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Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Strawberry tres leches cake features a soft, moist sponge baked until just set, then fully saturated with a three-milk mixture. It’s chilled until tender and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries for a soaked, sliceable crumb.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rest 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Latin American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Cake base
  • 5 eggs separated
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Three-milk soaking mixture
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream for soaking
Topping and garnish
  • 2 cup heavy cream for whipping
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 1.5 lb fresh strawberries sliced

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Bake the sponge
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Beat egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, then stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Alternately fold the flour mixture and stiffly beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture, until no dry streaks remain and the batter looks airy.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back lightly.
Soak and chill
  1. Combine sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a bowl.
  2. Pierce the cooled cake all over with a fork so the holes are visible across the surface.
  3. Pour the milk mixture over the entire surface of the cake so it pools and soaks in evenly.
  4. Chill for at least 3 hours until fully saturated, with the center looking set and the crumb appearing moist.
Finish and serve
  1. Beat 2 cups heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, so the cream holds firm ridges.
  2. Top the chilled cake with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries before serving for a fresh, bright finish.

Notes

For best soak, pierce the cake only after it cools completely, then pour the milk mixture slowly over the whole surface. Refrigerate covered up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the whipped topping and strawberry texture can change. If you want a lighter topping, use a stabilized whipped cream substitute or whip chilled reduced-fat cream, keeping the cake soak the same for that moist, three-milk crumb.