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. Perfect for any occasion, it’s a sweet, fruity twist on the classic tres leches!
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
- 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,2 tbsp 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:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease an 8-inch round or square baking pan. (I used a heart shape ceramic cake pan.)
- 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.)
- Add melted butter (or vegetable oil) and use medium speed to mix until fully incorporated.
- 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.
- If the cake rises too high, shave off the top so the final height is ½ inch below the rim of the pan.
- 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:
- 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.)
- Use a straw or fork to poke holes all over the cooled cake, down to the bottom.
- Slowly pour the strawberry milk mixture over the cake, letting it soak in evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to let the cake absorb all the milk.
3. Add the Toppings
- 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.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the chilled cake. For a decorative touch, you can also pipe it into your favorite patterns.
- 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.
- No need to slice — just grab a spoon and dig into your delicious strawberry tres leches cake!
4. Storage Tips:
- 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.
- 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.
- The texture may become even more moist over time as the milk continues to soak in.