Strawberry tres leches cake

This Strawberry Tres Leches Cake is a deliciously moist dessert soaked in a creamy strawberry milk mixture and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

You can save time by using a store-bought cake mix, or make it from scratch with my Chiffon Cake Recipe for a light, fluffy base.

Casually top it with fresh strawberries, and this cake is already pretty enough to surprise your family and friends. It’s perfect for any occasion, it’s a sweet, fruity twist on the classic tres leches!

🍓What’s Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

If you love soft, creamy desserts, you’re in for a treat—Strawberry Tres Leches Cake is a fruity twist on the beloved Latin American classic.

Traditionally, tres leches cake is made with a light sponge cake soaked in three types of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. In this version, we swap the evaporated milk for strawberry milk and add real strawberry purée to the cake batter, giving it a delicate pink hue and natural berry flavor in every bite.

What makes this dessert so irresistible is its ultra-moist texture. After baking, the cake is poked all over and soaked with a creamy strawberry milk mixture that seeps into every layer. It’s then topped with a fluffy layer of whipped cream and finished with fresh strawberries.

The result? A stunning and refreshing dessert that’s perfect for spring, summer, or any time you want to impress your guests with something a little extra special.

Whether you use a boxed cake mix to save time or make the base from scratch using my chiffon cake recipe, this Strawberry Tres Leches Cake comes together beautifully. It’s so soft, you can skip slicing and simply scoop to serve. With its pretty pastel color and juicy berry topping, it’s guaranteed to be the star of your dessert table!

💡 Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

1. Choose the right cake base for your style

This recipe is flexible when it comes to the cake base:

1. Short on time? Use a store-bought white cake mix for a quick and convenient option.

• Just keep in mind that most boxed mixes are already quite sweet, so the final dessert may end up too sweet once the sweetened condensed milk mixture is added. Also, some people might prefer to avoid the artificial flavors and additives often found in boxed mixes. If that sounds like you, check out the next two options instead!

2. Want something soft and airy? Use my chiffon cake recipe — it creates a light, fluffy base that soaks up the strawberry milk beautifully.

• Use the 6-inch chiffon cake measurements and bake it in an 8-inch cake pan — this creates the perfect height, leaving enough space for the whipped cream and strawberries on top.

3. Looking for the most authentic texture? Try my sponge cake recipe for a traditional Latin-style tres leches experience.

• Sponge cake has a firmer, springier texture that soaks up the three milks without falling apart — just like how it’s done across Latin America.
• Chiffon cake, on the other hand, is lighter and more airy, which can make the final cake feel more like mousse than tres leches.
• Both are delicious, but if you’re after that nostalgic, authentic bite — sponge cake is the way to go.

2. Incorporating Strawberry Flavor into the Cake Base

Want to build even more strawberry flavor into the cake itself? Here’s how:

• Using a store-bought cake mix? It’s super easy — just swap the liquid (usually water or milk) in the box instructions with an equal amount of strawberry purée. This adds real fruit flavor and a subtle pink tint to the cake without changing the texture.
• Using a from-scratch recipe (like chiffon or sponge cake)? Be careful — in these recipes, the milk or liquid often plays a more important structural role and can’t always be swapped 1:1 with fruit purée. In this case, you have a couple of options:
  • Option 1: Skip the purée and stick with the original recipe for a reliable, well-structured base.
  • Option 2: Add 1 tablespoon of freeze-dried strawberry powder to the dry ingredients. It adds a lovely natural strawberry flavor and color without affecting the texture.

3. Adjust Baking Time and Keep an Eye on the Cake

Baking times can vary depending on your oven and bakeware, so it’s important to stay flexible and keep an eye on the cake as it bakes.

Begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes of baking. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready.

The goal is a light, airy texture that can soak up the milk mixture well—baking too long can make it dry and dense, while baking too short can leave it too wet to absorb properly. Adjust the baking time based on your oven and observations for the best result.

4. Poke holes when the cake is warm

If the cake is too hot, the milk mixture may soak in too quickly and unevenly. When the cake is cold, the texture becomes firmer, and the milk won’t soak in as evenly or quickly.

