If you’ve ever cut into a slice of tres leches cake and watched the fork slide through like it’s cutting clouds, you already know why this dessert has fans for life. It’s soft, cool, milky and somehow rich and light at the same time. This post walks you through a reliable tres leches cake recipe from scratch, then shows you how to turn the same base into an easy box-mix version, a party sheet cake, and a whole line-up of flavours like strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, Biscoff, cupcakes, cheesecake style, eggless and more.
No hunting around ten different posts. One base, many ways to play.
What Is Tres Leches Cake, Really?
At its heart, tres leches is a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk until it’s luxuriously moist, then finished with a blanket of whipped cream. Most versions use:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Whole milk or heavy cream
Those three milks are where the name comes from: tres leches = three milks. The idea is simple, but the texture is unique: a cake that’s drenched yet not stodgy. The Simple English Wikipedia entry on tres leches cake describes it as a sponge cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk and whole milk, and that’s exactly what you’re aiming for here.
Where it comes from is a little more tangled. Many Latin American countries claim it with pride. A piece in Food52, “The Long, Winding Origin Story of Tres Leches Cake”, traces how similar soaked cakes were made in Europe, then evolved through Latin America, with Nicaragua, Mexico and others all laying some claim to the modern version. However you slice the history, tres leches has settled into the “comfort dessert” category across the region and now far beyond it.
If you want another take on the basics, you can peek at the classic tres leches cake article, but you don’t need it to get baking. Let’s set you up with everything you need right here.
The Backbone of a Good Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Before diving into the step-by-step, it helps to understand what makes this cake work so well.
A good tres leches cake recipe has three pillars:
- A strong but airy sponge
The cake needs a structure with enough air bubbles to drink in liquid without collapsing. Think of it a bit like the logic behind tiramisu or trifle. - A balanced milk mixture
Too much condensed milk and it’s cloying, too much plain milk and it’s bland. You want sweet, creamy and milky in harmony. - Time to soak and chill
Tres leches isn’t an impatient dessert. It tastes much better once the milks have had hours to seep into the crumb.
Other recipes – like Natasha’s Kitchen’s popular tres leches cake or this authentic version on Hola Jalapeño – follow a similar pattern: airy sponge, three-milk soak, whipped cream topping. You’ll be doing the same, just adapted to your kitchen.
Ingredients for the Classic Tres Leches Cake Recipe
You can make this in a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) pan for a crowd-pleasing sheet cake or in a slightly smaller dish for a taller, more dramatic dessert.
For the sponge cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Fine salt
- Eggs, separated into whites and yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- A splash of whole milk
This composition is similar to many sponge-style tres leches recipes, including the long-trusted tres leches (milk cake) recipe on Allrecipes, which keeps the batter light but sturdy enough to soak.
For the three-milk mixture
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Whole milk or heavy cream (or a mix of the two)
You can adjust the balance slightly according to how rich you like your cake, but this trio is non-negotiable if you want that classic flavour.
For the topping
- Heavy whipping cream
- Icing sugar or fine caster sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
Fresh fruit – strawberries, mango, berries, cherries – is optional but excellent.
Step-by-Step: Classic Tres Leches Cake Recipe From Scratch
Take it one stage at a time and the process feels very straightforward.
1. Prepare the pan and oven
First, heat your oven to the temperature your recipe specifies, usually around 175–180°C (350°F). Grease your 9×13 inch pan lightly and line the bottom with baking paper. That simple step makes the cake easier to slice neatly later, especially once it’s soaked.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
Set this aside so it’s ready to fold into your egg mixture without over-mixing.
3. Whip the egg whites
In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Then, slowly add about half the sugar while continuing to whisk until glossy and thick. This meringue gives your tres leches sponge its lift and delicate crumb.
Once you get the hang of airy, moist cakes, you might enjoy experimenting with others that rely on good structure and moisture too – MasalaMonk’s orange olive oil cake is a great example of a simple cake that stays beautifully tender, using fat instead of milk soak for its softness.
4. Beat the yolks
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture turns pale and thick. Add vanilla and a splash of milk. This forms a rich, flavourful base that will blend into your meringue.
