This tres leches cake is easy to make with a boxed cake mix, three different milks then topped with whipped cream, cinnamon and fruit! A simple dessert for any celebration.
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Easy Tres Leches Cake with Cake Mix
This tres leches cake recipe with cake mix is much easier than making a vanilla cake from scratch yet just as delicious. It has light sweet flavor and is super moist from heavy cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk!
This popular Cinco de Mayo dessert is simple to make with vanilla cake mix making it one of my favorite boxed cake mix recipes. Another shortcut recipe we love are these sopapilla cheesecake bars!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Cake mix: I love to make this tres leches cake recipe with a French vanilla cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist or Duncan Hines). A yellow cake mix works, too!
- Three milk cake: The cake gets its name from three different types of milk (tres leches) being soaked into the crumb of the cake. This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream.
- Topping: The rich and creamy topping is made from whipping heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract for the best homemade whipped cream.
Favorite Toppings for Serving
Although this easy tres leches cake tastes delicious as is, adding a few extra toppings really takes it to the next level.
- A sprinkle of ground cinnamon
- Toasted coconut
- Pecans
- Freshly sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries
- A drizzle of salted caramel sauce
- Maraschino cherries
How to Make Tres Leches Cake with Cake Mix
- Bake cake. In an electric mixer, mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil and water 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Fold in the sour cream. Add cake batter to baking dish and bake. Cool 10 to 20 minutes.
- Soak the cake. Make three milk mixture by whisking together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. Poke the top of the cake with a fork, about every inch or so. Pour the sweet milk mixture slowly and evenly over the top. Chill at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight to allow the milk to soak into the cake.
- Top with whipped cream. Beat together the cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until a stiff peak forms. Once the topping has thickened, spread over cake.
- Serve. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh strawberries, maraschino cherries, or toasted coconut, if desired.
Tips and Variations
- Let cool. It’s important to let the cake cool for about 10 to 20 minutes before adding the milk mixture. You don’t want to pour it over while it’s still super hot.
- Soak. Similar to jello poke cake, you’ll poke holes throughout the cake and then pour the milk on top. I soak it overnight as it makes the cake more moist and flavorful.
- Freeze beaters. Before making the whipped topping, place your bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help the peak form faster.
- Sturdier whipped topping. You can make a stabilized whipped cream with the simple addition of gelatin. The stabilized version will hold it’s shape a bit longer.
- Homemade version. If you’re looking to make this cake from scratch, try The Pioneer Woman Tres Leches Cake. I’ve made it and if you have time it’s great.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Easy tres leches cake is ideal for making in advance, as it needs to soak in the fridge for awhile. If making the day beforehand, wait to add the whipped topping until right before serving.
- Store: This cake should be refrigerated and served cold due to the amount of milk used in it. Store leftover uncut cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze: You can make the cake mix, cool it completely and freeze it. I would not add the milk mixture before freezing. Once your cake is thawed you can proceed with adding the milk mixture, chilling and then serving with whipped cream.
More Latin American inspired recipes for Cinco de Mayo include arroz con leche (Mexican Rice Pudding), homemade churros and Horchata.
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Tres Leches Cake with Cake Mix
This tres leches cake is easy to make with a boxed cake mix, three different milks then topped with whipped cream, cinnamon and fruit! A simple dessert for any celebration.
Video
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 (15.25 -ounce) box French vanilla cake or yellow mix
- 4 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ½ cup sour cream
Milk Mixture
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- dash of vanilla
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tablespoons powdered or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon , optional
Optional for serving: Fresh strawberries, Maraschino cherries, or Toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cake
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the cake mix, 4 eggs, 3 Tablespoons oil and 1 1/4 cups water 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Fold in 1/2 cup sour cream. Pour into the baking dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes.
Milk Mixture
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. Add a dash of vanilla. Poke the top of the cake with a fork, about every inch or so. Pour about half the milk mixture slowly and evenly over the top. Allow it to soak in and then slowly pour the rest over the top of the cake.
- Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours, or preferably overnight to allow the milk to soak into the cake.
Topping
- Place the beaters and bowl from a stand mixer in the freezer for a few minutes to help the whipped cream form peaks faster. Beat together 1 cup cream, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla on high speed until a stiff peak forms. Once the topping has thickened, spread over the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top, if using. Serve with fresh strawberries, maraschino cherries, or toasted coconut, if desired.
Notes
Cake Mix: Originally, I used Betty Crocker Super Moist which came in a 15 ounce size. That size cake mix is now smaller. I would recommend using Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist 15.25 ounce size or Pillsbury Moist Supreme, 15.25 ounce size. Otherwise a smaller cake mix will result in a soggy cake.
Coconut version: Another delicious version is to swap the sweetened condensed milk with a can of cream of coconut milk. Then right before serving add thinly sliced bananas under the whipped cream and top with toasted coconut.
Freeze beaters. Before making the whipped topping, place your bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help the peak form faster.
Making in advance. This recipe is ideal for making in advance, as it needs to soak in the fridge for awhile. If making the day beforehand, wait to add the whipped topping until right before serving. It can deflate if you add the topping too far in advance.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 544IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Cake + Cupcakes, Cinco De Mayo, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Mexican
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I made this cake for a friend’s bday . She is literally obsessed with tres leches cake. So it was with some trepidation that I used a recipe that simplified things for me by using a cake mix. Happy to report everyone loved the cake-even those who say they aren’t big fans of tres leches. I think using heavy cream instead of whole milk for the 3rd leches made it less soggy, which i prefer. The bday girl likes hers “soggier “so the 4 stars instead of 5 is just a reflection of that.
Thank you for the review Stacia!
I am planning to make this cake for a party this weekend. I noticed that my cake mix box is only 13.25 ounces and not 15 like yours in the recipe (ugh why do they do this?!). What adjustments would you make to the recipe, if any, because of that?
Hi Keri, the shrinking cake mix size is so frustrating, I agree! If you have a kitchen scale, I would recommended making our vanilla cake mix then measuring out the cake mix in a bowl and add enough of the homemade cake mix until 15 ounces is reached. If you don’t have a scale, this article on upsizing a cake mix had that same issue – but the mix they created increased their mix to almost 18, so I would try half of theirs if you go that way. I think alot of recipes the smaller size cake mix may not matter but since this one has all the milks adjusting it is a great idea. Let us know how it goes! Another option would be to just buy another cake mix and scoop out the amount until it reaches 15 ounces or so :)
I don’t know what I did wrong but mine came out a little wet. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious though. Family loved it! ❤️❤️
Tres leche cake due to the 3 milks is a bit more moist than other cakes! If your family prefers a little less moisture you could try to reduce each of the 3 milks slightly – but not too much as I would worry the taste wouldn’t be there then.