Tres Leches (Milk Cake)

I made this cake yesterday and it turned out very well. I live on the Mexican border so I have had this cake many times in restaurants and at parties. I did make a few changes to lesson the calorie and fat content and it still tasted authentic. First I would tell you to read the directions carefully. The cake has 3 parts ; batter,filling and topping. The first 6 ingredients make the batter. Be sure to put only one cup of sugar in the batter not 2. The next 3 ingredients make the 3 milk mixture for the filling hence the name three milk cake. I chose not to use whole milk but used 1% and used only 1 cup along with the other 2 milks. I made the cake in a 9x13 pan not a round pan as seen in the picture. The cake was a little flat but that is ok because as you add the 3 milk mixture it expands . After the cake was done I pierced the cake many times with a fork , all over the cake. You want to make a lot of holes for the milk to saturate the cake. After you pour the milk on , you want to cover with foil and refrigerate for several hours. I chose to use cool whip as the topping instead of the whipping cream-sugar mixture. That cut down on a lot of the calories and was very good. After I covered the saturated cake with cool whip I covered with foil again and refrigerated for another several hours. You want it to be very cold when you serve it. I know this has been long but wanted to share my changes and suggestions on making this cake. Good luck!

I am from Panama and have been making this cake for over 20 years and am constantly making changes to make it even better. This is my favorite cake ever and it is always a hit! A few suggestions: 1 - The toppings can vary from cherries to coconut to cajeta (caramelized milk). 2 - I never use regular milk or whipping cream. Instead I use half & half. I also recommend using either eggnog or coconut milk. 3 - Most of the time, I don't make the cake from scratch - instead I use white cake mix (I don't recommend the butter cake mix for this recipe). When the cake is ready, I cut off the sides and the top to let the cake soak up the milk. 4 - Always let the cake sit overnight in the fridge...letting the cake soak up the milk makes it even better! Plus this way you can decide whether to take out the milk or leave it in (I like to leave it all in). 5 - Kahlua and Rum adds a great kick to this cake!!! I've even heard of tequila-lime tres leches. Basically this is such a versatile recipe with millions of ways to make it your own!

Overall this is a very good recipe. To ensure you have a good cake, make sure you mix the batter halves exactly. To get a good rise to the cake, make you you whip the egg whites to merenge-like batter. Then gently fold in the the flour batter until blended. Do not overmix or your cake will be flat. Bake cake until you have a nice brown top where a toohpick comes out clean and cool. (Hint: in a confection oven, I bake this at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.) As far as the milk mixture goes, I omit the whole milk and just blend together the three milks (hence the name Tres Leches) heavy cream, evaporated milk, and condensed milk together. After you have punched holes into the made cake, pour half the milk mixture into the cake. The cake will absorb the mixture. Refrigerate at least an hour. When serving, I cut out squares of cake out, not using the cake sides. I place a square cake serving into a small bowl. I pour milk mixture on top of the cake until it is all the way to the top or half way to the cake. A small dab of whipped topping and topped with a maraschino cherry and decorate with a tinge of cherry juice over the whipped topping. By the time you will serve this, the milk mixture will be absorbed into the cake. For my tough family of food critics, this recipe gets rave reviews! Thank you for shraing this recipe!

It truly is a great Tres Leches but here are a few very important steps taught to me by a Honduran friends mom. IMPORTANT!! Take the cake out when done to cool, don't touch it, turn off the oven & set the timer for 5 mins. After 5 mins THEN poke the holes in the cake using the large end of a chopstick making larger holes then fork tines, pour the liquid on the top & RETURN to the off oven for 10 mins. The reasons. 1) the cake is still cooking when you take it out so poking holes at that time reseals them, hence no absorption. 2) the dwindling heat slowly forces the liquid into the cake. Also, I substitute a cup of coconut "cream" NOT coconut "milk", for whole milk. Proceed with the topping when cooled. You will be shocked how unbelievably moist but non soupy this turns out when done this way. Enjoy!!

Marti, Your recipe is wonderful...yours was the second (out of four) recipe I tried and I'm not going any further...I am from Nicaragua, where this cake originated and your recipe came very, very close with the following exceptions: 1. Use 2 14-oz cans of condensed milk and 2. Use only 10 oz of evaporated milk (2 5-oz cans) Thank you for your recipe...great start.

I have made this cake several times. The last time I made it, I decided to double the cake recipe, because I thought the cake was too thin. (Although, I have never recvd any complaints from my customers.) I was told that when I doubled the cake, there were areas where it was too dry and there was not enough of the liquid. There is no need to fix what is not broke!! The original recipe is a hit and the best tres leches recipe on the web. It is very easy and as one of my customers put it, "simply divine!"

This is my husband's favorite cake - the one he's requested for his birthday two years running. I used to think it needed more liquid and therefore added another can of condensed with another cup of whole milk, but last time I made it just the way it's written (except that I still decreased the sugar in the whipped cream), and it's *perfect*. Absolutely, positively perfect.

For some people who were in a hurry - thought t might interest them to know that heating the milk mixture slightly will result in faster absorption into the cake. also it will enable the milks to mix better and with less effort.