5. Combine gently
Now, pour the yolk mixture into the whipped whites and fold gently with a spatula. Try to keep as much air in the mixture as you can.
Once combined, sift the dry ingredients over the top in two or three additions, folding carefully after each one. Stop as soon as there are no visible streaks of flour; over-mixing here will deflate the batter.
6. Bake the sponge
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top lightly. Bake until the cake is golden and springs back when touched lightly in the centre, or a skewer inserted comes out clean.
As it bakes, your kitchen will start to smell like a promise: something simple now that will become something luxurious later.
Mixing the Three Milks for Tres Leches Cake Recipe
While the cake is cooling slightly, you’ll prepare the soaking mixture that turns it into tres leches.
In a jug or bowl with a spout, whisk together:
- 1 part sweetened condensed milk
- 1 part evaporated milk
- 1 part whole milk or a mix of milk and cream
Different recipes tweak those ratios – the tres leches cake on A Cozy Kitchen and Natasha’s version are good examples – but the idea is the same: a sweet, pourable mixture that’s rich but not gluey.
Taste as you go. If it feels too sweet for your liking, thin it with a little extra whole milk. If it seems too thin, a splash more condensed milk usually does the trick.
This is also the moment to decide whether you’d like to bring in flavours later: strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, Biscoff and more. For now, though, keep it classic.
Soaking the Cake Without Turning It to Mush
The key to a successful tres leches cake recipe is soaking without shredding.
- Let the cake cool for 10–15 minutes once it comes out of the oven. It should be warm, not piping hot.
- Use a skewer or fork to poke holes all across the surface. Go right to the edges and corners so the milks can travel.
- Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. Give the liquid time to sink in rather than flooding one spot.
- Tilt the pan gently if needed to help the milks travel into drier areas.
Some recipes, like The Pioneer Woman’s tres leches cake, use almost all the milk and hold back just a little if it starts to pool excessively. You can follow the same instinct: you want a well-soaked cake, not a cake floating in a pond.
Once you’re satisfied, cover the pan and slide it into the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better; the milks mellow, the crumb relaxes, and the flavours get cozy.
Topping: The Soft Cloud on Top
When you’re close to serving time, it’s topping time.
- Pour chilled heavy cream into a bowl.
- Add sugar and vanilla.
- Beat until you get soft to medium peaks – you want the cream to hold its shape, but still look smooth and billowy.
Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake in swoops and swirls. If you like, dust with ground cinnamon for a gentle warmth.
At this point, you’ve nailed a classic tres leches cake. If that’s all you wanted, you can stop here, cut generous slices, and pour coffee or chai. A plate of this alongside a cup of masala chai for a rainy day is as comforting as dessert gets.
But the fun is only just starting.
Easy Tres Leches Cake Recipe with Box Mix
Maybe you love baking, but sometimes you just don’t have the energy to whip egg whites and fold flour. That’s when a box of cake mix becomes your best friend.
Plenty of bakers have proven that a tres leches cake recipe with cake mix can be just as satisfying. If you want to see how others do it, check out this easy tres leches cake with cake mix or this tres leches cake with a cake mix. The approach below follows a similar path, tailored to the same milk mixture and topping you already made.
Step 1: Bake the box-mix base
Choose a white or yellow cake mix. Follow the package instructions to make the batter, using the eggs, oil and water it asks for. Bake it in the same 9×13 inch pan.
A couple of small adjustments help:
- If the box gives a range of baking times, pull the cake out on the earlier side so it stays soft.
- Avoid over-mixing the batter; just stir until combined.
Step 2: Soak like the classic Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Once the cake has cooled for 10–15 minutes:
- Poke all over with a fork or skewer.
- Pour your three-milk mixture slowly and evenly over the surface.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Because box-mix cakes are often a little softer and sweeter, they actually take to the milk mixture beautifully. The result is a super easy tres leches cake recipe that tastes like you put in much more effort than you did.
Step 3: Finish with whipped cream
Top the chilled cake with whipped cream exactly as you would with the scratch version. Add fruit or sprinkles and you’re done.
This is the version to tuck away for weeknights, office potlucks, or days when you want dessert but your energy is on strike.
