Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake combines the rich flavors of Italian tiramisu with indulgent Mexican tres leches cake, resulting in a heavenly dessert that’s a fan favorite!
What is tiramisu tres leches cake? It is a unique mashup of Italian Tiramisu and Mexican Tres leches cake! Vanilla-scented sponge cake is soaked in a rich coffee-flavored three-milk mixture, then topped with a velvety mascarpone whipped frosting and a delicate dusting of cocoa powder.
This creation offers an Italian twist on the classic tres leches cake, similar to the rasmalai tres leches cake, which blends the traditional Indian rasmalai sweet with the beloved tres leches dessert.
Tres Leches, which translates to “three milks,” is a delectable cake where a sponge cake is soaked in a blend of three types of milk: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. Topped with a luscious layer of whipped cream, this cake is a beloved treat throughout Mexico and Latin America.
This cake is incredibly moist and sweet, with a soft texture that makes it stand out from other desserts. If you love tres leches cake, then you are sure to adore my tres leches sauce served with chocolate waffles.
Tiramisu is a timeless Italian dessert that features espresso-dipped ladyfingers layered with a creamy, lightly sweetened mascarpone mixture. Infused with espresso and a hint of alcohol. I’ve also created a bread pudding with croissants that captures all the rich flavors of tiramisu, offering a delicious twist on this classic dessert.
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Why you'll love this?
- A fan favorite ever since it was first shared five years ago
- Guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
- Heavenly with the flavors of tiramisu in tres leches
- Make ahead dessert make it ideal for Christmas, Thanksgiving or other Holidays
- Easily transported as it's served directly from the cake pan, making it perfect for potlucks
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Flour - Because this tiramisu tres leches cake is light and airy, it's crucial to measure the flour accurately. To do this, first fluff the flour in your canister with a spoon before measuring. This helps prevent adding too much flour and ensures the cake turns out just right.
- Baking powder - Adds the much needed lift for the cake.
- Eggs - You’ll need 4 large eggs for this recipe. To make separating the whites and yolks easier, do so while the eggs are still cold from the fridge. Then, let the separated eggs come to room temperature for at least an hour before beating. This helps the egg whites whip up to their fullest volume.
- Heavy cream - Heavy cream is used in two stages: first, to create the coffee-flavored tres leches, and second, to whip up the mascarpone cream.
- Milk - Whole milk is used in two stages: first, to prepare the cake batter, and then to make the coffee milk for soaking the sponge cake.
- Mascarpone - Mascarpone is a rich, creamy Italian cheese made from cream, known for its smooth texture and slightly sweet flavor. You will find it small tubs in the cheese section of your grocery store.
- Coffee - I use instant coffee granules, just like in the iced coffee recipe. Brewed coffee isn't suitable here, as it would thin out the tres leches and affect the desired texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk - It is one of the three main milks used in a classic tres leches cake. You will need about ½ can for this recipe.
- Cocoa powder - Use just enough cocoa powder to dust the top, similar to the classic tiramisu.
No oil or butter in the cake? Yes, this tiramisu tres leches cake is made without any butter or oil. Instead, the egg whites act as the primary leavening agent, giving the cake its light, sponge-like texture. As the three kinds of milk soak into the cake, they infuse it with moisture, eliminating the need for added fats.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
This tiramisu tres leches cake requires two days to prepare. On day one, bake the vanilla sponge cake, make the coffee-flavored tres leches mixture, and soak the cake in it. On day two, prepare the mascarpone whipped cream, then assemble and finish the cake.
Tip: Making holes in the cake allows the coffee tres leches to soak in evenly.
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Make Ahead Instructions
You can prepare tiramisu tres leches cake 1-2 days in advance, making it an ideal dessert for Thanksgiving. With the prep done ahead of time, you can simply set it aside and enjoy a stress-free, delicious Thanksgiving dessert recipe on the big day. In fact, I love to make this cake the night before so that it has a lot of time to soak up the milk mixture.
Recipe tips
- Shrinkage is perfectly normal! Once you bake the cake, it may appear slightly wrinkled. Don’t be concerned. After you pour the milks over it, they will be absorbed, and the cake will return to its usual appearance.
- Allow to soak overnight. This tiramisu tres lecehs cake really needs the full time to soak all of the milk. Make sure it really has atleast 8 hours to soak for the best tasting cake!
- Separate the eggs while they’re still cold, but let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour. This will help them whip up to their full volume.
- Rum is optional.
Recipe FAQs:
Unfortunately, this tiramisu tres leches cake is too delicate for layering. I recommend serving it directly from the pan as a single-layer cake.
Although I haven't tried it myself, fresh lemon juice or white vinegar is often used as a substitute for cream of tartar. For every ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar needed, use ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar. You can still beat the egg whites without cream of tartar, but they might not reach their full volume.
No! Using regular brewed coffee will not only dilute the milk mixture but also introduce extra liquid into the cake, which could compromise the recipe.
Absolutely! The amount of rum in this recipe is significantly less than in traditional tiramisu recipes. However, if you're serving children, you can easily omit the rum altogether.
Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tarter
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup milk whole milk preferably
Coffee Milk
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 1 ½ cups milk whole milk preferably
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (½ of a 14 ounce can)
- 2 tablespoons white rum (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mascarpone whipped cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Additional ingredient
- Cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
Bake cake
- Separate the eggs while they’re still cold, placing the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a larger bowl. Cover both bowls and let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you start preparing the cake.
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for about 2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Rinse and dry the beaters thoroughly and set the bowl aside.
- Using the hand held electric beater, beat egg yolks for about 2 minutes, until thick. Add sugar in 3 batches and continue to beat for about 4 more minutes, until thick and falls back as ribbons when beater is lifted. Add ½ cup milk and beat for a few seconds, until mixed well.
- Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in flour mixture in 2 additions. Then, fold the beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until slightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the coffee milk while the cake is cooling
- Warm the milk on the stovetop or in the microwave—there's no need to bring it to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the instant coffee, and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, mix in ¾ cup of heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, rum (if using), and vanilla extract.
Soak cake
- Once the cake has cooled completely, use a toothpick or fork to poke holes all over the surface. This will allow the milk to penetrate the cake and make it exceptionally moist.
- Gently and slowly pour the coffee milk evenly over the cake to ensure uniform distribution. This helps avoid any areas that might be too dry or overly saturated with milk. Cover pan with a foil and refrigerate overnight.
Assembly
- Add 2 cups heavy cream, confectioners sugar, mascarpone, vanilla extract and salt into a large bowl and continue to beat until it is thick and frosting consistency.
- Spread the mascarpone cream evenly on top of the cake and smooth top.
- Using a strainer, evenly dust cocoa powder over the top of the cake to cover the surface.
- Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the cake to set before serving. Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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angela
hello, is here a way one can decrease the sugar content in the sponge
Maria Doss
Hi Angela, Reducing sugar in the sponge cake will affect the texture of the baked cake! However, you can reduce the sweetened condensed milk to make it less sweeter. Hope it helps, Maria
Risha
Made this for a party and everyone raved about this cake. I reduced the condensed milk and the sugar in whip cream and it was the perfect sweetness! Thanks for a great full proof recipe.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Carlyn Wehle
Great cake! Not to sweet perfection
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Emily
Made this for my husband's bday and he is obsessed!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear - Maria ♡