I love this cake, it was exactly what I wanted. I grew up eating Tres Leches cake, and the only problem I always had buying them from some stores or bakeries is that they were sickeningly sweet. This one wasn't like that at all. Now, the only thing different I did was make a different frosting since I hardly ever have cream. Also, I read mixed reviews on separating the eggs. I didn't do it and since I liked it as is, I don't have a reason to do more work! But that's just me. Also, another reviewer mentioned that the cake is soggy. YES! That's how it's supposed to be. When you sink your fork into it, the milks should ooze out. It shouldn't be swimming in milk, neither should it be dry. If you don't like the idea of a wet cake, then I suggest you try a more traditional cake because you may not like this one. Thanks for posting the recipe!

This was just ok. I've never made Tres Leches before and so I wasn't sure how it was supposed to turn out. I used about 1/2 a cup of cream of coconut along with the rest of the milk due to some reviewers commenting on how it was not sweet enough. Mine turned out perfect in the sweet dept. but it was like a soggy pound cake. The taste was good and it held together well, but it's not something I'll make again in the near future. Thanks anyway Stephanie.

Wonderful recipe! Very authentic. My husband is Nicaraguan and, yes, as other reviewers have stated, Nicaragua is the origin of the tres leches cake - although other Latin cultures have embraced and modified it. I added a good pinch of nutmeg and about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the dry ing. to boost the flavors. For the milk mixture I used 2 full size cans condensed milk, 2-5 oz. cans evaporated milk and 1 c. 2% milk because it was all I had. It worked perfectly. My cake (9 X 13) did not come out flat and that might be because I allowed quite a bit of whipping time after I added the eggs. I refrigerated the cooled and milk-soaked cake overnight and the next morning added a layer of chopped strawberries and on top of that heavy whipping cream whipped with 1 tsp. good vanilla and about 1/3 c. pwd sugar. In my opinion, the cake would be too sweet with any more sugar than that. Great recipe! I might try it next time with coconut milk (replacing the 2%), rum extract and mangoes.

I have made this cake 3 times. First time I followed the recipe exactly, then I started tinkering with the method. Here's what I came up with: (1) not necessary to grease and flour pan (2) not necessary to mix flour and baking powder separately; also not necessary to add it 2 Tbsp at a time - just dump in the flour and baking powder (3) I *did* find it necessary to beat well after each egg addition. This produced a better textured cake. THANKS, STEPHANIE, FOR THIS RECIPE!

I have made this cake three times now, and this is what I learned in my own personal test kitchen: 1) I don't bother separating the eggs: If you beat the egg whites separately (as other reviewers recommend), the remaining batter is so dry (with only the butter and egg yolks for moisture, it is almost like a paste), that at the time of folding in the beaten egg whites, you loose most of the air you have just beaten into them. I have done it both ways, and saw little to no difference. I did add ¼ tsp baking soda to help the baking powder raise the cake. 2) More leche please! For my taste, even with one can of condensed milk, one of evaporated and 2 of half and half, the cake needed more liquid. This may depend on personal taste, but for me a tres leches has to be oozing liquid. 3) If you are like me, and once a cake is made you can't stop eating, try half the recipe in an 8x8 pan and half all the ingredients. The original 5 eggs can be best split as 2 whole and 1 separated egg white. Leaving out the third yolk, also cuts on the eggy taste (which is not overpowering - the smell in the fresh cake is stronger than the taste in the finished recipe). 4) I used confectioner’s sugar for the whipping cream 5) Don’t hold back on plucking holes: This is what gets the liquid into the cake. The more the better

I first made this recipe back in 2007 for my friend's birthday. (Infact, my profile picture is this cake haha.) Anyway, I swear by this cake because it truly is delicious. Way better than the Culinary Institute of America's recipe for Tres Leches cake, by the way. Here's a few secrets to this cake: #1) Replace AP Flour with Cake Flour and it's a way better product. I've made this cake all sorts of ways, and cake flour is gonna be your best shot for an impressively delicious cake. #2) If you let this cake sit in the fridge for 2 whole days, it is OUT OF THIS WORLD ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. Like, seriously. 2 days is the secret. The texture is crazy amazing.

Results: Cake was very tasty and very moist. It was completely saturated with the milks. It was quite sweet, and IMO, went really well with a dark tea. Making the cake was reasonably easy. The flavors were quite balanced, and the taste of the milks did come through. Thoughts on recipe: I used the amount of liquid specified. At times, I thought there was no chance it would all be absorbed into the cake, but it was. (But barely, and after some time sitting) Rather than taking the cake out of the pan before putting the milks in, I would recommend adding the milks with the cake in the pan, so that the liquid which falls over the side of the cake while pouring will eventually be absorbed through the bottom of the cake. If I were to make this again: It's a fairly simple recipe, so I don't think I'd want to tweak too much. I tend to like cakes which aren't super sweet, so I might consider using a little less sugar in the cake batter itself. I also wonder if it would be a good twist to add a little extra flavor (nothing TOO strong) to the milks/batter, perhaps a little more vanilla or coconut milk or nutmeg to help the cake be even more aromatic.

I very much liked this cake and so did my family. The cake itself was quite simple to make and very flavorful. I have made this cake twice and plan on making it again. the first time I made it I had run out of evaporated milk so I actually had to cut the "filling" down to 1 can sweet/cond milk, 1 and 1/2 cup whole milk and a 1/2 cup of half and half. In fact, I was afraid to add all of the milk to the recipe to begin with so I figured it couldn't ruin it. It turned out wonderfully. The second time I decided to make it exactly according to recipe and added the correct amounts. It was far too moist for my family although the flavor was excellent. I believe this recipe is perfect but it depends on personal tastes for the amount of milk filling.

