Heavenly Tres Leches Cake Recipe: Ina Garten’s Sweet Magic

Sweet, creamy, and utterly irresistible, this Ina Garten tres leches cake melts in your mouth with every heavenly bite.

The classic Latin American dessert gets a delightful twist that transforms an ordinary cake into a decadent masterpiece.

Garten’s touch brings rich, velvety layers soaked in three kinds of milk, creating a dessert that’s both luxurious and comforting.

Each slice promises a perfect balance of moisture and sweetness that will make taste buds dance with pure joy.

Elegant yet simple, this recipe proves that sometimes the most extraordinary dishes come from the most straightforward techniques.

The magic lies in the careful blend of ingredients and precise method that guarantees a showstopping dessert.

Get ready to impress everyone at the table with this irresistible sweet sensation that turns an ordinary gathering into a memorable culinary celebration.

Step-by-Step Instructions for This Soaked Dessert

Tres Leches Cake Adventure

• Cake Foundation Preparation

Gather your baking gear and warm up the kitchen oven to a cozy 350°F. Grab a spacious rectangular baking pan and give it a gentle butter massage to prevent sticking.

• Batter Magic

Crack open fresh eggs and combine them with sweet granulated sugar. Whip these ingredients into a cloud-like mixture using an electric mixer, transforming them into a fluffy dream. Carefully fold in flour and other dry ingredients, creating a silky smooth batter that promises deliciousness.

• Cake Transformation

Bake the cake until it’s golden and springs back when touched. Let it cool and rest, preparing for its upcoming milky bath. Use a skewer to create tiny pathways for the creamy liquid to seep into every delectable corner.

• Milk Soak Extravaganza

Blend together three different milks – heavy cream, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Slowly pour this luxurious liquid over the cooled cake, watching it absorb the rich, sweet mixture. Refrigerate and let the magic happen.

• Dreamy Topping

Whip cream into soft, billowy peaks. Add a touch of sugar and vanilla to create a heavenly crown for your cake. When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh, vibrant fruits.

Flavor Adjustments for the Milks and Toppings

• Poke tiny holes evenly across the cake surface to help the tres leches mixture penetrate deeply and create a super moist texture.
• Select seasonal fresh fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or tropical mangoes to complement the creamy cake's richness and add vibrant color.
• Prepare the cake one day in advance to allow full milk absorption, intensifying the dessert's decadent flavor profile and saving time before serving.
• Use room temperature ingredients for smoother batter mixing and ensure eggs are beaten until pale and fluffy to guarantee a light, tender cake crumb.
• Chill mixing bowl and whisk attachment before whipping cream to help it reach maximum volume and maintain stable, silky peaks for elegant cake topping.

How to Serve Ina’s Cake Without Soggy Drama

• Garnish with Fresh Berries: Scatter a vibrant mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries around the cake slices to add a burst of color and tangy freshness.
• Perfect Brunch Companion: Serve this decadent tres leches cake alongside strong coffee or Mexican hot chocolate for a delightful weekend morning treat that feels indulgent yet sophisticated.
• Elegant Dinner Dessert: Present the cake on a white porcelain plate with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a delicate mint leaf for an upscale restaurant-style presentation that will impress dinner guests.
• Customize with Seasonal Fruits: Swap out the suggested berries with whatever fresh fruits are in season, like peaches in summer or mandarin oranges in winter, to keep the dessert exciting and adaptable.

