Easy Tres Leches Cake

A square of cake on a small dessert plate. The baking dish with the rest of the cake is in the background of the shot.

4.6 from 108 votes

Yield: 12 Servings

Making your own easy Tres Leches Cake is a breeze, with this simple recipe using boxed cake mix! Creamy, dreamy, and scented with cinnamon, it’s a classic chilled dessert that will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Additional Time4

Total Time4 45

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 (14.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup water
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
16 oz tub cool whip, or homemade whipped cream (see notes)
Cinnamon, for dusting

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick baking spray, set aside.
Place the cake mix, vanilla pudding mix and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together to combine.
Add in the remaining ingredients (eggs, water, whole milk, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla extract) and whisk together just until combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. The edges of the cake will be golden brown.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place onto a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then, use a skewer, toothpick, or a large fork, to poke a lot of holes into the top of the cake.
In layers, pour the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream over the entire surface of the cake. Be sure to spread the milks to the edges of the cake and let them soak in before adding the next layer.
Cover cake with saran wrap or foil and place the cake in the fridge to continue soaking in the milk and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
When ready to serve, spread the cool whip over the top of the cake and sprinkle with a thin layer of cinnamon. Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Store: As a chilled dessert, tres leches cake should always be stored in the fridge. Cover it well with plastic wrap, foil, or an airtight lid if your baking dish has one. It usually keeps well for up to four days.

Stabilized Whipped Cream: Not a cool whip fan? You can frost this cake right before serving it with homemade whipped cream. However, for best results, I recommend stabilizing your homemade whipped cream. Melt 2 teaspoons of powdered gelatin into 2 tablespoons of water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let it cool for a minute, then beat it into your whipped cream to stabilize it. This will keep it from breaking down and becoming water-y over time and helps it store for longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 538kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 424mg, Potassium: 325mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 49g, Vitamin A: 628IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 320mg, Iron: 1mg