Made this last night, and to give it additional visual appeal, I used a pastry bag w/ a star tip to add the whipped topping. Also garnished each slice w/ a marashino cherry. To add more depth, I added a dash of caramel extract to the whipping cream...yummy! Instead of using a fork to poke holes in the cake, I used a tool from Pampered Chef called "Hold & Slice" -it has 10 tines, so it makes the job go a lot quicker, and allows the milk to be absorbed quicker

I made this recipe for a group of Guatemalan friends and was nervous when I saw how thin it was. Not to worry though...I called a Mexican bakery and they told me that the cake is supposed to be thin and to let the liquid sit on the cake for a half an hour before getting rid of the excess. Also, poke lots of holes in the cake. Ultimately, it was delicious and a huge success topped with sliced strawberries and kiwi.

This recipie is SOOOO good. I have to admit - I took someone's advice from another review and used a white cake mix (running short on time) I then poked holes in the cake when it was still warm and added the S.C. mile, the Evap milk and instread of whole milk I used 1 cup of heavy cream. The cake was moist and delicious without being soggy. I then topped it with fresh whipped cream - but I did not add as much sugar to the whipped cream as the recipie suggested. I just added sugar to taste like I usually do when I use whipped cream. Next time I will try actually following the directions for the cake. Michelle

I made this Saturday morning for a get together on Sat. Night. My husband is Mexican, and my friends love Tres Leches...so the test was on! I followed the recipe exactly except for only one thing: I separated yokes from whites and whipped up whites to a froth before folding them in. The cake bather was thick, and I had to spread it to the corners of the pan to cover. After baking, I let it cool and hour before poking holes. Poured the mixed milks on top, covered, and set in fridge for about 10 hours. Right before serving, I whipped up the heavy whipping cream, topped cake, added sliced strawberries for effect. I am not keen on wet cakes, [and that is what tres leches is suppose to be....very, very wet] and so I asked my husband and friends if the cake was too soggy & that maybe I should put in a cup less milk [the cake had a bit of milk at the bottom, as other reviews described]. My husbands response was, "if you did that, it wouldn't be tres leches, it would be 2 and a half leches"...and then went on to say the cake was perfect!...and friends asked for recipe.

This is a solid recipe for Milk Cake - in other words, someone from Mexico will recognize it as Milk Cake. However, I'd definitely recommend reducing the sugar for the frosting to 1/4-1/2 of a cup (a whole cup of sugar makes a very sweet - too sweet - frosting. Otherwise, perfect. Also, add sliced strawberries & bananas to the top of the cake before frosting. The fruit helps to reduce the overall sweetness of the cake. I love really sweet cakes & desserts, but if you don't alter this cake slightly it almost feels like you're eating sugar (not quite, but it is that sweet!). Enjoy!

It should be confectioners sugar in the whipped cream, not granulated.

Awesome! I used this recipe because I couldn't find mom's. Now this is my recipe. I got rave reviews from all the guests including my sister-in-law who asked me to bring it to her Cinco de Mayo party. This cake is easy to make and quick (1 hr from when I start mixing to when is out of the oven including cleaning up the kitchen). The second time around I made the following changes and it came better than the first time: Beat the egg whites and stir them into the mix (sugar, butter, egg yolks) before the flour, then add the flour 1/8 cup at a time. My Kitchen Aid mixer was on the next to lower speed to do the stir. With a serrated knife (I used a bread knife), remove the thin layer from the top of the cake before pouring in the milk. It absorbed the liquid quick and didn't have to sit overnight, only about 6 hrs in the fridge. I cut the whole milk to one cup (from two because it was all I had in the house). The milk mixture was a little thicker and the guests loved that.

Just so there's no misunderstanding here, I used a boxed white cake mix and cool whip topping instead of the homemade cake and whipped cream the recipe called for. However, I did use the ingredients for the milk mixture that you pour on top and I followed one of the reviewers suggestion to remove the skin on the top of the cake while its warm to make absorption of the liquid easier. I also made a fruit topping of blueberries, mango's and strawberries, dressed in honey and lime juice, which I served on the side (not everybody likes fruit). I know that it almost isn't even the same recipe, but it worked out so well that I wanted to let everyone know that there is an easier, quicker way to make this. The cake was an absolute HIT at the party I brought it to. People even went back for seconds!

when i poured all that liquid on top, i said "ummmmm...." and put it in the fridge for an hour or two- i really didnt think it would all absorb but it did and it was perfect- not to dry, not too wet. other tres leches recipes ive made could never get the consistency right. you can flavor the whipped cream however you like, i used imitation rum flavoring. SO GOOD. glad i lost my old staple tres leches recipe cause this one is better!!

This has got to be my families favorite recipe on here. They absolutely love it. At first I would make the whipped topping myself but now I just by the ready made kind and its much easier and faster and tastes just as good. My family and I love this cake REALLY WET so we add lots of liquid and use a seringe to make sure that the whole cake is soaked with all that goodness. I have also made this into a Cuatro Leches (4 Milk Cake) by topping it with Dulce de Leche (Caramel) instead of the whipped topping and its to die for. They sell it canned at your local grocery store, its called La Lechera Dulce de Leche by Nestle (1 can covers the whole cake).