Storage Tips for This Milky Masterpiece

• Maximize Cake Freshness: Refrigerate the tres leches cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping its delicate texture and rich flavors intact.
• Freeze for Future Enjoyment: Wrap individual cake slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, storing them in the freezer for maximum 2 months without losing quality.
• Smart Ingredient Storage: Keep unused whipped cream in a sealed container in the refrigerator, consuming within 24 hours for optimal taste and consistency.
• Fruit Preparation Tips: Wash and slice fresh fruits just before serving to maintain crisp texture and prevent early browning or mushiness.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Calories: 370 kcal

Servings: 12

What Goes in Ina’s Tres Leches Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and texture to the cake, choose fresh, unbleached flour for best results.
• Baking Powder: Ensures light and fluffy cake rise, check expiration date for maximum effectiveness.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness, use fine-grain table salt.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients and add richness, select fresh, room-temperature eggs.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps create cake's delicate crumb, opt for pure cane sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and aromatic sweetness, choose pure vanilla for superior flavor.
• Milk: Moistens cake batter, whole milk provides best richness.

• Heavy Cream: Creates luxurious, silky texture, select high-fat content cream.
• Evaporated Milk: Adds intense dairy richness, use unsweetened version.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: Provides ultimate sweetness and moisture, pick high-quality brand.
• Almond Extract: Introduces subtle nutty undertone, use sparingly.
• Vanilla Seeds: Delivers intense vanilla flavor, scrape directly from fresh vanilla pod.

• Confectioners' Sugar: Creates smooth whipped cream and decorative dusting, sift before using.
• Crème Fraîche: Adds tangy complexity to whipped cream, select fresh, high-quality product.
• Fresh Fruit: Provides bright, fresh contrast, choose seasonal, ripe fruits.

The Pans & Tools That Handle All That Soak

• Electric Mixer with Paddle and Whisk Attachments: Essential for beating eggs and creating fluffy whipped cream.
• 9-by-13-by-2-inch Baking Pan: Perfect for baking the cake evenly and creating the classic rectangular shape.
• Sifter: Helps blend dry ingredients smoothly and prevent lumps in the cake batter.
• 4-Cup Measuring Cup: Ideal for mixing and pouring the milk mixture over the cake.
• Bamboo Skewer: Used to create holes in the cake for even milk absorption.
• Rubber Spatula: Ensures thorough mixing of ingredients and scraping batter from sides of the bowl.
• Cake Tester or Toothpick: Helps check cake doneness by inserting into the center.
• Whisk: Useful for mixing milk mixture and incorporating ingredients smoothly.
• Dessert Plates: For serving the finished cake with style.

Dreamy Ina Garten Tres Leches Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s tres leches cake merges Mexican culinary traditions with elegant baking techniques. Rich milk-soaked layers create a luscious dessert you will cherish for special celebrations.

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Ingredients

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• 3 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-oz/396g) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-oz/354ml) can evaporated milk
• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
• 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups (360ml) cold heavy cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsps crème fraîche
• 2 tbsps granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp pure almond extract
• ¼ cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 8 cups (around 1 liter) mixed fresh raspberries and sliced strawberries (for serving)
• Sifted confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan thoroughly.
2. Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt to create a light, uniform mixture.
3. Batter Creation: Whip eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract for 10 minutes until pale and voluminous, gradually folding in flour mixture and milk with a delicate technique.
4. Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly, and bake for 25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the surface springs back when touched.
5. Cooling Stage: Let cake rest in pan for 30 minutes, then puncture extensively with a bamboo skewer.
6. Milk Soak: Blend heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, and vanilla seeds, then slowly pour over cake, allowing complete absorption.
7. Chilling: Refrigerate cake, covered, for minimum 6 hours to develop rich, harmonious flavors.
8. Whipped Topping: Whisk cream, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, crème fraîche, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
9. Fruit Preparation: Toss selected fruits with sugar to enhance natural sweetness.
10. Serving: Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar, slice into squares, plate with macerated fruit, and crown with whipped cream dollop.

Notes

• Precision Matters: Measure ingredients exactly for the perfect cake texture and consistent results.
• Whip with Care: Beat egg mixture for full 10 minutes to create a light, airy base that determines cake’s quality.
• Absorb Slowly: Pour milk mixture gradually, allowing each addition to soak completely into cake for maximum flavor penetration.
• Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate cake for minimum 6 hours to let flavors meld and develop a rich, complex taste profile.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 370
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 120mg