This vanilla tres leches is a real treat! It’s full of exquisite flavors and textures that come together to create a truly indulgent dessert experience. Starting with the base, the sponge cake itself is light and airy, which is essential to allow it to act like a sponge, soaking up the three types of milk without becoming overly heavy.
The milk mixture is a blend of sweetness and richness: evaporated milk brings concentrated milk flavor, condensed milk adds a creamy texture and sweet depth, and the milk balances the mixture with its natural richness and helps to maintain the cake’s moistness.
When the milk mixture is poured over the cake, it slowly seeps into every crevice, creating a luscious contrast between the tender crumb of the cake and the creamy soak.
The addition of vanilla extract ( I love a good Mexican vanilla) to both the cake batter and the milk mixture elevates the dessert, infusing it with warm and floral notes of vanilla. These aromatic hints make the tres leches not only rich in texture but also complex in taste.
To finish, the vanilla tres leches cake I love to garnished it with a light and fluffy whipped cream topping, which provides a cloud-like contrast to the denseness of the milk-infused base. The whipped cream is slightly sweetened and has a little splash of vanilla because who doesn’t love more vanilla?
I love to add a fresh strawberry on top to give a little sweet and tart pop of flavor that really puts the whole cake in balance.
This dessert is not just food; it’s a celebration in itself, served chilled and among friends and family. The play of textures from the firm yet tender crumb to the rich and creamy milk soak, balanced by the light, whipped topping, makes vanilla tres leches a dessert that is hard to resist.
What you need to make this vanilla tres leches cake: (printable recipe card is below)
Makes 1 – 9 x 13 inch cake
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
For the tres leches mixture:
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, half and half or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For toppings:
- Whipped cream (slightly sweetened with a splash of vanilla added)
- Strawberries
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Separate egg white and yolk, set yolks aside while you whip the egg whites until they are soft peaks, then slowly add in sugar and vanilla then whip until you have stiff and shiny peaks.
- In another bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder then mix well.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and egg yolks then add to the flour mixture and mix.
- Add the whipped egg white and sugar mixture then gently stir together until the egg white mixture is fully incorporated into the batter.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×13 baking pan and bake for ~35 minutes or until the center of the cake is risen and cake is baked through.
- When cake is done baking, let it cool slightly while you mix together the three milks.
- Mix the milks then poke the cake with a fork or skewer then pour the milk mixture over the top.
- Refrigerate until the cake is fully chilled.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, enjoy.
Here are a few other recipes you may also enjoy:
Chai Spiced Coffee Cake
Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
Blackberry Lime Sour Cream Cake
Vanilla Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
For the tres leches (3 milks):
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk half and half or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the toppings:
- whipped cream slightly sweetened with a splash of vanilla added
- Strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Separate egg white and yolk, set yolks aside while you whip the egg whites until they are soft peaks, then slowly add in sugar and vanilla then whip until you have stiff and shiny peaks.
- In another bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder then mix well.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and egg yolks then add to the flour mixture and mix.
- Add the whipped egg white and sugar mixture then gently stir together until the egg white mixture is fully incorporated into the batter.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×13 baking pan and bake for ~35 minutes or until the center of the cake is risen and cake is baked through.
- When cake is done baking, let it cool slightly while you mix together the three milks.
- Mix the milks then poke the cake with a fork or skewer then pour the milk mixture over the top.
- Refrigerate until the cake is fully chilled.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, enjoy.