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Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Strawberry tres leches cake features a soft, moist sponge soaked in a three-milk mixture, then topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. The fork-pierced crumb absorbs the milk so every slice stays tender and juicy.
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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: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the sponge
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating for easy release.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Beat the 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 just combined with no dry streaks.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick comes out clean.
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, then pour the milk mixture over the entire surface.
  3. Chill for at least 3 hours until the cake is fully saturated.
Top and serve
  1. Beat 2 cups heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
  2. Spread whipped cream over the chilled cake and top with fresh sliced strawberries before serving.

Notes

For clean slices, refrigerate the cake covered and let it sit at cool room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; freeze the soaked cake without strawberries and whipped cream for up to 1 month, then thaw in the refrigerator and add fresh topping after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use reduced-sugar sweetened condensed milk and keep the frosting sweetened to taste.