Tres Leches Confetti Cake.
It should come as no surprise that I’d make a tres leches confetti cake.
I put sprinkles in my tres leches cake! Woohoo. I did.
Sprinkles make everything better, and my inner seven year old will always believe that. I will never be over sprinkles. Ever.
Just how immature would it be for me to frame this sprinkle pour and put it up in my kitchen? Happening.
You know how sometimes you have the best memory of a really great moment or day or weekend where you didn’t necessarily… do much?
That’s what tres leches cake reminds me of.
Eddie and I were closing on and moving into our first house in late April of 2009. For the few days that we moved in and once we were settled, I was burning some sunset-scented summery candle and I swear that I can still smell it. The house was so clean and new to us – it was the first kitchen that really felt like MY kitchen.
We made an early dinner the first Sunday we had moved in and I had prepped a tres leches cake (the first time I ever made one) to have later that evening for dessert. If you’re anything like me, Sundays are for the scaries. The Sunday blues get me every week. We ate, then went and took a long walk outside. It was gorgeous and warm and one of those days that happens early enough in the year that is just lights the fire for summer inside of you.
We came home and ate the cake, and that was that.
I mean, that’s the story. I know. It’s not like it was anything special, but in a weird way, it was something special. It was such a lovely Sunday in our first house together and I seriously remember it and can feel it like it was this morning. Crazy when things are like that.
Anyway – that’s what tres leches cake reminds me of. It’s why I love it so much.
Well, one of the reasons. Another being that it’s insanely delicious.
Oh! So the other thing is that I’ve made a chocolate tres leches cake. Now that… is the business. Seriously, it is incredible. It’s actually the cake I’m going to make this weekend. I’m going to make a taco feast and the chocolate tres leches on Saturday night for the Kentucky Derby. That chocolate tres leches is soaked in chocolate milk (naturally) and it’s absolutely incredible. I love it so much that I hate it.
You get me.
The tres leches confetti cake is everything tres leches is… soft and moist and so flavorful. It’s rich, but light at the same time. I used coconut milk here because I am a coconut freak, but you can use evaporated milk instead. Add lots of sprinkles. Obviously.
And don’t trust yourself with a fork near this dish. It.is.trouble.
Tres Leches Confetti Cake
Tres Leches Confetti Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup assorted colorful sprinkles
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
whipped cream
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup assorted colorful sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick backing spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- Using your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in each egg 1 at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract until combined. Add the flour mixture to the batter about ½ cup at a time, beating on medium-low speed, until combined and smooth. Use a spatula to gently but quickly stir the sprinkles into the batter – don’t overmix! Pour the batter into the greased baking pan.
- Bake the cake 30 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden and the center is set. Let the cake cool completely, then poke holes all over the cake with a fork. Be sure to leave the cake IN the pan so it can catch all the milk!
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the whole milk, condensed milk and coconut milk. Pour the milk mixture all over the top of the cake, evenly distributing the milks. I like to refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes at this point before frosting and serving. You can also make it the night before serving, but I would wait to frost and sprinkle on top until right before serving.
whipped cream
- To make the whipped cream, add the cold cream to the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Add in the sugar and vanilla extract, then beat until firm peaks form.
- Right before serving, spread the whipped cream over the cake. I like to do this right before serving since whipped cream can melt. Top with the sprinkles and serve!
- Note: be sure to serve this on rounded plates or in bowls so the milks don’t run off and the cake can soak every bit up!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
But the happiest trouble.
47 Comments on “Tres Leches Confetti Cake.”
I love tres leches cake and this Funfetti twist makes it perfect for birthdays!
thanks natalie!! xo
How much sugar? It’s not listed under the ingredients.
oops sorry abby! it’s 3/4 cup. i fixed it, thank you!
How much sugar is in this cake? I think you may have left it out. It looks delicious and fun, though!
hi jenny! it’s 3/4 cup. :)
So so smart!!! Love it!!
thank you allison!
This is stunning.
thanks nicole!!
I want to make this so bad. Must invite friends over so I don’t eat the whole thing!
it’s so so good! xo
I seriously teared up reading that description of your and Eddie’s day as it brought back memories of those moments with my partner. They are so special and lovely. The lack of pressure/agenda affords you so much space to breathe and enjoy one another and that moment in time.
you’re so right hannah. xoxo
I’m definitely throwing it back to 2016 How Sweet Eats this weekend with your Hawaiian Chicken Fajitas, and now I have to decide between the chocolate tres leches and the confetti one!
you have no idea how happy this makes me katelyn!! enjoy! xo
Thank you so much for sharing great post very detailed explanation about competitor Keyword and learned somethings new.
Very pretty! Do you know the calorie count, by any chance?
I made this tonight for my daughters 3rd birthday tomorrow and it came out pretty flat and I made it twice! I have no idea what I did wrong- it tastes delicious but not thick!
oh no!! is there anyway your baking powder may be expired? it def shouldn’t be flat with the baking powder in there! how flat are we talking though? i’d say the cake is only about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick?
I made it this morning, too. Mine is maybe an inch in the middle.
I made it this morning and mine is super flat too. Baking powder is not expired either. It’s the first thing I checked!
Just made this and my cake is MAYBE 1/2″ tall and so incredibly dense. There are too many eggs and not enough batter for a 9×13 pan. Baking powder is fine, I made the chocolate version before this and it turned out perfect.
Looks so pretty, easy and delicious!!! Trying this super soon.
So I just made this. Mine is super flat too. My baking powder is not expired.
Usually for tres leches I separate the eggs and whip the whites to help it puff up and be fluffy.
I’m sure it will still taste great.
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Do you pour the milk mixture on when it’s completely cooled or while it’s still warm?
once it’s cooled!
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Gorgeous cake that I just made for a work thing tomorrow. Just wondering; is it really 1.5c of whole milk in addition to the 14oz each of coconut and condensed? I had so much milk I had to pour some out of the cake pan bc after a while it still wasn’t all soaking in there! Can’t wait to try it tomorrow though :) saving the extra milk in case I can still add it after it sets overnight!
still tastes good, though ^_^ also put a half-batch worth of batter in silicone molds to make confetti tres leches donuts
AWESOME! Such an amazing cake made by you. The perfection you have for baking is making it more presentable and delicious to have. thank you s much for sharing!
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So i used the amount suggested in the recipe of the 3 milks, and it seems like i have way too much…
Are you supposed to pour all the milk on? I feel like if I pour it all its going to ruin the cake. Thanks for the recipe.
Wow! This tasted amazing!! Big hit with my little fam! I halved the recipe, and paired it with vanilla ice cream. My hubby said it tasted like ice cream and ate 2 big servings!
I made it this morning and mine is super flat too. Baking powder is not expired either. It’s the first thing I checked!
Many thanks for sharing this. I am sure, my sister will surely love this cake recipe. Also, find out birthday greeting check here
Faboulus