Strawberry Tres Leches Cake Recipe: Sweet, Fruity and Pretty
Once you’ve mastered the base tres leches cake recipe, strawberry is usually the first variation people ask for. It adds freshness, colour and a little tartness to balance all the cream.
There are many ways to bring strawberries in. One lovely approach is using strawberry milk in the soak, like in A Cozy Kitchen’s strawberry milk tres leches. You can borrow that idea and adapt it to your own cake.
Here are a few ways to strawberry-fy your tres leches:
- In the milk mixture: Swap some of the whole milk for strawberry milk or blend fresh strawberries with milk, strain, and use that in the mix.
- Between layers: Spread a thin layer of sliced strawberries over the soaked cake before adding whipped cream.
- In the topping: Fold finely chopped strawberries or a spoonful of puree into the whipped cream for a pale pink cloud.
Finish with extra slices on top. It becomes the kind of dessert that looks like it belongs at a spring party without being fussy to make.
If you enjoy fruity desserts in general, you might later wander into the world of mango – MasalaMonk has an addictive mango cheese mousse cake and a fun round-up of mango dessert recipes that play with fruit and cream in different ways.
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe: For Cocoa Lovers
Chocolate fans don’t have to sit this one out. There are two simple routes to a chocolate tres leches:
- Cocoa in the sponge
Replace a few tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder in your scratch batter, or use a chocolate box mix as your base. - Chocolate in the topping and finish
Keep the milk mixture classic, then:- Dust cocoa powder over the whipped cream,
- Grate dark chocolate on top, or
- Drizzle melted chocolate in thin lines.
The result is something like a cross between a classic tres leches and a light chocolate mousse cake – rich, but not heavy. For another soaked-texture dessert with chocolate notes, you can look at MasalaMonk’s savoiardi chocolate vanilla pudding; it’s not tres leches, but it plays with similar comfort-dessert vibes.
Pistachio & Biscoff Tres Leches Cake Recipe: Crowd-Pleasers
Beyond strawberry and chocolate, pistachio and Biscoff (Lotus biscuit) variations have become internet favourites.
Pistachio tres leches cake recipe
For a nutty, elegant twist:
- Add a little ground pistachio to the sponge batter.
- Stir a pinch of cardamom into the milk mixture.
- Scatter chopped roasted pistachios generously over the whipped cream.
The pale green and white look beautiful on a table, and the flavour leans gently into Middle Eastern dessert territory without losing its tres leches soul.
Biscoff tres leches cake recipe
This one practically sells itself:
- Warm a few spoonfuls of Biscoff spread until it’s pourable.
- Swirl some into the milk mixture, keeping a portion back for drizzling.
- After topping the cake with whipped cream, drizzle the remaining Biscoff on top and crumble Lotus biscuits over everything.
It’s sweet, nostalgic and guaranteed to disappear quickly.
Also Read: French Toast Sticks (Air Fryer + Oven Recipe) — Crispy Outside, Custardy Inside
Tres Leches Cupcakes, Jars and Mini Desserts
Sometimes you don’t want to deal with slicing a large cake, or you’re feeding a crowd who will be walking around with plates. That’s where mini formats come in.
Cupcakes
Use the same batter (scratch or box mix) but bake it in a lined muffin tin. Once cooled:
- Poke each cupcake several times with a skewer.
- Spoon the milk mixture over the top of each one until it’s nicely soaked.
- Chill the cupcakes in the tin (to contain any escaping milk) and then top them individually with whipped cream.
They’re perfect for buffets, potlucks and birthdays where everyone wants their own little treat.
Dessert cups or jars
Alternatively, bake the cake in a pan, cut it into cubes and layer it in dessert glasses or jars:
- Cake cubes
- Spoonful of milk mixture
- Whipped cream
- Fruit, nuts or Biscoff crumbs
Repeat the layers. These can be sealed and transported easily, making them ideal for picnics or potluck dinners.
Also Read: Peanut Butter Cookies (Classic Recipe & 3 Variations)
Cheesecake-Style Tres Leches
If you love creamy, chilled desserts, consider a cheesecake-inspired tres leches.
One way to play it:
- Press a simple biscuit or cookie crust into the bottom of your pan (like you would for a cheesecake).
