Three Milks Cake is a popular dessert in Latin America and like many traditional dishes this dessert has its own variation depending of the cook and country.
What is Three Milks Cake?
It's known as torta de tres leches in Spanish and it's a popular dessert in Colombia and Latin America. This cake gets the name from the three milks we use, condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream and it is what makes this cake so moist and delicious.
This Three Milks Cake is my Colombian version and is an easy to make, moist, absolutely delicious and authentic torta de tres leches recipe. This dessert is perfect for entertaining, because it can be make ahead and it tastes even better the next day.
Every country and family has their own version for the frosting and in Colombia the meringue frosting is very traditional. Fee free to use your own favorite frosting if you prefer a different one.
Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts, cooking directions and step by step video is below
Flour: I recommend using a quality brad all purpose flour to make this cake.
Baking Powder: To help the cake rise.
Salt: A little bit of salt to balance the flavors.
Eggs: You need whole eggs for the cake and just egg whites for the frosting.
Sugar: To add sweetness to the cake.
Milk: You need whole milk to make this cake.
Butter: Adds richness to the tres leches cake.
Vanilla: Adds extra flavor to this recipe. You need it for the cake and the frosting.
Three Milks Mixture: Heavy cream, Evaporated Milk and Sweet Condensed Milk. Yo can use whole milk instead of the heavy cream, but I like the richness of the cream.
Frosting: For the meringue frosting you need egg whites, sugar, water and creme of tartar.
Tips to Make Three Milks Cake
*I use a 9 by 13 baking dish to bake this cake, but you can divide the batter into 2 cakes and use smaller baking pans.
*You can make this cake ahead of time and frost it before serving. It's usually better and very moist the next day.
*When making the frosting be sure that the bowl is very clean and dry. An oily bowl will prevent the egg white to form peaks.
*The leftovers are good up to 4 days, but the cake will soak the frosting over time.
More Cake Recipes
Dulce de Leche and Coconut Roll Cake
Pastel Borracho (Drunken Cake)
Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche Filling
Three Milks Cake Recipe (Torta de Tres Leches)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 2 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- preheat the oven to 350° F
- Grease and lightly flour a baking dish.
- To make the cake: In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
- In a small pot heat the milk and butter, remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture, butter mixture and vanilla extract and mix for 1 more minute.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and with a fork make holes all over the top of the cake. Set aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the cake is cooling, make the milk sauce, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the 3 milks sauce over the cake until it is all absorbed. Refrigerate for a least 3 hours or overnight before frosting.
- To make the frosting, in a small pot mix the water and sugar, over medium high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks are formed. While beating the egg whites, add sugar syrup and continue beating for 5 more minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat 1 more minute. Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate into ready to serve.
- Turn on the broil for your oven and place the top rack in the middle. Cover cake with meringue. Bake for 2 minutes; or until the meringue is lightly browned. In this step you must be careful because the meringue can burn very quickly. To avoid accidents I do it with the oven door open.
de
What is a good beverage to serve with this cake??
Erica
De- I love this cake with Black coffee ,but you can serve it with white wine.
Erica
Katelyn- for the frosting add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
katelyn
It doesn't say how much vanilla extract you need for the frosting!
Caroline
I am always a sucker for cake of any kind but this one looks particularly delicious. I love all your awesome recipes. Keep up the good work. 🙂
Stephanie
This recipe is amazing!! I'm not a baker but my sister is, so I asked her to make this cake for my husband's birthday on October 17th. My husband who was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia loved it! Our Colombian friends were also very impressed and asked my sis to make the cake for their birthdays!! Thanks Erica for this site, I also made plantain soup a couple of weeks ago which my husband also LOVED! I can now make traditional Colombian dishes for my husband!
Erica
Stephanie,
Thank you for your feedback and your wonderful comment 🙂
Amber
This recipe looks so good. I've tried another recipe I found that was mexican and my whole panamian family loves it. I think the main difference is the frosting but I def want to try yours next time I make it!
Mansi
Hi Erica, just got here from ecurry's blog! you have a great space!
Tres Leches is my absolute favorite, and your cake looks alluring too! btw, I'm back to blogging after my motherhood break, and hope you can find some time to make some goodies for my Sweet celebration event.
Ellen
Hi Erica,
I am planning on baking this for the long weekend. I was wondering what do you usually bake this in ? 9 x 13 glass pyrex ??
Thanks
ellen
Erica
Hi Ellen,
Yes, I used a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Dan
Thank you so much for these wonderful recipes. We have adopted 2 children from colombia and spent many months there. It is great to find so many flavors we remember from our stay and that will connect our children with the country of their birth.
Looking forward to making many of these over the coming months.
Erica
Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for your nice comment. Glad you like my blog.
Christelle
Great blog you have there, (great cake hum... :), I am not familiar with colombian food and I find it very definitely interesting and educative !
Erica
Thank you every one for visiting my blog. I appreciate all your comments.
oysterculture
This sounds delicious with some fruit on the side!
ARUNA
wonderful recipe.......simple but i'm sure it will b very delicious!!
Jacktels Kochbuch
Hello,
extremely delicious Recipe. Compliment!!
One after-bakes shortly.
Greeting Jacktel
~Carole
This looks delicious! I've printed it and can't wait to make it.
Jen Schall @ MyKitchenAddiction.com
Looks fabulous... I can't wait to try this recipe!