This is the perfect classic Tres Leches Cake (milk cake): light, soft, moist and thoroughly soaked in a delicious three milk mixture that has the perfect amount of sweetness and a hint of cinnamon. The base is a sponge ("biscuit") cake made by folding whipped egg whites into the batter for its light and spongy texture, and no oil or butter to weigh it down. The cake is baked, poked with holes and soaked in a mixture of three milks: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk. Finally, a layer of plain whipped cream (no sugar) is piped on top to finish the cake and balance it out, along with some fresh berries for decoration. This Tres Leches is truly as good as it gets with no dry bits to be found, while also being incredibly simple!
I first developed this recipe in 2023 after falling in love with the viral Milk Cake from L'ETO Caffe in London. Since then, I've tested, tweaked and improved it further to create a version that is light and moist like the original, but even better in flavor.
This is one of the first and only Tres Leches cake recipes that has worked really well for me! The sponge was super soft and the overall flavor was perfect. Another one of Zoha's recipes added to my dinner party menu! Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.
- Deeba, ★★★★★
If you're too short on time to attempt a sponge cake from scratch, you may wanna try my Easy No Bake Tres Leches which uses ladyfingers instead and works perfectly! And if you're not scared to venture out in flavor, my Mango Lassi Tres Leches and Masala Chai Tres Leches are both delicious.
Video Tutorial
For all my visual people, here's a quick video tutorial on making this cake:
Step-by-Step Photos
The detailed recipe is below, but let's quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.
Add half of the sugar, milk, vanilla and salt to the egg yolks.
Whisk thoroughly until the mixture becomes light in color.
Sift in the flour, cornstarch and baking powder.
Whisk or fold in gently until no lumps remain.
To the egg whites, add the other half of the sugar and cream of tartar (optional).
Using clean whisks, whip the egg whites until they form a stiff, glossy and stable meringue that holds a peak.
Add a third of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in.
Add the rest of the meringue and continue gently folding until just combined.
Gently transfer the batter to a 9x13" baking pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean - then let it cool down.
It is totally normal for the sponge cake to deflate a bit after you take it out of the oven as it loses steam. As long as it still has a light texture, you're fine!
Add the ingredients for the milk mixture to a bowl.
Whisk to combine, and taste to adjust! I like to start with a smaller amount of sweetened condensed milk, and add more if I feel it's needed.
Use the back of a skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Pour over half of the three milk mixture and let it aborb.
Pour over the rest of the milk mixture and refrigerate until it is all soaked in.
Once chilled, decorate the cake with whipped cream and fresh berries! I use a 1M star tip to pipe swirls and they look beautiful.
Two Common Mistakes To Avoid
The most important thing you need to get right for this recipe is, unsurprisingly, the Sponge Cake itself. Unlike many recipes which use boxed cake mix and end up feeling heavy and dense, this recipe uses a "biscuit sponge" which is very light and airy with no oil or butter. When correctly made, the cake will have lots of air pockets that soak up all the liquid like a sponge while still maintaining a light texture.
There are 2 common mistakes people make which result in a dense or rubbery sponge instead of a light one - and here's how you can avoid them.
1. Not whipping the egg whites properly
The egg whites are whipped with sugar and cream of tartar until they form a white and glossy meringue. The air whipped into the meringue is what gives the cake its texture, so it is crucial to whip it perfectly. Here are my best tips for you:
- Make sure there's no fat in the egg whites. Use a clean bowl and clean whisks with no grease residue, and ensure you don't accidentally get any egg yolks in them. Fat causes egg whites to deflate
- Whisk on medium speed. Medium speed allows creating the right sized air bubbles that are stable. If you try to whisk at high speed, the meringue can become split and deflate. So be patient and take your time!
