Texas Best Authentic Tres Leches Cake

If you’ve never had a remarkable tres leches cake, have you lived at all? The cake is so rich, sweet, and comforting. In this recipe, we’ve combined the best of both worlds: an authentically light and tender cake with the addition of a milk mixture with a touch of salt to counter the sweetness of the condensed milk. The result is a refreshing and lusciously delicious cake that is sure to invoke a feeling of joy. It’s traditional, with our little twist. Texas is hot. So we use a little cheesecake instant pudding mix in the whipped cream to stabilize the cream, making it easier to travel with to gatherings. The result is heavenly. Try different flavors of instant pudding mix for the whipped cream mixture. Pistachio, Lemon, and White Chocolate are among our favorites!

For this cake, you will need 2 9x13x2-inch metal baking dishes or 2 10×4-inch round springform pans. Choose the shape you prefer most.

Texas Best Authentic Tres Leches Cake

Cake:

2 cups of Panhandle Milling all-purpose flour (240g)

1 Tbsp.  baking powder (12g)

½ tsp. salt

10 large eggs, separated

2 cups granulated sugar, divided (400 g)

2/3 cup whole milk (160 ml)

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (15ml)

Milk Mixture:

2-12-ounce cans of evaporated milk (680g)

2 14-ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk (793g)

½ cup whole milk (120ml)

1/8 tsp. salt (optional)

Whipped Topping:

1 quart (4 cups) heavy whipping cream (950ml)

1 small package of cheesecake-flavored instant pudding

1 tsp. vanilla extract (2.5 ml)

ground cinnamon, for topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease 2 9x13x2 pans (or equivalent 2 10×4 inch round springform pans)

Prepare the Cake:

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls (for an electric mixer).
• Add 1 ½ cups sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add 2/3 cup of milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently until combined (don’t over-mix).
• Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites at high speed. As they begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
• Divide the batter between two greased 9x13x2 metal baking pans and smooth the batter into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool completely.

Milk Mixture:

• Combine the evaporated, sweetened condensed, and whole milk in a medium bowl. Once the cakes have cooled, use a fork to poke holes all over the top.
• Divide the milk mixture in half. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the top of each cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
• In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, pudding mix, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. If you are using a springform pan, remove the outside ring (the milk will be absorbed). Smooth the whipped cream mixture over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top or garnish with fresh sliced strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!

Chef’s Notes

Store Tres Leches Cake in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-5 days.

Make Ahead Instructions:

You can make Tres leches cake 3-5 days in advance. We love to make this cake a few days before serving so that it has time to soak up the milk mixture.

Freezing Instructions:

The baked and cooled cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap well in foil for best results. Thaw overnight in the fridge before pouring the three milks on top.