It’s best to poke the holes while the cake is still slightly warm (but not hot) so the milk has a better chance to soak in evenly, giving you that rich, moist texture that’s characteristic of a tres leches cake. Afterward, you can chill the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best, to allow it to fully absorb the milk and develop its flavors.

5. Make stiff peaks whipped cream

Whip the cream just until stiff peaks form for a fluffy, pipeable texture. If you’re serving the cake the next day, wait to add the whipped cream and strawberries until just before serving for the freshest look and taste.

Chill your mixing bowl and beaters before whipping! This helps the cream whip up faster and reach stiff peaks more easily. Beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until the cream thickens and holds firm peaks when the beaters are lifted. Be careful not to overwhip, as it can turn into butter – How to Make Heavy Cream with Milk and Butter.

6. Garnish casually—but confidently!

Fresh strawberries are beautiful all on their own. There’s no need to be too precise when topping with strawberries. A casual pile of halved or quartered berries adds natural beauty and makes the cake look effortlessly stunning.

🥣Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer (Or a large mixing bowl and a electric hand mixer)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 8-inch round or square baking pan (I used a heart shape ceramic cake pan.)
• Oven
• Fork or straw (for poking holes in the cake)

🥚Ingredients  

Cake Base Option 1: Using boxed cake mix

• 1 box Super Moist white cake mix
• 1 cup strawberry purée (blend about 2 cups of fresh strawberries to yield 1 cup of purée. Add a splash of water only if needed to help your blender run smoothly — if your blender works fine without it, no need to add any.)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (melted in microwave; or use vegetable oil)

Cake Base Option 2: Make it from scratch

• If you prefer not to use store-bought cake mix, you can follow my homemade chiffon cake recipe here: Ms Shi & Mr He’s Chiffon Cake Recipe
• Use the 6-inch chiffon cake measurements and bake it in an 8-inch cake pan — this creates the perfect height, leaving space for whipped cream and strawberries on top.

For the milk soak:

• ¾ cup Korean Binggrae strawberry milk (Or substitute with:1 cup milk, ½ cup diced strawberries, and 2 tbsps sweetened condensed milk, blend until smooth.)
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup heavy cream

For the topping:

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsps powdered sugar (or 1½ tbsp granulated sugar)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 20 fresh strawberries (for garnish)

📋Instructions 

1. Make the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease an 8-inch round or square baking pan. (I used a heart shape ceramic cake pan.)

2. In a stand mixer, use medium speed to mix together cake mix, strawberry purée, and eggs until smooth. (Alternatively, use a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or whisk by hand.)

3. Add melted butter (or vegetable oil) and use medium speed to mix until fully incorporated.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325°F (163°C) for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. If the cake rises too high, shave off the top so the final height is ½ inch below the rim of the pan.

6. If you prefer not to use store-bought cake mix, you can follow my homemade chiffon cake recipe here: Ms Shi & Mr He’s Chiffon Cake Recipe

2. Prepare the Strawberry Milk Mixture:

1. In a bowl or large cup, mix together: ¾ cup of Korean strawberry milk, ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup of heavy cream. (If you don’t have Korean strawberry milk, you can make a substitute by blending 1 cup of milk with ½ cup diced strawberries and 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. Then measure out ¾ cup of the blended mixture to use.)

2. Use a straw or fork to poke holes all over the cooled cake, down to the bottom.

3. Slowly pour the strawberry milk mixture over the cake, letting it soak in evenly.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to let the cake absorb all the milk.

3. Add the Toppings

1. In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form – When you lift your mixer or whisk straight up, the cream pointed peaks that stand upright without collapsing.

2. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the chilled cake. For a decorative touch, you can also pipe it into your favorite patterns.

3. Top the cake with fresh strawberries. I simply sliced each one in half—or into quarters if they were on the larger side—and casually arranged them over the top.

4. No need to slice — just grab a spoon and dig into your delicious strawberry tres leches cake!

4. Storage Tips:

1. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing fridge odors. You can store Strawberry Tres Leches Cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

2. Add fresh strawberries just before serving if you want them to look their best, as they may soften or release juices after a day or two.

3. The texture may become even more moist over time as the milk continues to soak in.

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