No Bake Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake

Name: NO BAKE TIRAMISU TRES LECHES CAKE RECIPE
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: PT-481427H50M2S
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 265g or 9oz sweetened condensed milk (roughly 2/3rd of a 14 oz can; quantity can be adjusted to taste); 400g evaporated milk (one 14 oz can); 1/3 cup whole milk (80g); 1 to 2 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water; 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (480g); 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g); ½ tsp vanilla (optional); 4 oz good quality mascarpone cheese; 35-40 ladyfingers (about 1.5 packs with 24 ladyfingers each); 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This No Bake Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake takes only 8 ingredients and 15 minutes of work to make, and is the perfect combination of Tiramisu and Tres Leches. The cake is soft, light, moist, and bursting with delicious coffee flavor.

This recipe is inspired by my uber popular Easy No Bake Tres Leches and Easy Chocolate Tiramisu recipes, as well as our shared love for very quick and easy desserts. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and I cannot recommend it enough!

tiramisu tres leches in a rectangular dish dusted with cocoa powder and cut into 8 slices. 2 slices have been removed to show the layers of soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone whipped cream. close up picture from an angle

slice of tiramisu tres leches on a small plate with layers of ladyfingers soaked in coffee milk, mascarpone whipped cream and cocoa powder on top. another plate in background

Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

WHAT IS TIRAMISU TRES LECHES CAKE?

Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake is a combination of two popular desserts: Tiramisu from Italy and Tres Leches Cake from Mexico. It usually has a cake layer which is soaked with a coffee flavored three milk mixture (hence the "tres leches") and topped with a mascarpone cream and cocoa powder (hence the "tiramisu"). Some recipes also add a layer of coffee soaked ladyfingers.

WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE SPECIAL

There are many different Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake recipes on the internet, so why should you try this one?

Well, the answer lies in how easy it is. So easy, in fact, that it feels too good to be true.

The secret? Ladyfingers (also called Savoiardi biscuits)! When I was developing my easy no bake Tres Leches cake recipe, I was surprised to find out no one had used that hack before. Not only are ladyfingers already used for Tiramisu, they also make a great substitute for the cake in Tres Leches. They remove the hassle of baking, and allow you incredible flexibility in how big or small you want the Tres Leches cake to be, and also how you want to serve it (e.g., one dish vs individual portions).

Similarly, the mascarpone cream is a simplified version made with just heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and mascarpone cheese. No eggs or cooking needed.

And don't worry, this recipe isn't just easy. It also tastes absolutely incredible.

spatula pulling out a slice of tiramisu tres leches from the dish; showing layers of soaked sponge, mascarpone whipped cream and cocoa powder on top

tiramisu tres leches in a rectangular dish dusted with cocoa powder and cut into 8 slices, close up angled picture

WHERE TO FIND LADYFINGERS?

You can find Ladyfingers or Savoiardi biscuits at most grocery stores, usually in the biscuit aisle but sometimes in the International foods aisle. I have had the most luck with Whole Foods, Walmart and South Asian supermarkets. You can also order them from Amazon.

HOW TO SERVE NO BAKE TIRAMISU TRES LECHES CAKE

The great thing about this recipe is that it is incredibly versatile when it comes to serving. You can use any shape or size of serving dish, whether one big one or individual portions, and just cut your ladyfingers to fit as needed.

This recipe makes enough for a 7x11 ceramic serving dish, which is what I used.

VIDEO TUTORIAL

Here is a short video tutorial for this recipe I recommend watching:

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="91bsoGYg" upload-date="2024-08-13T05:43:18.000Z" name="No Bake Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake" description="How to make no bake tiramisu tres leches cake" player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

PROCESS WITH PHOTOS

Start by making the coffee three milk mixture by whisking together all ingredients:

three types of milk and coffee in a bowl

coffee three milk mixture in a glass bowl

Add a layer of ladyfingers to the bottom of the serving dish. Pour over half of the milk mixture, flipping the ladyfingers midway and making sure they're all drenched:

layer of ladyfingers arranged in a rectangular dish

layer of ladyfingers soaked in coffee three milk mixture arranged in a rectangular pan

Add another layer of ladyfingers and repeat so all the milk mixture is used. Then refrigerate:

second layer of ladyfingers arranged in a rectangular dish

second layer of ladyfingers soaked in coffee three milk mixture arranged in a rectangular pan

Whisk the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla (optional) until it starts to thicken up:

heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a glass bowl

Then add the mascarpone cheese and whisk until the cream reaches a spreadable consistency:

mascarpone added to thickened heavy cream in a glass bowl

mascarpone whipped cream in a glass bowl

Spread the mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfingers:

mascarpone whipped cream added on top of soaked ladyfingers

mascarpone whipped cream spread on top of tiramisu tres leches in rectangular dish

Dust with cocoa powder, serve and enjoy!

tiramisu tres leches in a rectangular dish dusted with cocoa powder and cut into 8 slices

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How can I substitute ladyfingers in this cake?

If you don't have ladyfingers, you will need to just make the original Tres Leches cake. Google will give you many recipes!

Is Tiramisu Tres Leches supposed to be soggy?

Yes! This cake, by design, is supposed to be well soaked, almost soggy. That's the beauty of it. It is more like dessert than cake.

What is a substitute for mascarpone cheese in this recipe?

Unfortunately there is no perfect substitute for mascarpone cheese in a tiramisu recipe. If you really can't find anything, use cream cheese instead.

Why is my mascarpone cream mixture runny?

If your mascarpone cream mixture runny, it could be because your mascarpone cheese has a different consistency or your heavy cream wasn't whipped enough. Don't worry - just whisk for a few seconds and it should thicken up as the cream inside reaches stiff peaks.

Why is my mascarpone cream mixture grainy?

This usually happens when mascarpone cheese is overmixed (it is really quite sensitive) or you are using a lower quality brand of mascarpone cheese (they are not all created equal). I strongly recommend getting a good quality brand like Galbani or Vermont Creamery, and being very careful when mixing it with the cream. You want to do it at low speed just until combined.

It is okay if the mixture looks slightly grainy; sometimes that it just the texture of the mascarpone cheese. It shouldn't taste grainy and will be good to eat.

Can I prepare this Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake in advance?

Yes, you can make this cake 1-2 days in advance and keep covered in the fridge. Do not dust with cocoa powder until ready to serve, though!

How to store Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake?

You definitely want to keep this No Bake Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake in the fridge! Cover your dish with cling wrap. It should keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

MORE NO BAKE RECIPES

Here are some more easy, no bake recipes you'll love: