I no longer know how to survive without these.

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

I can’t get along with these donuts if we’re in the same room together. It’s complete and utter domination.

Let’s do a drive-by dozen!  I’ll make some donuts. You make bring some coffee. Iced, vanilla-y and wonderful. We can read papers and gossip and stuff. Probably about how terrible the Grey’s Anatomy episode was last evening (ooooh yeah Patrick Dempsey you most def angered Shonda) and how I might wear a black jumpsuit this weekend because I don’t know how to dress myself.

Wait. Are you judging me for calling the donuts “donuts” instead of “doughnuts?” I’m thinking you are. I can’t help it.

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

I’ve been dreaming of making my own tres leches donut after having one in NYC a few years ago. It was straight up DECADENT. SO I used this cake donut recipe and poked a bunch of holes in said donuts and covered them in a fabulous, sugary glaze. Just like tres leches cake, you can add rum or bourbon to this glaze.

You probably should.

Ugh. These donuts. I’m freaking. And I’m soooo not a cake donut person. Are you a cake donut person? I’m not. I prefer my donuts to be light and fluffy and yeasty as opposed to dense and cakey. It’s why I’m not nutty over baked donuts. But you NEED a cake donut here so the glaze can sink in. I’m not hating it. These are perfect cake donuts with that classic hint of nutmeg. And that downpour of glaze. Drenched in three milks! Just like cake. Hence… tres leches CAKE donuts.

Have you made tres leches cake before? Huge fan. I haven’t made a traditional version in years but I think I should for Mother’s Day. Yes! That’s the plan. I also made a banana version once. It’s dreamtastic.

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

Also, I totally subbed one of the milks in my tres leches glaze for coconut milk – full fat straight from the can coconut milk. It’s one of my favorite things on earth and after using it in these tres leches cupcakes a few years ago, I haven’t made anything tres leches without it. It may not be authentic, but it’s my secret ingredient. Ooomph.

Severely hooked would be an understatement.

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

Are you doing any early celebrating of Cinco de Mayo this weekend since it falls during the workweek? What are you making! What are you doing? Please make some margaritas after a mint julep. These strawberry ones are my favorite but so are these ginger beer ones. And tacos. Tacos tacos tacos. I could put a shoe in a tortilla and call it a taco.

If you make one taco, let it be a short rib one. With lime salted cabbage.

And then donuts for dessert!

See. That’s how we do things.

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

Tres Leches Cake Donuts

No ratings yet
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

cake donuts

tres leches glaze

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions 

cake donuts

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center.
  • In a large measuring glass, whisk together milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Pour into the center of the dry ingredients then mix with a large spoon. Stir until dough is combined but do not overmix. The dough will be sticky! Cover with plastic wrap and set the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • After and hour, remove dough and place on a well floured surface. Roll dough out to be about 1/2to 1 inch thick. Using a doughnut cutter, biscuit cutter or… something round, cut circles into the dough. To cut out the center, I used the bottom of an apple corer, but you can also use a bottle cap or something of the sort.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat so it’s about 2-3 inches deep. Once the oil hits 360-365 degrees, fry the doughnuts 2-3 at a time, for about 2 minutes per side, or until puffed and golden brown. Make sure you use a candy thermometer as this is the only way to determine the temperature! I have burned many doughnuts in my life. It is not pretty. Remove doughnuts with a slotted spoon and let cool on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining dough. Let the doughnuts cool slightly, then poke holes in the top of them, not going the whole way through, with a fork or something of similar size. Pour the tres leches glaze over top – I like to do this a few times. I go over the donuts ones, then let them sit for 5 minutes. Then go over them again and maybe once more. Serve immediately.

tres leches glaze

  • Whisk together ingredients in a bowl. Make sure the milks are combined since the condensed milk is thicker. Pour over donuts!
Instagram

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!

tres leches cake donuts I howsweeteats.com

that bite.