Tres Leches Cupcakes

These Tres Leches Cupcakes are light and fluffy cupcakes filled with three creamy milks and topped with a light and fluffy whipped cream frosting.

These Tres Leches Cupcakes are an easy homemade cupcake recipe. These totally made from scratch cupcakes are decadent and always a hit for celebration!

Do you love a tres leches cake? You'll love it even more in these beautiful cupcakes!

overhead image of tres leches cupcake

You may be asking if the paper cupcake wrappers are strong enough to hold all the milky cupcakes? Yes, it works out perfectly! No mess and no leaks!
image of a tres leches cupcake on a plate

Tres Leches. Three milks. Ripples of soft whipped cream on top of a milky cake. That sensual cherry on top...mmm!

I see Tres Leches and other luscious Cuban desserts right next to the Cuban coffee station at our Publix every week. Aleyda is always ready with her contagious Cuban smile. "Hola! Come estas? Quieres un cafecito?" Aleyda asks me, "Would you like a Cuban coffee?" I always want a Cuban coffee!

I quickly walk by to start my shopping. I dare not glance down for more than a ½ a second at that dreamy dessert just beckoning me to buy it and sink my teeth into its creamy cake.

I received a copy of A World of Cake by Krystina Castella last week. I can't stop looking at it and dreaming of which cake I want to try. It's gorgeous!

I decided to try first the Tres Leches recipe. I made a cake. It disappeared in 10 minutes.

The next day, I made cupcakes. If you never had Tres Leches, you must try it. The cake is sweet and milky drenched in the three milks. I made a quick whipped topping to spread on top. I had to put on a cherry just the way I see it every week at our grocery store.

My son had 2 big slices of the cake. He kept saying, "I love it Mommy! I love it!"

image of a tres leches cake sliced open

The infamous Tres Leches! Here's the lineup: evaporated milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk.
image of three milks on a counter

What ingredients are in a tres leches cake?

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • unsalted butter
  • sugar
  • 7 eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • sour cream

Tres Leches Topping

  • milk
  • sweetened condensed milk
  • evaporated milk

What does the recipe yield?

This tres leches makes 1 cake (serves 6-8) or approx. 16 cupcakes

How to make a tres leches cake?

To Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 12-inch round cake pan or your muffin pans.

To Make the Cake
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternation with the sour cream, and mix until blended.
image of making tres leches cake
To bake:
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan.
Here it is as a cake.
overhead image of a tres leches cake

 

To make the Tres Leches Topping
Stir together the milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. when the cake is cool, remove from the pan and transfer to an ovenproof serving tray. Pierce the cake all over with a fork.

Spoon the milk mixture over the cake and let soak for 5 minutes. (I let mine soak for about 15-20 minutes). I brushed it on my cupcakes with a pastry brush. I didn't use all the tres leches mixture on the cupcakes.
image of making tres leches cupcakes

overhead image of making cupcakes

Whipped Cream
Whip one pint of whipped cream until soft peaks form. Don't overbeat it because you will then have butter. Add two tablespoons of powdered sugar and combine for about 1 more minute.

For Cake or Cupcakes:

Pipe or spoon on the whipped topping. Don't forget the cherry on top!

Some other cupcake recipes:

 

Tres Leches Cupcakes

These Tres Leches Cupcakes are light and fluffy cupcakes filled with three creamy milks and topped with a light and fluffy whipped cream frosting. Yields 16 cupcakes or 1 12-inch round cake.
Prep Time10 minutes
Author: Lora

Ingredients

  • For the cake:
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • cups sugar
  • 7 eggs at room temperature
  • teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • Tres Leches Topping:
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • Topping:
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 12-inch round cake pan or your muffin pans.
  • To Make the Cake: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
  • Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternation with the sour cream, and mix until blended.
  • To bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan.
  • To make the Tres Leches Topping: Stir together the milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. when the cake is cool, remove from the pan and transfer to an ovenproof serving tray. Pierce the cupcakes (or cake) all over with a fork.
  • Spoon the milk mixture over the cake and let soak for 5 minutes. (I let mine soak for about 15-20 minutes). I brushed it on my cupcakes with a pastry brush. I didn’t use all the tres leches mixture on the cupcakes.
  • Whipped Cream: Whip one pint of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Don't overbeat it because you will then have butter:)Add two tablespoons of powdered sugar and combine for about 1 more minute.
  • For Cake or Cupcakes: Pipe or spoon on the whipped topping. Don’t forget the cherry on top!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!

114 Comments

  1. They look so good! I've always wanted to try tres leches cake, but I get afraid it'll disappear in 10 minutes like yours did, only I'll do the damage alone! I've never seen it in cupcake form... too cute.

  2. Ive never had a tres Leches cupcake or cake but omg, have to try. It looks so soft and moist.
    Stinks that I missed the giveaway!! Oh well, I still had to tell you this looks great!

  3. I love the idea of a cookbook with background and origins of the cakes. I do monthly cooking nights themed by country and sometimes regions of countries. This would be handy. If I don't win, I'm going to see if our library has it or check my local bookstore.

    Also, I made an attempt at a chocolate tres leches cake a few years ago that failed. It wouldn't absorb the milks mixture. I was using an odd recipe but seeing someone else's success makes me think I should try it again. Thanks for that encouragement.

  4. Those look delectable! I can tel just by looking at them how moist the cake must be. What a great book, too!

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