I made this cake with my girlfriend for our families and it came out great! The whipped cream was especially tasty. I did feel as if the cake itself was not sweet enough, but other than that it was an amazing recipe. I'm craving it right now just thinking about it. I come from a Cuban family that loves tres leches, and they approved so you know it's good. One piece of advice though: pierce the cake A LOT with a fork before pouring the milk all over it like the recipe says. If you think it has enough holes, it doesn't, so pierce it some more.

This cake was absolutely delicious!!! It was my first time making tres leches and it was so easy! I did make a few changes based on other reviews. I used a boxed vanilla cake mix and used a tub of fat free whipped topping instead of making my own whipped cream. I omitted the the whole milk and instead used a can of coconut milk. Also I used fat free sweetened condensed milk and fat free evaporated milk. I had no problems with there being too much liquid, in fact some parts were still dry after it sat in the fridge overnight. I probably just didn't poke enough holes in the cake. Finally on top of the whipped topping I added fresh strawberries and canned pineapple chunks. The pineapple was a fantastic addition, it went perfectly with the coconut milk in the cake! All in all this tres leches was delicious and my Mexican friends loved it!! I will definitely make this cake again!!!

I tried this cake out for my fiance. I thought at first the cake came out too firm. Then when i added the milk mixture i thought, "OH NO, this is too much milk, WHAT do i DO!!??" So i was freaking out cuz there was so much milk on the surface, so i began to swirl the pan around so the milk can continue to be absorbed. Anyways to make this short, the milk finally got absorbed, a little milk was left but i just poured it over each slice we ate. YUM. LOVE IT!!!! love it too much though,, ate half the pan..haha. Will definately do this again...just after i lose the extra pounds i gained..haha. DELICIOUS!

This was delicious! But like others have said, taking the time to seperate the eggs is definitely worth it...

At first I was dissapointed with this cake, because it seemed bland the first day. Then the second day it was really good, and today the third day, the cake is the best thing i have ever had. The key is to let the cake refrigerate a couple days so everything soaks in. I was scared that the ingredients called for too much liquids but like i said by the second day everything was soaked up and perfect. Oh- and for anyone making this cake for the first time, the batter is going to be think and i was worried the pan suggested was too big but once you put the whipped topping on and everything it is just right. And the cake will come out thicker and more dense (it's ment to be that way). Just add all the liquids and it will be moist by day 2.

A group of us tasted this delicious cake a few month ago while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta. We fell in love with it and wanted to duplicate the recipe when we got home. There were many recipes to choose from, but I think I chose the perfect one!! Everyone raved about this cake and thought it was better than the one served in Puert Vallarta. I used coconut milk in place of regular milk and double the whipping cream topping. Yummy!!

WOW, JUST INCREDIBLE 10 STARS ********** Made 2 cakes a day ahead ~ COOL WHIP TOPPED. Both less sugar to 3/4 Cup, 1/4 Cup less whole milk, separated the yolks & beat whites, nicely folded in (Alternating) Flour & Whites. (While the cake bakes in oven, put together the sweetened condensed & evaporated & whole milk in Pour-able mixing bowl). Have Fork/Skewer ready when cake is done baking, IMMEDIATELY & QUICKLY poker your cake a lot, the edges & all-throughout. QUICKLY ADD THE MILK MIXTURE to poked cake so that it absorbs easily since it's warm. Let Cool. Then put in fridge until it's Cold. COOL WHIP TOPPED ENTIRELY ~ Put back in the fridge (we love it chilled) until you can Enjoy it!(We have known some folks to leave this cake out to room temp. as well, so whatever your preference) We loved the 2nd cake too +24 hours later, all the flavors mingled, it was Just So Much More Incredibly Delicious, Enjoy MUCH!!

Disclaimer: If you do not like ULTRA sweet cakes, this is NOT for you! I had never made Tres Leches, so I was not aware of how intensely sweet it would be. It is a very delicious cake and easy to make, but next time I am absolutely going to cut down on the sugar. I would recommend cutting the sugar for the whipping cream in half because the sweetened condensed milk already gives it enough. I made the cake the night before, poured the milk over it early morning, chilled it covered in the refrigerator all day and a few hours before dinner added the whipped cream, and chilled it again. I used coconut milk instead of regular milk, and added coconut shavings to the top. This added very good flavor.

I've made this twice and gotten rave reviews every time! I followed others' advice and 1. separated the eggs before mixing; and 2. reduced the amount of sugar used in the topping to about 1/4 or 1/2 c. Also, poke LOTS of holes. Don't be scared to pour ALL of the milk - especially if you've poked lots of holes. This cake is moist but not too mushy, and has a good flavor. I'm not wild about the consistency of the cake, but I think that's because of all the eggs in it. It's still a yummy cake and I will make it again!

What a treat, although a bit sweet. I followed the directions and it was a great hit. I made sure my butter and eggs were room temperature. After creaming the butter and sugar, I added the eggs slighltly beaten, on at a time. Additionally, I waited for the cake to cool, poked about 200 holes in the cake with a bamboo skewer and poured on the milk mixture and put the cake in the fridge. The liquid absorbed within 1.5 hours and I then added the whipped cream topping and let it sit overnight. I topped it with fresh rasberries and it was a sucess.