- Bake your sponge layer on top of this crust.
- Soak the sponge layer only, then chill.
- Finish with a slightly thicker topping, such as whipped cream with a little cream cheese folded in.
The cookie base adds a pleasant crunch, and the cream-cheese-boosted topping makes it feel closer to a mash-up between tres leches and cheesecake. If that idea excites you, you may enjoy MasalaMonk’s no-bake blueberry cheesecake, which uses similar chilled, creamy textures in a different direction.
Eggless and Gluten-Free Tres Leches Ideas
Tres leches is naturally adaptable for different diets because most of the magic lives in the milk mixture and topping.
Eggless variations
To go egg-free:
- Use an eggless sponge cake recipe you already trust, or
- Pick an eggless box mix as your base.
Once baked, you treat it exactly like the classic: poke holes, soak with the three milks, chill, top with whipped cream. Because eggs are responsible for much of the structure in traditional sponge, it’s important to choose an eggless base that doesn’t crumble easily.
Gluten-free versions
For gluten-free:
- Swap the base for a gluten-free cake mix that you know bakes up well, or
- Use a home-made gluten-free sponge recipe you like.
Again, everything else stays the same: soak, chill, top. The milk mixture and cream are already wheat-free, so the main challenge is getting a cake that’s sturdy enough to handle the soak without falling apart.
Also Read: Vegan French Toast: 6 Easy Recipes (Pan, Air Fryer, GF & High-Protein)
Turning Tres Leches into a Birthday or Celebration Cake
A well-made tres leches cake is a brilliant birthday cake because it stays moist for days and feels like a treat without heavy frosting.
Here are some ways to lean into that:
- Use a sheet pan: A 9×13 inch cake feeds a crowd comfortably and slices into neat squares.
- Decorate with intention: Pipe whipped-cream rosettes around the edges, add sprinkles or edible flowers, and arrange fruit in patterns.
- Write on it: Once the cake is fully chilled, you can pipe “Happy Birthday” or a message using melted chocolate or coloured whipped cream.
If you’re planning a full meal around it, you can keep the main course homely and satisfying. For instance, a hearty vegetable dish like kathal ki Bihari style sabzi with rice makes a lovely dinner that doesn’t overshadow dessert. And if rice tends to intimidate you, MasalaMonk’s guide on how to cook rice perfectly every time is a handy reference.
For an adult celebration, you can happily serve tres leches alongside a classic cocktail. A chilled slice next to a well-balanced whiskey sour with easy twists hits that sweet spot between indulgent and grown-up.
Serving, Storage and Leftovers
Tres leches is one of those desserts that rewards patience and planning.
Serving
- Serve it chilled or just slightly cooler than room temperature. Warm tres leches tends to feel heavy; cold tres leches feels refreshing.
- Cut with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between slices if you want picture-perfect edges.
Because it’s rich, smaller pieces often satisfy, especially after a filling meal. That said, people frequently go back for seconds.
Storage
- Keep the cake covered in the fridge. It generally stays good for 2–3 days, sometimes longer if your kitchen is cool and everything was fresh to begin with.
- If you’ve decorated with very juicy fruit, you may notice the fruit softening after a day or two, but the cake itself will still taste wonderful.
Leftovers
Leftover tres leches is a happy problem. You can:
- Eat it as is, straight from the fridge – it tastes even better the next day.
- Turn small squares into layered dessert cups with extra fruit.
While you’re thinking about using up bits and pieces, you might enjoy how cleverly savoury leftovers can be transformed too – the paneer sabji sandwich on MasalaMonk is a great example of giving yesterday’s curry a fresh life.
If you know a heavy dessert is coming after dinner, you can balance your day with lighter choices earlier on: something like high protein overnight oats with five flavour variations for breakfast or one of these high-calorie protein shakes and smoothies if you’re trying to gain weight in a more intentional way than just eating all the cake.
Bringing It All Together
A good tres leches cake recipe is less about fancy techniques and more about respecting a few simple rules:
- Build a sponge that can hold its shape.
- Mix milks that taste good even before they touch the cake.
- Give everything time to soak and soften in the fridge.
