One bite of this Tres Leches Cake with Berries tastes like the best strawberry shortcake you’ve ever had—except this is a delicate sponge cake soaked with a luscious three-milk mixture.
Also called pan tres leches (literally “three milks bread”), tres leches is a classic Latin-style cake. Its exact origin is debated—some credit Nicaragua, others Mexico—but what matters is the irresistible combination of a light cake and a rich milk soak.
The cake is saturated with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Just before serving it’s finished with freshly whipped cream and lightly sweetened strawberries. It sounds decadent—and it is—but it’s absolutely worth the indulgence.
Ingredients for Tres Leches Cake with Berries
- Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder – Provides lift for a light, tender cake.
- Kosher salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar – For the cake and to macerate the berries.
- Pure vanilla extract – Or vanilla seeds for deeper flavor.
- Whole milk – Adds richness to the batter.
- Heavy cream – Used in the three-milk soak and for whipping.
- Canned evaporated milk – Concentrated milk without added sugar.
- Canned sweetened condensed milk – Sweet and creamy.
- Pure almond extract – A little enhances the milk mixture.
- Vanilla bean seeds – Scraped from one pod, or substitute extract or paste.
- Fresh strawberries – Washed, trimmed and sliced.
- Whipping cream – For fresh whipped cream topping.
- Confectioners’ sugar – For the whipped cream and dusting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla.
- Beat on medium-high for 10 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour. Fold with a spatula until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 20–25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched and a tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in the pan for 40 minutes.
- In a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract and vanilla seeds (or substitute extract/paste).
- Poke holes all over the cooled cake with a skewer.
- Slowly pour some of the milk mixture over the cake, letting it absorb before adding more. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight.
This recipe calls for vanilla bean seeds in the milk mixture. If you prefer, substitute a good-quality vanilla extract. One teaspoon of vanilla extract equals about a 2-inch piece of vanilla bean; an average bean yields 2–3 teaspoons. Vanilla bean paste is another excellent substitute (1 tablespoon paste ≈ 1 vanilla bean ≈ 1 tablespoon extract).
- After the cake has absorbed the milk mixture and chilled, poke additional holes if needed and press gently so the cake is evenly saturated.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours; 8–24 hours will deepen the flavor.
To finish just before serving
- Chill the mixer bowl in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
- Toss the sliced strawberries with the granulated sugar and let them macerate briefly.
- Pour whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla into the chilled bowl and beat on high until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 12 squares.
- Surround each portion with the macerated strawberries, add a dollop of whipped cream and serve.
This yields twelve generous servings. Stored covered in the refrigerator, the cake keeps well for up to five days—making it an excellent make-ahead dessert. If serving over multiple days, prepare fresh whipped cream and berries as needed.
Use a single berry variety or a mix of in-season berries.
Tres Leches Cake with Berries
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Milk Combo Pour-Over
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste)
Sweetened Berries
- 8 cups sliced strawberries
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Fresh Whipped Cream
- 1 pint whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Additional sifted confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13×2-inch pan.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a mixer bowl combine eggs, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium-high for 10 minutes until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add half the flour, then the milk, then the remaining flour. Fold to combine.
- Pour batter into the pan, smooth the top and bake 20–25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 40 minutes.
- Whisk heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract and vanilla seeds. Poke holes in the cooled cake and slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, allowing it to absorb. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into 12 squares, surround with strawberries, top with whipped cream and serve.
Toppings (prepare just before serving)
- Chill the mixer bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Toss strawberries with 4 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- Beat whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in the chilled bowl until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
Recipe Notes
This recipe calls for vanilla bean seeds in the milk mixture. Substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract if preferred. One teaspoon extract equals roughly a 2-inch piece of vanilla bean; one bean yields about 2–3 teaspoons.
Disclosure: Some links in the original post were affiliate links. This recipe and the notes above focus on ingredients and technique; no purchase is required to recreate this dessert.
More desserts with berries