So good! Got rave reviews from everyone who ate it. I was worried people would think it tasted like soggy cake, but they really liked it! I followed the recipe's ratios exactly, but used 2% milk, low-fat evaporated milk, and Cool Whip to make it a tad healthier. :) Enjoy!

I think most of these negative reviews must be from people who have never had a real tres leches cake before. I made the mistake of beating the egg whites like many reviewers suggested and my cake came out light and fluffy (not a tres leches cake). It is supposed to be very dense almost like a corn bread, not light and fluffy. If you follow the recipe you will get a great tres leches cake, not a typical light and fluffy cake.

I have had tres leche from Latin bakeries several times. This recipe seemed a lot different than those. The cake seemed to have too many eggs. A real strong egg flavor. I did seperate the eggs and beat the whites like others recommended. I dont know if it made a difference since I never made it the other way. I would recommend making sure you have the cake batter perfectly even, when you spread it before you bake it. Otherwise the milk sits in certain spots. Also, I glazed strawberries and placed them on top of the whip topping. IT seems as though every place I have ever had it from has done that. MAkes it look really nice and professional. I brought this to work. I work with a lady from Honduras and a lady from Mexico. They both liked it, but one said it was like cheese. ?? The other Lady said it was really good and had a couple of pieces.

Amazing! Such a great recipe!! It tastes better than the Tres Leches at our favorite Mexican Restaurant. My only suggestion...pay special attention to the directions. I accidentally added both cups of sugar to the cake and didn't realize my mistake until I started making the topping which uses the second cup of sugar. Needless to say, I now have two cakes in our fridge...one extra sweet and one that is just perfect!! :) Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!

Being from Miami, Tres Leches is one of my favorite desserts. This recipe is as authentic tasting as it gets! I did make some minor subtle changes like substituting 1% milk for whole milk. Also, I used 2cups of cream and added 1/2 cup more sugar to the topping, perfect amount! For more authencity, this has to be made in a disposable foil cake pan topped with marsachino cherries!

Not sure what I did wrong but the cake came out flat and heavy. Not to sure if I should try this recipe again. Sorry Stephanie.

Delicious just as it is. My friend enjoyed this for her birthday. It was very easy to do and turned out beautiful and yummy!

My husband loves Tres Leches cake and requested I make one for him. It took me two weeks to muster up the courage to make one, because the recipes I found looked daunting. This recipe was nice and straightforward...and I'm glad I read the reviews before I started! Knowing the batter was supposed to be thick and the milk mixture would look like it was too much for the cake to absorb was comforting when it came to pass that the reviews were correct. I followed the recipe almost exactly - I used two 9 inch round pans instead of the 9 x 13 pan. Only thirty minutes after placing the cake in the fridge, all the milk had been absorbed into the cake and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. This cake is *perfect*...not too sweet but very delectable with some strawberries on top. I will definitely make this cake again for hubby, and maybe I'll share it with friends too. ;)

I have made this cake many times for one of my coworkers.. I personally don't like the taste or texture of the recipe but this recipe has been requested many times. I used it for her wedding cake yesterday with my strawberry mousse and butter cream frosting. I do cut the milk recipe in half because she didn't want an extremely soggy cake. I like to add 1/8 teaspoon or two drops of coconut Loranne oil to the milks it adds that extra special touch. You can also substitute coconut milk for part of the milk mixture if you can't find coconut extract. If you are looking for a sturdy cake recipe and like tres leches give this recipe a try you won't be disappointed. If you are looking for a light airy cake then this ones not for you.

This cake was DELICIOUS. It was very simple to make, and I actually used fat free ingredients (and substituted applesauce for butter), which did not affect the taste at all. The only thing I have to say is that I ate the cake about 3 hours after making it and it tasted a bit eggy then, but when I ate it the day after, it was absolutely PERFECT. By then, all the milk seems to have absorbed better and there's no hint of eggy-ness. So wait a few hours if you want to avoid that taste!

I had a Tres Leche cake from a bakery in Austin TX for my birthday. It was so good and moist that I wanted to find a recipe similar to it. I made this cake yesterday and refrigerated it overnight. It is actually better than the bakery cake. I beat the egg whites and the yolks before mixing, used half and half instead of whole milk, otherwise the same. I bought Redi Whip for the whipped cream, put it on last night and it pretty much soaked into the cake. So next time I will put it on just before serving. This is a wonderful, wonderful and easy cake, and I have been baking at least 50 years. Thank you so much.

I don`t know what exactly but something was wrong with this recipe for me. I have made it for two times and I had the same problem. When I poured the milk mixture over the cake ( I poked the cake before), the cake absorbed only half of this mixture, but half just layed on the top. The cake inside wasn`t moist at all. It was absolutely dry. I guess the dough is very heavy and thick here to absorb the milk mixture. I made Brazilian style moist coconut cake from this site (it is the same way moist cake and I made it perfect thanks to suggestions) and this cake always turn out really moist. That dough is more fluffy and absorbs the liquid perfectly. I read reviews, many people loved this cake and it turned out for them, but after two attempts I can give only this rating.

very rich, but very good! A little cheesecakey in texture, but moist and yummy!