Once you have that foundation, you can go in almost any direction:
from classic vanilla to strawberry-studded, chocolate-dusted, pistachio-sprinkled or Biscoff-swirled; from a tall birthday centrepiece to neat cupcakes and dessert jars; from scratch-baked weekends to weeknight box-mix shortcuts.
The next time you’re craving something creamy and celebratory, you’ll have a tres leches game plan ready – and all the tools to make it your own.
Also Read: Homemade Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Powder Recipe
FAQs
1. What exactly is tres leches cake and how is it different from regular milk cake?
Tres leches cake is a very light sponge that gets soaked in a mixture of three milks (usually evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and whole milk or cream). After soaking, it’s topped with whipped cream and often finished with fruit or cinnamon.
A regular “milk cake” or plain milk-based dessert might simply use milk in the batter or syrup, but a proper tres leches cake recipe is built around that deep soak in three milks. The texture should be moist all the way through, yet still sliceable, almost like a hybrid between cake and pudding.
2. What are the three milks in a traditional tres leches cake recipe?
In a classic tres leches cake recipe, the three milks are:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Whole milk or heavy cream
Together, they create a pourable mixture that’s sweet, creamy and rich without feeling heavy. Occasionally, people switch the whole milk for half-and-half or cream for extra indulgence, but the idea stays the same: one very sweet milk, one cooked-down milk, and one fresh milk to balance everything.
3. How do I make the milk mixture for tres leches cake?
To make the milk mixture for your tres leches cake recipe, whisk together equal parts condensed milk and evaporated milk, then add enough whole milk or cream until it’s pourable but still luxurious. Taste as you go.
If it’s too sweet, add a splash more regular milk. If it feels thin, trickle in a little extra condensed milk. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon and taste delicious on its own, because that flavour is what will soak into every crumb of your cake.
4. Is tres leches cake Mexican and what does “pastel de tres leches” mean?
Tres leches cake is loved across Latin America, and you’ll often see it in Mexican bakeries and restaurants. That’s why many people search for Mexican tres leches cake or authentic pastel de tres leches.
“Pastel de tres leches” simply means “three milks cake” in Spanish. Different countries have their own versions and small tweaks, but the foundation is the same: a sponge, three milks, and a creamy topping. Your tres leches cake recipe will feel right at home on a Mexican-inspired menu, yet it’s flexible enough to fit into almost any cuisine.
5. Can I make an easy tres leches cake recipe at home if I’m a beginner?
Absolutely. Even if you’re new to baking, you can make an easy tres leches cake recipe without stress. There are two straightforward paths:
- From-scratch sponge: You’ll whip eggs, fold in flour and bake a simple sponge, then soak it in the three milks.
- Box-mix shortcut: You bake a plain box cake (white or yellow), poke holes in it and pour the same milk mixture on top.
In both cases, the whipped cream topping is very forgiving, and the long chill in the fridge actually hides small mistakes. As long as the cake is baked through and the milk mixture tastes good, you’re already most of the way there.
6. Can I use a box cake mix for a tres leches cake recipe?
Yes, a box mix works beautifully and it’s one of the most searched-for shortcuts. To adapt a mix:
- Bake a white or yellow box cake in a 9×13 inch pan according to package directions.
- Let it cool slightly, then poke holes all over with a fork or skewer.
- Pour your three-milk mixture slowly over the top so it soaks in evenly.
- Chill for several hours and finish with whipped cream.
This method turns an ordinary box cake into a moist, impressive dessert, and it’s a great option for busy days, office parties or last-minute celebrations.
7. Can I make tres leches cake with yellow cake mix or other flavours?
You can use yellow cake mix, white cake mix or even chocolate cake mix as the base of a tres leches cake recipe. Each one brings a slightly different personality:
- Yellow cake mix: Richer flavour, slightly denser crumb, great for birthdays.
- White cake mix: Lighter and more neutral, ideal for fruit toppings like strawberries or mango.
- Chocolate cake mix: Perfect for a chocolate tres leches with cocoa, chocolate shavings or chocolate sauce on top.
The important thing is to bake the cake just until done, avoid drying it out, and then soak it patiently with the milk mixture.
