09/22/2026
Tres Leches Cake From Scratch 🍰🥛
Cake
* 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
* 1½ teaspoons baking powder
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 5 large eggs, separated
* 1 cup granulated sugar, divided in half
* ⅓ cup whole milk
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Tres Leches Milk Mixture
* 1 can evaporated milk
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 cup milk, heavy cream, half-and-half, or coffee creamer
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Whipped Cream
* 1 carton heavy whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
* A splash of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
1. Make the cake:
Preheat your oven and prepare your baking pan. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
Whip the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add half of the sugar. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, then add the milk and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix—we want a light, spongy cake.
Fold about one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites, using a scoop-and-fold motion to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
Bake until the cake is cooked through and lightly golden.
2. Make the milk mixture:
Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, your choice of milk/cream, and vanilla. Mix well and keep refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
3. Soak the cake:
Once the cake has cooled, poke holes all over the top with a fork or skewer. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Save about ½ cup of the milk mixture if you’d like extra for drizzling when serving.
4. Make the whipped cream:
Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Do a LIGHT 😂dusting of cinnamon.
Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake, slice, and enjoy! 🤍