This is a great recipe if you like cold touch in your desserts. With 9*13 inch pan, the cake did not come out thin at all.At first, the milk seems too much but it absorbs and keeps the cake moist. Next time, I will try to replace 1 cup of milk with rom or brandy. It might give a nice flavor to the milk taste.

I like the fact that this cake is milky and mushy because I think regular cake is dry and dull. But, my goodness it is sweet! It tasted just like eating a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk. You can't eat more than 2 bites. I would suggest using store bought whipped cream rather than using the heavy cream because it just added to the sweetness/heaviness of the cake. The "whipped" heavy cream turned out runny and mixed together with all the other milks making it even more sweet than it needed to be.

This cake was an absolute hit with my entire family! That's saying a lot, too, as they're staunch Mainers who like their "standard" Northeastern US desserts, so a wet cake was really pushing it in my opinion. Still, they all had seconds and thirds and even asked me for the recipe! My only modifications when I make this again will be halving the milk syrup mixture as I ended up with a lot of extra pooling in the pan, which made it difficult to transport. I also used about half of the sugar called for in the whipped cream topping because I prefer my whipped cream unsweetened so I compromised. The cake was very sweet so I feel it balanced it out. I tried dusting some baking cocoa over the top of a piece - yummy! (And can I just say I am shocked that someone would put Cool Whip on top of a cake like this, bleurgh.) Very simple, very delicious, and definitely something I'll make again for a special occasion. My son declared it his new favorite food! :)

This is delicious! I added Kahlua to the cake batter (1tsp) and Kahlua (2 tbsp) and chocolate syrup (2 tbsp) to the milk mixture. To cut down on fat, I used fat-free evaporated and sweetened condensed milk and used free Cool Whip. Also added 1/4 tbsp baking soda to flour mixture. Cake rose beautifully.

I love this recipe (tres leches cake is my favorite) I made it in a 9 inch springform pan and it was just the right size and thickness, then I frosted it with whipped cream that was stabilized with unflavored gelatin, it never became runny or watery.

Maybe i did not do this one correctly, because it was just too wet for me. Also, the topping was not what I would have expected. I'll need to taste it from someone who knows what it's supposed to taste like before I can say I like it.

Very good. Got lots of compliments. I poked a lot of holes and poured the milk mixture while the cake was still warm, and all the milk was absorbed immediately. For the frosting, i only used 1/4 cup of sugar b/c 1 cup of sugar is too sweet for me.

This is a FABULOUS recipe! It tastes better than any tres leches I have had in restaurants. The porportion of cake to milk is perfect. I made it for some of my food loving friends and they all wanted the recipe. Thanks a million Stephanie - it is definately a keeper!

I couldn't wait to make this! Tres Leches is my favorite cake in the world. First ate it in a Nicaraguan restaurant in Metairie LA many years age, and I've been eating it whenever possible ever since. I, too, thought it must be very difficult, so I never even looked for a recipe. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for my chance to have a little bit of heaven at home!

This is a great recipe. I have used it several times since finding it here on Allrecipes.com. I have to admit when I'm in a hurry, I just make a boxed white cake and follow the remaining directions. I don't skip on the real whipped cream though. Using the boxed cake can really save time when you're in a hurry.

This is one of THE MOST DELICIOUS cakes I have ever baked!!! Thank you for an amazing recipe. It was a big hit at home and work. A few tips from my baking experience... 1) Add 1/4 tsp baking soda to the dry ingredients to help the cake rise really well. 2) When you mix the wet ingredients, add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each one. (I did not need to separate the eggs to get the cake to rise.) 3) Try letting the cake cool in the pan for an hour, then transfer it to a sheet pan. THEN poke holes in it after it's cooled. I used a wooden skewer and poked about 50 holes. Poke all the way to the bottom of the cake. Pour the cream mixture gradually over the cake. When it collects in the sheet pan, drain it into a bowl and start over. Takes a little time, but your cake will be really moist. 4) Let it sit overnight if you have the time. That also makes the cake super moist. 5) Use a little less sugar in the whipped cream if this is kind of rich for you. Fruit on top also adds a nice flavor and cuts the sweetness. TRY THIS RECIPE!!! It's incredible. :)

This cake was great. My whole family liked it. The base cake alone is delicious. The directions leave a bit to be desired. In place of the whole milk I used buttermilk. Great taste.

This is an AMAZING recipe! My husband asked for it for his birthday. I've made this cake several times, and it's always very popular. Definitely use a 9x13 pan; it seems like there isn't enough batter, but the cake needs to spread over a large surface area so it can absorb all the liquid. If you use a smaller pan, the top of the cake will be dry and too much liquid will seep out the bottom. I followed the recipe as directed.

This recipe is so good and I don't even like Tres Leches at restaurants. My husband has me make this recipe on his birthday every year! He's hooked. It's very easy and people are quite impressed, they can't believe you made this dessert. It's very fresh, which really makes it stand out from the restaurant version.

This cake turned out a little denser than I would have liked so I recommend using only 1 cup of heavy whipping cream for a lighter version.

I bake all the time but the calculations for the cake was ALL WRONG...and the whipped cream was too sweet, instead of adding 1 cup of sugar to the whipping cream only add 1/2 a cup of sugar to the whipping cream.

My cake came out eggy and poundcake-ish. a very thick and nonporous texture. maybe i overbeated it. i'm pretty sure it'll keep it's shape though. i even left it soaking overnight and the center is sorta dry and i had to pour excess liquid out bc it was basically floating. overall taste was good but wasn't pleased with the texture. will try again but this time seperate eggs and beat egg whites and fold it in.

This recipe was great. Here's a tip though - instead of whipping the cream and adding white sugar, add confectioners sugar. I usually add quite a bit because I like it sweet, but start with a cup and add more to taste. the cake was great. I even tinted the cake with green food coloring since I made it for Christmas.

It was so good! I did make some changes to it, I did not add the evaporated milk. I just did 1 cup milk, 1 cup whipping cream and one can condensed milk. I split that between two round cakes. I did think it was not as wet as I liked so next time I will all a little more but it was great! My mother makes this cake all the time and she adds rum to it as well.

I have used this recipe many times and it is EXCELLENT. Remember to use that fork and punch the cake at least 40-50 times to allow the milk to be completely absorbed. If you don't use that fork, it won't soak in even if you leave in overnight.

I wanted to make an authentic cake for my husband's Mexican fiesta themed birthday. I had never made or even tasted Tres Leches cake before so I was nervous. But as my Mexican friend told me, it was "perfect." In fact it was so good that my husband and his buddies were talking about it the next day! My advice is, don't panic (like I did) if the batter is more like a dough. The denseness of the cake meant it stood up to being soaked in all that milk. A delicious recipe. I'll definitely make it again and again.

I've made this cake 3 times and I absolutely love it!!! It is by far my favorite cake!!! It does taste much better after sitting in the refrigerator overnight, however. I've found it is a big hit with some people and other people absolutely hate it...the only reason, however, is that some people are texture-oriented and don't like the idea of cake being soggy...so if you don't like soggy cake...other than that I've gotten tons of compliments when I make it. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!

This may be a 5 star version. I made this for my coworkers and I work in a Mexican Restaurant and it went over very very well...It was very very sweet...in my opinion next time I'm going to cut down the sugar in the whipped cream because it doesn't need a full cup.

I just made this cake and am VERY disappointed with the recipe. There was WAY to much milk mixture the cake just floated in it. Maybe the instructions are not correct - I read and re-read and followed them exactly as written. My family usually devours my desserts but they did not like this and almost the whole pan is still sitting in my fridge after 3 days.

Perfect! I live in Los Angeles which is rich in Mexican/latina culture. This cake is spot on. So much so, that my Mexican 70 year old neighbor devoured some of the pieces I gave him. Not sure why others had a problem with the amount of liquid because I followed the recipe and had no issue. I allowed the cake to soak in the milks and then waited to add the whipped cream topping before serving. Sidenote: it smells SO delicious while baking!

WHAT an AMAZING recipe! This cake was gone in no time and all of the guests RAVED about it. A Mexican friend suggested poking the cake with bamboo skewers before pouring the milks over, and the cake soaked everything up perfectly.

This is absolutely the best and easiest recipe for tres leches I have seen. I too have a few suggestions. Instead of poking holes in the layers so the milk will be absorbed, I slice off just the very top of the crust. This allows the milk to be absorbed nore quickly and thoroughly. I also like to add fruit between the layers and top the whole cake with whipping cream. Our favorite is pineapple rings with cherries in the centers, though strawberries or peaches work well also.

This recipe was great! I did however get confused with the ingredients list. It says 2 cups of milk, but it doesn't say what kind, until you get to the instructions. So I figured that I could use 2% or whichever milk I choose, it didn't necessarily have to be Whole Milk. And with using 2% milk and fat free evaporated milk things turned out just fine!

It turned out tasting better than I had expected. About 150ml of the milk-mixture was left behind after the soaking. It didn't all soak in completely because my cake came out higher in the centre and lower around the edges - hence the milk-mix tended to sit mainly on the lower edges of the cake. To avoid this in future, I'll try making a "hollow" in the centre of the cake dough before placing the tin in the oven. I saved the excess milk-mix in a covered jug in the fridge and served it with each slice of cake. I decorated my cake with chocolate chips (chocolate shavings would be great too) plus 300g of mixed summer berries. They made the cake look lovely, like a sort of "black forest" cake. I also used 1/2 c. sugar instead of 1 c. for the icing/topping. This is a good, easy cake recipe to follow. I didn't bother separating the yolks from the whites and whipping them separately - too time-consuming, and besides, the cake tastes good even if eggs weren't separated before mixing. The amazing thing about this cake is that the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it tastes!! I made this cake for the first time this Easter, and I'll definitely make it again when I have time to bake another cake! Me and my husband finished most of it in 3 days.

I never had this cake before and it was too sweet for my taste, but my Venezuelan friend (and birthday girl) LOVED it, as well as our other friends. Success!

I needed a "Latin" dessert for a theme party. I was very nervous because I've never heard of this cake before...much less eaten it. I gave it a try based on all the great reviews. All I can say is UH....MAY......ZING!!! I will be making this many many more times in the future! I followed the advice in various reviews by adding 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the cake mix, using 2 cups of 1/2 and 1/2 in place of the milk, pouring the mixture on the cake when it's hot out of the oven, and using Cool Whip on top after it's cooled down instead of real whipping cream (this was just for simplicity - I'm sure the real whipping cream is delicious). I am in love with this cake! My new favorite dessert. Don't be nervous about pouring all the liquid on the cake, it looks like way to much at first but it soaks into the cake like a sponge, right before your eyes. And it's true what everyone says about it being even better the next day. I just had some with my coffee for breakfast. Absolutely delicious! Thank you to the original poster of this recipe.