- Don't under-whip. You are looking for the stiff peak phase. This means when you lift the whisk (or beaters) from the meringue, it should leave behind a little peak that stands up straight and doesn't fall back down. If it bends back down into the bowl, whisk longer
- Don't overwhip, either! Once the meringue reaches the stiff peak stage, stop whisking. Over-whipping adds too many air bubbles which break down the structure of the meringue
2. Overmixing the batter
The meringue needed to be folded into the rest of the cake batter. The goal with here is to retain as much of the air in the meringue as possible, so you don't undo all the effort! Many people end up overmixing or being too aggressive with this step, which causes the batter to deflate. Here are my tips:
- Start with a third of the meringue. This will lighten up the texture of the cake batter, making it easier to mix with the rest of the meringue
- Use a very gentle folding motion with a rubber spatula. Go around the bowl, then cut through, then lift from the bottom. Don't do any rigorous whisking, and take your time here
- Don't overdo it! As soon as the meringue is 95% of the way folded in, you can stop. If you see a few tiny lumps of meringue, break them gently with the spatula.
A Few More Tips
- Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale - this is much more accurate than measuring cups, and you won't accidentally add too much flour!
- Don't let the cake batter sit out for too long - bake it straight away so it doesn't lose air
- Use a metal baking pan, NOT ceramic or glass. Sponge cakes do not bake and dry out properly in ceramic / glass pans
- Do NOT grease the pan, and ideally avoid nonstick! Put parchment paper on the bottom but no oil, butter or spray on the edges. We want the cake batter to be able to hold on to the edges of the pan to rise and stay there as it cools. If your pan is greased, the cake will fall away from the edges immediately and deflate more than desired
- Taste the three milk mixture. Start with a smaller amount of sweetened condensed milk, taste, and add more as needed
- Feel free to customize the flavor. Don't like cinnamon? Skip it or use vanilla instead. Want a rus malai flavor? Replace it with cardamom powder (my personal fave!)
Perfect Tres Leches Cake (Milk Cake) Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour + cooling time
- Yield: 16 servings
Description
A heavenly light, soft and moist Tres Leches Cake drenched in a balanced three-milk mixture that's not too sweet, and topped with whipped cream!
Ingredients
Cake Sponge:
- 6 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g), divided into 2 equal portions of 100g each
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup whole milk (80g)
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour (175g)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cream of tartar (optional)
Three Milk Mixture:
- 14oz sweetened condensed milk (1 14oz can) (400g)
- 24oz evaporated milk (2 12oz cans) (680g)
- 1 cup milk (240g)
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
Decoration:
- 2 ½ cup heavy cream, chilled and whipped to medium peaks (600g)
- Fresh berries of choice
Instructions
Cake Sponge:
- Preheat your oven to 350F (conventional) and prepare a 9x13" metal cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom (no butter, oil or spray)
- Separate the egg whites and yolks into 2 clean bowls, taking care not to get any yolk into the whites
- To the yolks, add half of the sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until light in color
- Sift in the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, and gently mix until just combined
- Add the cream or tartar and remaining half cup of sugar to the egg whites, and use a clean mixer to whisk on medium speed until a glossy, stiff meringue is formed (you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the meringue falling out). This process can take several minutes, please read my tips in the blog post above to ensure the meringue is perfect
- Add ⅓ of the meringue to the remaining cake, and use a rubber spatula to very gently fold it in. Then add the rest of the meringue and continue to very slowly and gently fold it in. Take care not to knock out the air or overmix the batter; it should be very light and fluffy
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
- Let the cake cool down in the pan - it is normal for it to deflate a bit; as long as it is still soft and light, it will be fine!
Soaking:
- Mix the ingredients of the three milk mixture in a bowl. Taste and adjust as needed
- Keeping the cake in the pan, poke holes in it using a skewer
- Slowly pour half of the three milk mixture onto the cake inside the pan. If baked properly, it should soak up the mixture quickly. Wait 10 minutes, then pour over the remaining milk mixture
- Keep the cake in the fridge for 1-2 hours until it has absorbed all the liquid
Decoration:
- Whisk the heavy cream to medium peaks and transfer to a piping bag. Pipe swirls on top of the cake (alternatively, just spread it with a spatula). Decorate with berries however you like
- Slice up & enjoy!
