Fluffy strawberry cake soaked with a strawberry 3-milk soak, topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries, a strawberry recreation of the classic tres leches
What is a tres leches?
A tres leches aka pan tres leches is a Latin American cake made from a light and fluffy sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk; evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk.
The resulting cake is incredibly moist while also being light and fluffy.
This strawberry version is strawberry milk embodied in a cake. Sweet, fruity, and refreshing while also being creamy and delicious. It’s such a fun and fresh cake, especially for summer!
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- Egg yolks: The egg yolks give the cake a rich flavor and tender texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar plays two uses. It gives the cake sweetness, while also creating a meringue with the egg whites.
- Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil gives the cake a tender texture as well as a moist crumb.
- Strawberry puree: Fresh strawberry puree gives the cake the best strawberry flavor, while also adding moisture to the sponge cake.
- All-purpose flour: Flour gives the cake structure! If you want an even softer cake you can also use cake flour.
- Baking powder: Baking powder helps to give your cake an extra boost, helping it bake up taller and with a more even rise.
- Egg whites: Egg whites are whipped with sugar to form a meringue. The air whipped into the meringue helps it rise to that light and fluffy sponge cake. Make sure you use large eggs as you need all the egg whites for the cake to rise.
- Pink food coloring: Food coloring will help give the cake an even more vibrant pink color! Totally optional if you prefer a more natural shade.
3 Milk Soak
- Condensed milk: Condensed milk gives the milk soak sweetness. If you don’t want the cake to be too sweet you can reduce this to your taste
- Evaporated milk: Evaporated milk gives the cake a sweet creaminess
- Fresh whole milk: Fresh milk makes up the rest of the soak, giving it a fresh, milky flavor
- Strawberry puree: For a fresh strawberry flavor
- Nesquick powder: This is optional, but it gives it that nostalgic strawberry milk flavor
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream: Aka thickened cream. I find that heavy cream whips up the best for frosting cakes. Whipping cream or regular cream works great too.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar here sweetens the cream, you can add more or less according to your taste.
- Strawberry puree: There is strawberry puree in each component so the cake has a super fragrant strawberry aroma!
- Nesquick powder: More nesquick powder used here to really recreate that strawberry milk flavor.
- Pink food coloring: Strawberry puree has a little bit of a grey tinge to it, so the pink food coloring helps the color of the frosting to pop.
Tips to Enhance Your Strawberry Tres Leches
Infuse the Milk with Spices
Add a pinch of cinnamon or a splash of vanilla extract to the milk soak for a warm, aromatic flavor that complements the strawberries.
Chill the Cake Before Adding Toppings
Refrigerate the soaked cake for at least an hour before applying whipped cream. This allows the milk to fully absorb and prevents the topping from sliding.
Stabilize the Whipped Cream
For a longer-lasting whipped cream topping, incorporate a tablespoon of powdered sugar or gelatin to maintain its shape and prevent weeping.
Creative Recipe Variations
Strawberry Cheesecake Tres Leches
Incorporate a layer of softened cream cheese mixed with sugar and vanilla between the cake and whipped cream for a rich, cheesecake-inspired twist.
Matcha Strawberry Tres Leches
Add a teaspoon of matcha powder to the whipped cream or the milk soak for a fusion of earthy matcha and sweet strawberry flavors.
Lemon Strawberry Tres Leches
Mix lemon zest and juice into the whipped cream or soak to add a tangy, citrusy contrast to the cake’s sweetness.
Unique Serving Suggestions
Top with Edible Flowers
Decorate the cake with edible flowers like pansies or violets for an elegant presentation that enhances the fresh, fruity appeal.
Serve in Individual Jars
Portion the cake into individual glass jars, layering it with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This makes for a portable and visually appealing dessert.
Pair with a Strawberry Mocktail
Serve alongside a refreshing strawberry basil mocktail to complement the dessert’s flavors and add a touch of sophistication.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this last?
This cake will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep the cake stored in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. As this cake is made with a lot of milk and dairy it needs to be kept chilled.
How do I make the strawberry puree?
To make the strawberry puree just blend some fresh or frozen strawberries in a blender until smooth. Then you can use it in all components of your cake!
Can I change the flavor?
Yes, you can! You can replace the strawberry puree with any other kind of fruit puree for a different kind of fruity cake. If that is the case can leave out the nesquick.
Why did my cake crack?
There are a couple of reasons why the cake cracked:
- The egg whites were overbeaten
- The oven temperature was too high
How do I get a smooth whipped cream frosting?
There are a couple of ways to get a smooth cream frosting:
- Don’t over-whip the cream as this can make the frosting grainy
- Spread the frosting over the cake, then run an offset spatula under hot water, wipe it dry and use it to smoothen the top of the cake
Can I make Strawberry Tres Leches without eggs?
Yes, you can replace the eggs with a combination of unsweetened applesauce and baking powder or use a store-bought egg replacer for a vegan-friendly option.
What type of milk is best for a dairy-free Strawberry Tres Leches?
Use a combination of almond milk, coconut milk, and oat milk for a creamy yet light dairy-free alternative that works well for the soak.
How can I make the sponge cake fluffier?
Beat the egg whites separately until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter to incorporate more air for a fluffier texture.
Let’s Get Cooking
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Strawberry Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Fluffy strawberry cake soaked with a strawberry 3-milk soak, topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries, a strawberry recreation of the classic tres leches
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 Slices 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 5 Egg yolks
- 25g Granulated sugar (2 tbsp)
- 60g Vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
- 125g Strawberry puree (just less than 1 cup)
- 110g All-purpose flour (1 cup)
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 5 Egg whites
- 65g Granulated sugar (II) (1/3 cup)
- Pink food coloring, optional
3 Milk Soak
- 120ml Condensed milk (1/2 cup)
- 120ml Evaporated milk (1/2 cup)
- 120ml Fresh whole milk (1/2 cup)
- 50g Strawberry puree (1/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp Strawberry Nesquick powder
Whipped Cream
- 480ml Heavy cream (2 cups)
- 65g Granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
- 50g Strawberry puree (1/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp Strawberry Nesquick powder
- Pink food coloring
Instructions
Strawberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F
- Line a 8 x 8 inch /20 x 20cm square cake tin with baking paper
- Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar (I), vegetable oil, and strawberry puree in a medium bowl until smooth
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, and whisk until just combined, set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer whisk the egg whites until soft peaks
- Add the sugar (II) and whisk on medium-high until stiff peaks
- Add 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined
- Transfer the egg yolk mixture to the remaining meringue and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely
- Remove the cake from the tin and peel off the baking paper
- Reline the cake tin with baking paper and place the cake back into the tin
- Poke holes all over the cake with a fork
3 Milk Soak
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large jug and stir to combine
- Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, then cover it with cling wrap
- Put the cake in the fridge to soak for at least 1 hour or overnight
Whipped Cream
- Combine the cream, sugar, strawberry puree, nesquick and food coloring in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer
- Whisk the cream until it reaches stiff peaks
- Remove the cake from the tin and top with the whipped cream, smoothening off the top and sides
- Trim the edges, cut into 6 slices and serve!
I am 69 years old and took up baking cakes 2 years ago. I have successfully made many cakes by Japanese cake maker Hida Mari. My wife wants a mango sponge cake and yours looks amazing if a little intimidating. I hope for success and will provide a picture when done. Thank you for the recipe
The recipe lists baking powder as an ingredient but never mentions when to put it into the cake during the steps. Assuming it can just be combined with the flour when the flower is used but that should probably be mentioned. We just made this and probably should have remembered the baking powder, but when following the steps we just left it out. Hopefully it turns out okay!