This cake is amazing! Definitely let it sit in the fridge overnight so all the milks can seep into the cake because there was a big difference in the way the cake tasted the day I made it and the day after. I tried it an hour after I made it and the cake tasted more eggy but after letting it sit overnight the cake tasted just like a store bought tres leches cake. Absolutely perfect cake, will definitely make again.

I am 100% Mexican and have always had tres leches cake but never attempted to make it until this weekend for a Cinco de Mayo party (yes, in April HA!). There were a lot of Latin people present (not just from Mexico but Venezuela, Panama, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Guatemala) EVERYONE agreed this cake was the bomb! Thank you for the very GREAT recipe. Oh, I must say I didn't change a single thing and it was phenomenal!!!!

Awesome! My boyfriend made this for my 40th birthday this weekend and it was a huge hit with everyone. We followed the recipe exactly and soaked the cake overnight before frosting. This cake was perfect and at least five people have emailed me for the recipe. I use all recipes constantly and this is one of the very best recipes I've ever found on this site. Simply amazing.

The BEST Tres Leches EVER!!!

My daughter tried this dessert at a restaurant and has been asking me to make it ever since. Tried it the other day and she loved it just as much. Her new favorite cake! I also used reduced fat milks because that is what I usually have in the pantry, and they worked just fine.

such a good recipe! ive made it 3 times once even for a birthday! it never gets old:) i made sure to poke lots of holes on the cake when it comes out so it can really absorb all of the liquid

I have never made this cake before so I followed the directions exactly. I offered to make this cake for a Spanish luncheon at work. There was a man there who lived in Mexico who said this cake was the closest he has ever tasted to the authentic Tres Leches in Mexico. So, if you don't have time to go to Mexico and have Tres Leches, this may be as close as you get! (By the way, it is suppose to be wet and served cold)

The cake turned out well but I would use a smaller baking pan because the cake was kind of thin. I had to cut it in two and i placed one part on top of the other. The cake is a little dense, but it is necessary in order for it not to crumble when the liquid is added. I was not impressed with the cake once i took it out of the pan. Once i poured the milk mixture ( having poked the cake with a fork all around earlier) i placed it in the fridge. After a few hours i added the whipped topping and strawberries. I served it to a couple of friends and they were impressed. After I tried i was impressed myself, the taste was wonderful and it had just the right amount of liquid. Somebody even asked me if i bought it at the store. Even though the cake was cut in half , noboby even noticed...after the liquid was added it was impossible to tell. I got a small rectangular slightly tall cake but the flavor was perfect.

this was a hit. Best part is it was soo easy and fast to make. Thanks.

This came out delicious we just loved the recipe and it tasted exactly the way I thought it would authentic. You can add your mexican twist to it and it will not stray much from the original recipe this cake was two thumbs up and a great way to kill the sweet tooth!!! DELICIOUS

This cake tasted good, but the amount of milk you poured on top made the bottom 1/3 of the cake very mushy, making it unappetizing. If I make this cake again, I will use appx 1/3 of the combined milk to pour on top of the cake.

This recipe is the easiest, but it does need some changes. For one, 2 cups of sugar, I think is too much for the cake because the syrup already gives the cake its sweetness. Also, the syrup mixture that one would pout on the cake is too much. Only use about 1 1/2 cups of it. Overall, I think if I would've made those changes when I first made this cake, it would've turned out better. Don't get me wrong though, this is a very good recipe :) I would definitely recommend trying this out.

My parents tried this dessert at a restaurant, told me about it and I looked it up on allrecipes.com. They said that it's pretty close to what the restaurant served. I've made it 2 times and have gotten compliments both times, and requests for the recipe.

THIS CAKE WAS GREAT. IT WAS THE SAME CAKE I HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL TIME. I ALSO FOUND SEVERAL OTHER RECIPES FOR THIS CAKE ON THE INTERNET. THIS WAS THE BEST ONE, HOWEVER ONE ALL THE OTHER CAKES, AFTER POURING THE MILK MIXTURE OVER THE CAKE LET IT SET FOR AN HOUR AND THEN POUR THE REST OF THE LIQUID OFF. I DID THIS AND IT WAS THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN.

I made this for New Years Dinner for friends. It received rave reviews and requests for the recipe.

This recipe is as close to the real thing as one might get. I would like to make a correction for all of your readers. Tres Leches is a Nicaraguan cake, not Mexican. I give credit where it's due. Mexicans and other Latin American countries may have their own version, but I am Nicaraguan and would like to crear this fact for your readers. You might want to also try "Sopa Borracha" a typical Christmas dessert in Nicaragua. AM

I would make this in an 8x8 pan next time - it was too thin for a 9x13 and the extra milk made it very soupy. I served with diced mango and blackberries.

the only thing that was good was the whipped cream

So I have no idea what I did wrong, but the "filling" was EXTREMELY soupy. The cake tasted good, but I drained off a good amount of the "filling."