8. How do I make a simple chocolate tres leches cake?
To turn your tres leches cake recipe into a chocolate version, you can:
- Replace a few tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder in your scratch batter, or start with a chocolate box mix.
- Keep the three-milk mixture the same or add a spoonful of cocoa for an extra chocolate hint.
- Dust cocoa powder over the whipped cream and add chocolate curls, chips or shavings on top.
This approach gives you a cake that tastes like a cross between chocolate sponge and creamy pudding, without changing the basic method too much.
9. How can I make a strawberry tres leches cake at home?
Strawberry tres leches is a favourite twist, and it’s easier than it looks. To start:
- Prepare your usual tres leches cake recipe and soak the sponge as normal.
- Layer sliced fresh strawberries over the soaked cake before adding whipped cream.
- Stir chopped strawberries or a little strawberry puree into the whipped cream for a soft pink tint.
- Decorate the top with extra strawberries.
For even more flavour, you can swap some of the plain milk in the soak for strawberry milk or a blend of milk and strawberry puree.
10. Can I make tres leches cake eggless?
Yes, you can make an eggless tres leches cake by switching the base cake rather than the milk mixture:
- Use a reliable eggless sponge cake recipe you already like, or
- Choose an eggless box cake mix from the store.
After baking, poke holes, soak with the same three-milk mixture, chill, and top with whipped cream. Because eggs provide structure in traditional sponges, it helps to pick an eggless base that doesn’t crumble easily and holds together when soaked.
11. Is there a gluten-free version of tres leches cake?
A gluten-free tres leches cake recipe is absolutely possible. The three milks and whipped cream are naturally gluten-free, so the only change you need is the base cake:
- Choose a gluten-free cake mix that bakes up light and sturdy, or
- Use a home-made gluten-free sponge cake recipe that you trust.
Once baked, soak it in the milk mixture exactly as you would with a regular cake. The key is avoiding a gluten-free cake that’s too crumbly or fragile, because it still needs to hold its shape after the soak.
12. How do I turn a tres leches cake recipe into a birthday cake?
Tres leches makes an excellent birthday cake because it’s moist, creamy and not overly sweet. To turn it into a celebration centrepiece:
- Bake the cake in a 9×13 inch pan or slightly larger if you’re feeding many people.
- Chill the soaked cake overnight so it’s firm enough to handle.
- Pipe whipped cream swirls around the edges and add sprinkles, fruit or chocolate decorations.
- Write your birthday message on top using a small piping bag filled with frosting, chocolate or coloured whipped cream.
Because the cake is served cold, it’s refreshing even after a big meal and holds up well on a buffet table.
13. How long should I soak tres leches cake and can I make it ahead of time?
To let the milks really work their magic, a tres leches cake recipe needs time in the fridge:
- After pouring the milk mixture over the cake, let it sit at room temperature until it cools down.
- Then, cover it and chill for at least 4 hours.
- For the best texture and flavour, aim for an overnight rest (8–12 hours).
Tres leches is a perfect make-ahead dessert; you can prepare it the day before an event and simply add the whipped cream topping a few hours before serving.
14. How long does tres leches cake keep in the fridge?
Generally, a tres leches cake keeps well for about 2–3 days in the refrigerator. The milk mixture continues to keep the crumb moist, and the flavour often improves by the next day.
To store it properly:
- Cover the cake tightly so it doesn’t absorb fridge smells.
- If you’ve added fresh fruit, expect the fruit to soften slightly over time, even though the cake itself will still taste lovely.
After three days, the texture may become too soft and the whipped cream can start to lose its shape, so it’s best enjoyed within that window.
15. Can I freeze a tres leches cake?
Freezing a fully-soaked tres leches cake isn’t ideal because the texture can change once it thaws. The milk mixture and whipped cream may separate slightly, and the crumb can become unevenly soggy.
Instead, if you need to plan far ahead:
- Bake the sponge cake and let it cool completely.
- Wrap the un-soaked sponge well and freeze it.
- On the day before serving, thaw the sponge, soak it with the three milks and let it chill in the fridge.
- Finally, add the whipped cream topping on the day you plan to serve.
This way, you get the convenience of advance prep without sacrificing the smooth, creamy texture that makes a tres leches cake recipe so special.