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare this cake 1-2 days in advance. Soak the cake after baking, then cover the pan with cling wrap and refrigerate. Decorate with freshly whipped cream when ready to serve
- Storage: Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Mexican
Aisha Khan says
Made this for a girls night and it was a hit! So easy to make and I love that you can control the sweetness by adjusting the milk mixture ratio. Even the diabetic desi Auntie approved! I love all of Zoha's recipes but this is definitely a favorite now. I'll 100% be adding this to our Ramadan or Eid menu.
Zoha says
Thank you so much Aisha!! I am really really happy and touched by such a kind review <3
Aliya Akthar says
we don't get evaporated milk very easily.. please advise
Syed Maroof Ali says
Zoha says
Thank you!
Rimsha says
Best tres leches I’ve ever had!!!!
Zoha says
SO glad you like it!
Uroosa says
Can we make one and a half recipe of it? And can we bake this cake in foil trays?
Zoha says
Yes to both!
Hina says
Hello.
I made this cake yesterday and after brining it out of the oven it shrunk a lot.
Is that normal?
Zoha says
Hi! This kind of cake does shrink a bit after baking. if the texture was still light and airy, you're good. But if the texture became dense or gooey, it was underbaked.
Ambika Sood says
Hi Zoya thanks for an amazing recipe- if I bake this in a square pan - an 8x8 should work ?
Sm says
Hi. Should we bake it on the same temperature if it’s a convection oven? The one with a fan inside to circulate the heat
Zoha says
For convection oven, reduce temp by 25F
Javeria says
Hej Zoha!
Can I use vanilla powder in the cake sponge?
Zoha says
I don't have any experience with that, sorry!
Sania says
Can I double the recipe and still make in round tin?
Zoha says
I don't think that would work, unless you do 2 layers. I don't recommend it
Zahra says
Made this for iftar and it was so easy to make and so so tasty, so light and not too overly sweet - thanks so much for the recipe!!
Zoha says
Really really pleased to hear that!
Zoya Rao says
Zoha, I made the cake at night.
Shall I Pour in mixture of three milk and put it over night?
Or shall I put the baked cake in an air tight container and put it in the fridge.
Then I’ll take it out of the fridge tomorrow morning and pour the three milk mixture before lunch, when I have to serve it?
Please reply soon. ❤️
Zoha says
Yes you can soak and refrigerate 🙂 I don't recommend storing the cake on its own as it will dry out
Fez says
Hi Zoya - Can I make few cakes beforehand and then leave them in an airtight container and when ready (for instance a party) take out of container, add the milk and leave overnight in fridge and when ready to serve then add the cream?
Zoha says
How long do you plan to keep in the fridge? You can refrigerate after soaking and add cream when serving
Sehrish says
This turned out amazing!
Zoha says
Glad you liked it!
Huda says
Hi Zoha, I tried this and it turned out super soggy.. 🙁 any tips? Thank you
Zoha says
Hi Huda! A good tres leches is actually supposed to be soaked and "soggy". Perhaps that is just not your preference, which is totally fine! If you want to try again, you can just reduce the quantity of the milk mixture
Huda says
Thank you Zoha for the reply! Also my cake collapsed as soon as I took it out the oven, it shrunk to half its height. Any reason why and what would you advise me to do next time? Thanks a million 🙂
Zoha says
Hi Huda! This kind of cake deflates a bit after baking. if it is still light and airy in texture it's fine. if it is dense, you took it out too soon!
Zahra Khan says
Loved it!
Zoha says
Yay 🙂
Shan says
I made it today. Turned out so good. It collapsed a bit after coming out of the oven but taste wise it was so good. Thanks for the awesome recipe
Zoha says
This type of cake does deflate a bit after baking as the steam escapes. If the texture was still light, you're good!
Neha says
hey zoha i have a 5 inch cake tin can i bake it in that and divide the recipe into half and get the same output( basically reduce the quantity by half and bake a smaller cake for my sister's bday? )
please reply asap!! 🥲❤️🥹
Zoha says
Yes, I think that will work!
Reshman Sameem Kaja says
Hi Zoha,
My egg white didn’t turn into a stiff meringue though i have whisked for a longer time. My egg yolk was also little bit runny when i whisked. What would be the mistake i have done?
