can permeate throughout, resulting in a moist, sweet, and incredibly rich cake. It's often topped with whipped cream or meringue and sometimes garnished with fruits like maraschino cherries or strawberries for added color and flavor.

Tres Leches goes by different names in various cultures. In Nicaragua and Mexico, it's commonly known as “Pastel de Tres Leches” or “Torta de Tres Leches.”

In English, it is sometimes referred to as Three Milk Cake. The general concept remains the same despite the varying names: a deliciously sweet and creamy cake that delights the senses.

About Our Puerto Rican Tres Leche Cake Recipe

Our Puerto Rican Tres Leche Cake is not your average cake. This exquisite dessert is famous in the United States for its deliciously decadent taste. What sets this cake apart is the Tres Leche mixture: a dreamy concoction of Media Crema, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum, and vanilla extract that seeps into the cake, making it incredibly moist, dense, and delightfully sweet.

This recipe, which results in 12 mouth-watering servings, is an adventure in the kitchen that transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary dessert. A straightforward recipe that requires a mere 51 minutes from prep to plate, it's perfect for impressing guests or satisfying those sweet tooth cravings at home.

Using Media Cream

Media Crema, also known as table cream or cooking cream, is a versatile dairy product often used in various cuisines worldwide. When it comes to baking, here are three facts about Media Crema that people might not know:

1. Enhances Moisture and Texture: Media Crema is an excellent ingredient for adding extra moisture to baked goods. Its rich and creamy texture helps in creating softer, more tender cakes, muffins, and bread. Unlike milk, Media Crema contains a higher fat content, contributing to a richer flavor and a more delicate crumb in the final product.
2. Substitute for Heavy Cream: In recipes that call for heavy cream, Media Crema can serve as a lighter alternative without significantly affecting the outcome of the dish. This substitution is particularly useful for those looking to reduce the fat content in their baked goods without compromising on taste or texture. However, it's important to note that because Media Crema is slightly less thick than heavy cream, the results might be subtly different, especially in recipes where the fat content plays a crucial role in structure or texture.
3. Ideal for No-Bake Desserts: Media Crema is not only beneficial in traditional baking but also shines in no-bake desserts. It can be whipped and used as a topping or mixed with ingredients like condensed milk and fruit purees to create quick, creamy fillings for pies and tarts. Its stability and richness make it an excellent choice for layered desserts, where it can help layers maintain their shape and provide a luxurious mouthfeel.

Incorporating Media Crema into your baking endeavors can open up a new dimension of flavor and texture, making it a valuable addition to your pantry for traditional and innovative culinary creations.

What are the ingredients to make Puerto Rican Tres Leches cake?

To make the cake, you are going to need the following ingredients:

For the cake, you'll need:

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup of sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of milk

For the mesmerizing tres leches mixture:

• 1 can (7.6 . oz.) of NESTLÉ Media Crema, or 1 cup of heavy cream
• One 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• One 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
• ½ teaspoon of imitation rum
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

And for the fluffy topping:

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

How to Make Tres Leches Cake Recipe 

Now that you have gathered your ingredients, it is time to make this Tres Leche Cake. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees, and then prepare your baking pan, preferably a 9 x 13-inch, by spraying it with non-stick baking spray.

Next, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Separate your eggs into two separate bowls—one for the yolks and another for the whites. Use a mixer on high with the egg yolks and gradually add about ¾ of the sugar. You'll want the eggs to turn to a pale yellow color. Adding vanilla and milk to the egg mix would be perfect.

Subsequently, incorporate the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently until well combined. With the egg whites, mix at high speed until soft peaks form. Then add the remaining sugar and continue to mix until the egg whites stiffen, but ensure they are not dry.

Gently fold this mixture into the batter. Once mixed, pour the cake mixture into your baking pan and bake for 35 – 45 minutes. While allowing your cake to cool, insert holes all over it with a fork.

For the Tres Leche Mixture, combine sweetened condensed milk, Media Crema, evaporated milk, imitation rum, and vanilla in a large measuring cup and stir the mixture well. Pour this mixture over the cake, and wait about 20 to 30 minutes for the cake to absorb the liquid. Excess liquid can be removed from the side.

Remember to refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes.

For the topping, combine sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla in a bowl and mix until it forms peaks. Spread this all over the cake before serving.

Here are some tips: The rum is not mandatory in this recipe, and the milk mixture does not require warming up.

Enjoy your Puerto Rican Tres Leche Cake and taste Puerto Rico at home.

Check out these recipes:

• Leche Frita (Fried Milk)
• Dulce De Leche Cortada
• Puerto Rican Arroz Con Leche

Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Now that you know everything you need to create this delicious homemade tres leches cake, it is time to print the recipe with the exact measurements.

To print, hit the print button located below.