Caramel Tres Leches Cake

A piece of tres leches cake on a plate with a bite removed and the spoon resting on the plate.

5 from 8 votes

Caramel Tres Leches Cake

This caramel tres leches cake takes an airy sponge cake, douses it three different types of milk mixed with caramel sauce, and the top of the cake gets covered in fresh whipped cream and dulce de leche. It's a very simple style of poke cake with Latin American origins that's just the right amount of sweet, with tons of flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Soak Time12

Total Time13

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Latin American

Servings:

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
13 x 9 inch pan
Rubber spatula
Offset spatula

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour 120g
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5 large eggs separated
1 cup granulated sugar divided (200g)
⅓ cup whole milk 80ml
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Milk Mixture

12 oz evaporated milk
14 oz sweetened condensed milk cooked into dulce de leche
¾ cup whole milk 6 fl oz

Whipped Topping

1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar 15g
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

Dulce de Leche

Begin by cooking the sweetened condensed milk into dulce de leche*.
Remove the paper from the can and fill a large pot with water. Add the can and be sure the water is covering it by at least 2 inches.
Bring the water to a boil, and keep it at a low boil for three hours. Add more water as needed to be sure the can is fully covered at all times, bringing it back to a boil as necessary.
Remove and transfer the can (using tongs or a slotted spoon) to a dish towel and allow it to cool at room temperature for 3-4 hours before opening and using.

Sponge Cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9x13" pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
In two separate bowls, separate the egg yolks from the whites, being sure not to let any yolks get into the whites or else they won't whip properly.
Add the egg whites to a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add ¼ cup (50g) sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
Transfer the egg whites to another bowl, scraping out as much as possible (no need to wash it).
Add ¾ cup (150g) sugar and the egg yolks to stand mixer bowl and beat on medium high speed (using the paddle attachment) until the yolks are pale yellow (about 3-4 minutes).
Scrape down the sides, then add the ⅓ cup milk (80ml) and vanilla and mix on low to combine.
Add the flour mixture to the whipped yolks and fold it together until smooth.
Fold the egg whites into the batter in two batches until just combined, careful not to stir and deflate the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it evenly with a spatula. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes until completely set. The cake will have pulled away from the edges of the pan and be slightly browned. Allow the cake to cool slightly on a wire rack.

Soaking and Topping

Combine the evaporated milk, ¾ can of the dulce de leche, and whole milk in a bowl and whisk until it comes together.
12 oz evaporated milk, ¾ cup whole milk
Using a fork, poke holes all over cake and slowly pour the milk mixture over the entire cake.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but 12 hours is best. This allows the cake the absorb the milk mixture fully.
Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on medium speed until it starts to thicken, then increase the speed until medium peaks form.
1 pint heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Smooth the whipped cream over the cake, then use the remaining dulce de leche to drizzle it on top of the whipped cream. Swoop the caramel into the topping, then slice and enjoy.

Notes

*It's best to start making this cake one day in advance from when you plan to serve it. I find it best to make the dulce de leche in the morning, then make the cake the same night and add the milks to soak overnight. Then next day, add the whipped cream and swoop in the dulce de leche before serving.

See the post write-up for additional ways on how to make the dulce de leche.

Be sure to poke lots of holes in the cake, and get the edges, too! Do a fork prick about every square inch of the cake.

Prior to making the whipped cream topping, put your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes - this will help your cream whip up nicely.

Store fully covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the whipped cream will begin to weep after about a day and the dulce de leche will get dull, but it will still taste delicious!

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