Tres Leches with Cake Mix is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It's a moist box cake mix and filled with a sweet and creamy filling, and topped with homemade whipped topping. You will fall in love with this cake after the first bite.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Favorite things about this recipe
- 📝 Ingredients you'll need
- 🥣 Before you begin: essential tools
- 🥄 Step by step: instructions
- 👍 Let's make the perfect recipe: Amira's tips
- 🧺 How to store leftovers
- ⌛ Make Ahead
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- 👩🍳 Variations to make it your own
- 💬 Your questions answered: FAQs
- 📣 Related Recipes
- Tres Leches with Cake Mix
❤️ Favorite things about this recipe
- The sweet milk mixture makes this moist cake taste so much better than the average cake recipe.
- By using a boxed cake mix you can save time in the kitchen, and don't have to worry about doing a lot of measuring.
- This recipe is so easy that even beginners can make it. No special baking skills are required.
This Tres Leches Cake recipe turns a yellow cake mix into the ultimate dessert. After you taste the sweet flavor of this cake and realize how easy it is to make, it will quickly become one of your favorite dessert recipes.
📝 Ingredients you'll need
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes / Variations
- Cake mix - I used a box of vanilla cake mix. White cake mix could also be used.
- Large eggs - Eggs act as a binder in your cake.
- Water - Water adds moisture to the cake, make sure to cool or room temperature water, not warm water.
- Vegetable oil - You can also use canola oil or any other neutral-flavored oil.
- Whipping cream - Heavy whipping cream is the base of this creamy filling.
- Sweetened condensed milk - This adds a sweet richness to the filling.
- Evaporated milk - This helps the filling to have a smooth and creamy texture.
- Powdered sugar - This superfine sugar will add sweetness to your icing.
- Vanilla extract - Choose a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
🥣 Before you begin: essential tools
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- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer or whisk
- 9x13 baking dish
- medium bowl
- wooden skewer or butter knife
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🥄 Step by step: instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, mix cake ingredients together using a whisk or an electric mixer until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let it cool completely.
- In a medium bowl combine milk mixture ingredients well.
- When the cake has cooled, poke holes in the cake using a wooden skewer.
- Slowly pour the milk over the cake making sure to pour around the edges as well.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours to allow the cake to soak up the milk mixture.
- In another bowl mix together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon the whipped cream over the top of the cake and level with a spatula.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
👍 Let's make the perfect recipe: Amira's tips
- You want to poke holes in the cake while it is still warm, so don't wait for the cake to cool before you add the holes.
- If you don't have evaporated milk on hand, you can use whole milk instead, however, I recommend using the evaporated milk because it gives this cake the best flavor.
- This cake has the texture of an airy sponge cake, so be careful that you don't overmix your cake batter which can give you a dry or hard cake. You want to mix the batter until it is just combined.
🧺 How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you don't have a lid for your baking dish you can cover the top with plastic wrap instead.
Freeze - This cake can be frozen for up to three months. Just make sure that wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep it fresh in the freezer.
⌛ Make Ahead
One of the best things about this poke cake is that it needs to chill in the fridge. So, feel free to make this cake up to 24 hours in advance. However, I recommend that you wait to add the homemade whipped cream frosting until you are ready to serve the cake.
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
This delicious cake is great on its own with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. However, if you want to pair it with a meal, I like to serve it with this Chicken Broccoli and Potato Casserole or these Grilled Chicken Nuggets. You can't go wrong with either delicious meal.
👩🍳 Variations to make it your own
- For a beautiful topping to the cake, you can top it with fresh fruit such as sliced fresh strawberries for a nice pop of color.
- You can also dust the top of the cake with a light sprinkle of cinnamon if you want to add some warm flavors to this cake.
💬 Your questions answered: FAQs
Tres Leches means "three milks" in Spanish, which refers to the three types of milk used in this cake - evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. This is what gives the cake its rich and creamy texture.
Your cake should not be soggy, it should be moist with the texture of a firm custard.
📣 Related Recipes
- This Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake is one of the most popular recipes on my site. It has a milk and sweet flavor that is well balanced with the warm spices and crumb topping.
- Chocolate Magic Cake is an easy recipe that only requires a few simple ingredients, but turns into a rich and fluffy cake right before your eyes.
- This Cinnamon Roll Cake is one of my favorite cakes. I love the combination of the sweet filling, and cinnamon sugar mixture. It's a great dessert to make for your family.
- Snowball Cake is a melt-in-your-mouth fluffy, moist, and incredibly easy no-bake cake. Made with just a few ingredients, this adorable and tasty treat needs a few minutes of work and the rest is for your fridge.
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Thank you.
Tres Leches with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 Box (13.25) vanilla cake mix
- 3 Large eggs
- 1 Cup water
- ⅓ Cup vegetable oil
For the milk mixture:
- ⅓ Cup whipping cream
- 1 Can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Can (12 ounce) evaporated milk 12 ounce
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 Cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 13x9 baking dish with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix cake ingredients together using a whisk or an electric mixer until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let it cool completely.
- In a medium bowl combine milk mixture ingredients well.
- When the cake has cooled, poke several holes in the cake using a wooden skewer.
- Slowly pour the milk over the cake making sure to pour around the edges as well.
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours to allow the cake to soak up the milk mixture.
- In another bowl mix together whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peak forms.
- Spoon the whipped cream over the top of the cake snd level with a spatula.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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