A classic and easy Tres Leches Cake goes far beyond your average cake recipe. Our Tres Leches Cake recipe with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix makes a moist, flavorful and deeply rich dessert. You’ll mix and pour sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream (the traditional “three milks”) into “poke” holes in the cake to create the iconic flavor. Tap into your inner Betty with a cake that goes from mix to masterpiece, and make a tres leches birthday cake, holiday dessert or weekend delight!

Ingredients

  • 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 1 cup whole milk or evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tub (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Fluffy White Frosting

Make With
Betty Crocker Cake Mix

Instructions

  • Step

    1

    Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
  • Step

    2

    In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

  • Step

    3

    Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake to cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Poke holes using fork every 1/2 inch over top of cake. If necessary, wipe fork tines occasionally with paper towel to reduce sticking.

  • Step

    4

    In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream, until blended. Carefully pour evenly over top of cake, working back and forth to fill holes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Drop frosting by spoonfuls over top of cake; spread evenly. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Nutrition

350Calories
14gTotal Fat
5gProtein
51gTotal Carbohydrate
39gSugars

Recipe Tips

  • tip 1

    When frosting this moist cake, spread in just one direction using long strokes. Using a back-and-forth motion often causes the top layer of cake to come off, leaving crumbs in the frosting.

  • tip 2

    Tres leches—or “three milks” in Spanish—is just a very moist cake enriched with two forms of concentrated milk and rich cream. The full dairy and vanilla flavors are a favorite in the southern U.S.

  • tip 3

    Try serving this Tres Leches Cake topped with a fresh berry or tropical fruit compote.

More About This Recipe

  • Tres Leches cake features three different dairy products that come together to create a cake that’s moist, but not mushy, and dense with just the right amount of sweetness. This indulgent cake traces its origins back to South America, but you don’t need to fly across the equator to try a piece. You can enjoy a slice of decadent tres leches right in the comfort of your own home with this recipe from the Betty Crocker™ Test Kitchens. And for more takes on tres leches, check out all of  Betty’s tres leches-inspired recipes, plus instructions on how to make perfect cake, every time.