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Cinco de Mayo Tres Leches Cake

Cinco de Mayo tres leches cake with a moist sponge soaked in three milks and topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. Bake a tender 9x13 cake, poke it all over, then chill until the milks soak in for a creamy, sliceable texture.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rest 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sponge cake base
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs separated
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup whole milk
  • 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 or Media Crema
Topping
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 fresh strawberries and raspberries for topping
  • 1 fresh mint for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Bake the sponge
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
  4. Beat egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale.
  5. Add flour mixture and whole milk alternately, stirring gently until just combined.
  6. Fold in vanilla extract, then fold in egg whites in two additions.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 10 minutes, then pierce all over with a fork.
Soak and chill
  1. Combine sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream or Media Crema, then pour evenly over the cake.
  2. Let the cake soak for at least 2 hours, refrigerating until ready to serve.
Finish and serve
  1. Whip heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
  2. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake.
  3. Top with fresh strawberries and raspberries and garnish with fresh mint before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: pierce the cake right after the initial 10-minute cooling so the milk mixture absorbs evenly. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter version, use light whipped topping or a lower-fat crema option, though soak richness may be slightly reduced.