Zoha says
Hi!! You need to make sure there's nothing in the egg whites (no fat, no egg yolk) and use completely clean utensils. Also whisk on medium speed and add the sugar very slowly. Egg whites can be quite temperamental so we need to take extra care with them. Egg yolk mixture being runny is ok
Ayesha says
turned out amazingly perfect everyone loved it 💛, and had a fight on the last piece 😂😂.
Muna says
The first time I baked this it didn't turn out good but I knew it was something I was doing wrong since I've tried quite a few of your recipes and they always turn out great. So tried a second time after going over the instructions again, and voila, it turned out gorgeous!! Thanks so much for always sharing such wonderful recipes with us!
Zoha says
Thank you for not giving up, Muna!!
Nanajee travels says
This Tres Leches Cake sounds absolutely dreamy! The ultra-light sponge paired with the rich three-milk soak and fresh whipped cream topping makes it feel both luxurious and perfectly balanced. Adding fresh berries is such a lovely touch—it must add a pop of flavor and color that takes this cake to the next level!
Zoha says
Aww, thank you so much!!!
Debbie Seeley says
I'm about to make this dessert, by request. Butter is not present but appears in other recipes. Is this an oversight or is it just not needed with your combination? I'm making this fairly soo0n, today is 10/27/24 so hope you may have a chance to respond. Many thanks and look forward to your other recipes as well!
Zoha says
Hi Debbie! This cake doesn't have butter in it 🙂 It's a type of chiffon cake which has very low fat in it so it can soak up the liquid.
Amanda says
I made this yesterday for my son's 20th birthday as he requested a tres leches cake for his birthday dessert. It turned out sooooo good and was delicious 😋. He liked it even more than a little cafe we've gotten it from in the past. Also, made your NY Style Cheesecake a few weeks ago for my husband's b-day and that was perfect too. Thank you so much for the recipes.
Zoha says
Thank you so much, Amanda! Sounds like your husband and son are incredibly lucky to have your wonderful baking for their special occasions 🙂
Debbie S says
sorry as auto correct modified incorrectly.
S t says
Made this for a friend, all the Spanish people in my work approved !!!
deeba says
This recipe is not as difficult as you might first think (actually pretty easy). I have tried many tres leches cake recipes using similar methods but with no real success. This one however is one of the first and only ones that worked and worked really well. The sponge was super soft and the overall flavour was perfect. Another one of Zohas recipes added to my dinner party menu. Her recipes have never failed to impress and as I’ve said before they are fool proof. Give it a go you won’t be disappointed.
Y says
how much time do we need to soak the cake for? any idea
Zoha says
1 to 2 hours should be fine!
Sara says
Hi, I was thinking about using this recipe to bake in those smaller disposable metal pans for individual servings at a party. Will this work?
Samia says
I used only half can of condensed milk, half can evaporated milk and 1/4 c whole milk for the soak and it was perfect and not too sweet. My family loved it, and we will be making it again.
Reet says
Best tres leches you will ever make!
Zainab says
hi zoha,I made the cake as per instructed but when I added the three milk mixture ,it didn't absorb completely, by the way I baked the cake for 17 minutes but when I inserted the toothpick it came out clean .Do you think that is the problem that I baked it for too long or something else?
Bob says
yum
Shobhna says
We don’t get evaporated milk easily can i use cream as alternative to this. Please confirm urgently
Maira says
I made this Tres leches cake for the first time using your recipe and OMG it was on pointt! The best!! ❤️ My husband usually doesn’t like cakes and he couldn’t keep his hands off this one lol 😆
Thank you so much for sharing it and love your work!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🤩
Zoha says
Aw, thank you SO much, Maira! Means the world to me!
Zoha Iman says
Made this for my baba andd he's a big tres leches fan so didn't want to disappoint him BUT THIS WAS SOOO GOOOD ALHUMDULILAH. THE RECIPE!!! LOVEDD ITT! THE INSTRUCTIONS?? SPOTT ONNN.
EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD ZOHA THANKYOU FOR THIS AMAZING RECIPE 💗💗
Zoha says
Aww you made my day! Thank you Zoha 😉
Zainab says
This is by far the BEST, the ABSOLUTE BEST tres leches you’ll make! The sponge is soo ‘sponge-y’ that it soaks up all the milk beautifully without being soggy.
