Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

Let’s make our Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake recipe! This easy sponge cake gets soaked in a sweet milk mixture and topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh berries. It’s delicious, classic, and SO EASY to make!

Let’s hear it for Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake–A classic cake made famous in latin America, and beloved in the United States for its delicious flavor and texture.

If you’ve never had it before, it’s basically the original poke cake! A light sponge cake gets soaked in a mixture of three different types of milk, topped with fresh whipped cream, and topped with fresh fruit. This ultra-moist cake tastes sweet and creamy, with notes of vanilla in every bite.

It’s a remarkably light and tender cake, perfect for spring and summer celebrations, but enjoyable all year long. Best of all, it’s easily made gluten-free thanks to a few simple swaps. Now you can have your (tres leches) cake and eat it, too!

The ingredients are simple and straightforward–there’s not even any butter or oil! Let’s dive in…

What Makes Tres Leches Cake Special?

This cake recipe is so unique because of its tres leches, literally “three milks.” The light, airy sponge cake is soaked in a mixture of whole milk, sweetened condense milk, and evaporated milk, then topped with a whipped cream topping. It’s exceptionally moist and rich-tasting, despite being pretty simple to put together.

Authentic tres leches cake isn’t gluten-free since it’s made with white flour (wheat based), but our gluten-free version channels all the same delicious flavor and texture you crave, just without gluten! Ready to make a batch? Let’s gather our ingredients!

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• Gluten-Free Flour. Our gluten-free tres leches cake recipe uses gluten-free measure-for-measure flour to keep things easy. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free flour blend, but if you use another brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum and measure the flour properly!
• Baking Powder. For the perfect puff.
• Salt. Always.
• Separated Egg Yolks & Egg Whites. A key step in giving tres leches cake its signature airy texture is whipping the egg whites into stiff peaks to lighten the texture of the batter. So, instead of adding whole eggs, you’ll need to separate the eggs first!
• Sugar. Granulated sugar helps give our cake its light, fluffy texture.
• Vanilla. Some vanilla extract goes into the cake, and the whipped cream frosting.
• Whole Milk. No using low-fat milk here! You’ll need the richness of whole milk for the cake batter and the milk mixture.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk. Make sure you buy sweetened condensed milk, not just condensed or evaporated milk!
• Evaporated Milk. For its rich, thick texture.
• Heavy Cream. For the whipped cream topping!
• Powdered Sugar. This will stabilize the whipped cream so it holds its shape better.
• Fresh Strawberries & Cinnamon. Then, for garnish, you can add some beautiful fresh strawberries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or both!

How To Make Tres Leches Cake, Step By Step

First, Bake The Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. 
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt to combine. Set aside. 
3. Separate Eggs. Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Place the whites in a separate large bowl. Make sure there are NO bits of yolk in the egg whites. (Even a tiny drop can prevent them from whipping properly.) 
4. Combine Egg Yolks & Sugar. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the egg yolks. Stir until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and whole milk. 
5. Whip Egg Whites. Use a hand mixer to blend the eggs until foamy and starting to turn white. Gradually add in the last 1/4 cup sugar and whip until the egg white turn into stiff peaks. (When you lift the beaters out of the mixture, it should hold its shape on the beaters even when you rotate them around.)
6. Mix Cake Batter. Add flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and stir until just combined. Add about half of the whipped egg whites mixture to the batter and use a spatula to gently fold it into the batter. (Don’t stir or you’ll deflate it. Instead, scrape around the edges of the bowl and fold it in on top of itself in the center.) Add the second half of the whites mixture and repeat. 
7. Bake Cake. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees 28-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). Let the cake cool to room temperature while you prepare the milk mixture. 

Next, Assemble The Cake

8. Combine Milks. When the cake has cooled slightly, combine 2/3 cup whole milk, the sweetened condensed milk and the evaporated milk in a large liquid measuring cup. 
9. Poke Holes In The Top Of The Cake with a fork. You want lots of holes across the whole top of the cake. 
10. Pour milk mixture over the entire cake, including the edges. (It will seem like a lot!)
11. Cover & Chill. Then, cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and chill the cake in the refrigerator 2-4 hours, up to overnight (8 hours max). 
12. Make Whipped Topping. When the cake has chilled and you’re ready to serve the cake, prepare the whipped topping. In a large bowl, whip heavy cream until it begins to foam. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the whipped cream forms soft peaks. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake.
13. Garnish the cake (or individual slices) with sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon (if desired). 

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The BEst Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

What Are The 3 Kinds Of Milk In Tres Leches Cake?

1. Whole Milk. The higher fat content of whole milk adds richness to the milk mixture. I do not recommend any substitutes here, as lower fat milk will not have the same effect.
2. Sweetened Condensed Milk. If you’ve never baked with it before, sweetened condensed milk is made from sugar and milk that has been cooked down until some of the water has evaporated. It has a very thick, sticky texture (thicker than honey), and adds sweetness. If you can’t find it, you can make your own sweetened condensed milk!
3. Evaporated Milk. Is milk that’s been cooked to evaporate some of the water. It’s thicker, higher in fat, and richer in texture. Can’t find it? You can make your own evaporated milk!

Protect The Egg Whites! 

If you want this gluten-free cake to get the signature light, fluffy texture with plenty of air bubbles, the big secret is to whip the egg whites properly. Make sure the bowl and beaters are completely clean (even a little smudge of grease or oil can prevent the whites from whipping), and be sure that there isn’t even a single drop of egg yolk in the whites. (The fat from the yolk will prevent the whites from whipping.) Then, fold in the whipped whites gently. Don’t stir or beat them in, or you’ll deflate the batter. 

Storing Tips

Tres leches cake will keep for about 3 days, softening more with time. It can easily be made ahead for a party or celebration, since it needs to soak 2-4 hours at least before serving. For the best presentation, I recommend adding the whipped topping closer to when you plan to serve it. Since it’s full of dairy & topped with whipped cream, it’s important to keep this cake covered and chilled in the fridge.

🌟 Leave a star review below when you try our Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake recipe! We can’t wait to hear what you think!

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