I’ve made this recipe around 15+ times now. And to whoever I give this cake, ALWAYS asks for more. It’s a big hit in my family, friends and neighbours.
Zoha says
I am SOO honored, thank you so much, Zainab!!!
Ayesha says
Amazing!!! Husband made me bake it again for him alone.. after I had made it for a dawat 😍😍😍😍
He said it’s the best tres leches he everrrr had!
Zoha says
AWWH yay thank you so much!!
Uroosa says
Hi Zoha, love watching your videos. I've never baked before, so this going to be my first time trying out your recipe. Can you please help me with a few questions I have :
1. When the cake is ready, baked & cooled, how & when do you take out the parchment paper, before you add the milk mixture to it? Because I do not want to add milk to it, while having the parchment paper on.
2. Can I prepare the cake, soak it & also add the frosting to it, a day before the event, and just refrigerate it? Will it change the way it looks or the taste? I just want to get it done ahead of time, so that I don't have to do it on the daawat day.
3. Can I use a glass/ceramic pan to bake? Also, can I just use 1/2 of all the quantities you listed, to make a smaller portion?
4. Can we skip cornstarch & cream of tartar? or are there any alternatives for it?
Thanks so much !
Zoha says
Hi Uroosa! I left the parchment underneath but what you can do is let the cake cool, take it out of the pan, remove the parchment, and put it back in the pan. Yes, you can do everything the day before and keep in the fridge. I do not recommend glass/ceramic pans for baking this kind of cake, metal is best. if you want to do just 1/2 the quantities, please don't use a pan bigger than 9x9 and reduce baking time slightly. Do not skip cornstarch, but cream of tartar can be skipped
Axelle says
It was so good. I really wanted to try a tres leche but no one is selling it in my country so I tried the recipe.
Zoha says
I am really glad you liked it!
Namra Ahmad says
Ufffff I made it and it turned out so good. Thanks thanks thanks zoha 😘😘😘🥰🥰
Maryam aftab says
thissssss recipeeee is there OG tres leches recipe that youll everrr find like c'mon the spongeee turneddd out sooo damnnnn gooodddd 😭😭😭💗💗✨✨🎀🎀🎀
THANK YOUUU SOOO MUCHH ZOHAAAAAA
Sanya says
hi, can i use vanilla extract liquid instead of vanilla bean paste?
Shahina says
Tried making this tres leches for the first time. I was amazed how easy and simple it was to make. Very clear and precise recipe & instructions. Loved it ❤️❤️
Zoha says
SO glad you liked it!
Amara Nisar says
Made this and it was a hit. The cake the sweetness everything was on point.
I was little bit worried about how it will taste but it turned out fantastic 😋thank you Soo much❣️
Zoha says
AW thank you so much!
Afsheen Atif says
I made it many times and always appreciated by my guests.
Zoha says
So happy to hear that!
N says
Made a double batch of the recipe for our community gathering. Everyone loved it! Thank you Zoha
Jaseema Jasmin says
Tres leches is my all time favorites and I started making it from 2019.The last time I tried it with your recipe,and I loved it.Looking forward to try more from your list
Fowziah Akhtar says
Hi Zoha, I’ve made your milk cake from the old recipe so many times and its delicious, it such a forgiving recipe ! With the new recipe we all got seconds but my family said they preferred the old one (apparently the new one tastes more cakey). Could you republish that aswell or email it to me.
Thank you. Personally I think both recipes are fabulous
Zenab says
hi zoha, i made this cake yesterday, it was my first attempt of making tres leches, i followed your recipe and it turned out amazing, everyone in the family loved it. Thank you so much 😊
Ayesha A says
I made this yesterday for iftar and my family loved it. I really love trying out your recipes 🙂
Z says
Hi Zoha, thanks for sharing the recipe. Love everything I have made from your website so far! Quick one- can we sub vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract, or would it change the flavor of the cake?
Sarah says
Incredible recipe as always ive tried many recipes from bake with zoha and not once has she disappointed love you soo much !!