As any long-time reader knows, we have a healthy obsession with pumpkin, as evidenced by our wide and varied uses of it every time fall rolls around, from glazed pumpkin scones to pumpkin english muffins. This pumpkin tres leches cake, however, may be the best recipe of them all.
What Is Tres Leches Cake?
If you’ve never had tres leches cake, it’s basically a light sponge cake that gets soaked in a mixture of three milks: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and in the case of this recipe, half and half.
A traditional tres leches cake doesn’t have too many additional flavor agents besides that, but this version is resolutely pumpkin-y and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Topped with spiced whipped cream, it doesn’t get any better.
If you’re looking for a dessert to take you through the entire fall season, from Halloween parties to Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving dinners, this is it!
Soaking The Cake
My mother was particularly skeptical when she saw what I was doing. There I was, pouring almost a quart of liquid over the top of an innocent sheet cake.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked between the cake and my measuring cup full of dairy, disbelieving as she was that this cake could hold that much liquid.
I too was a little apprehensive. But all it takes is a little patience and a very careful, even pouring technique.
After chilling in the fridge for 4 hours, my little cake had soaked up all the milk. And it had the most glorious soft texture.
If you love tres leches cake, you’re going to love this fall version. If you’ve never tried it, allow this recipe to be your introduction to a new world of dessert possibilities.
Your fall dinner guests will appreciate the addition and change of pace over the usual apple and pumpkin pies!
Recipe Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch sheet pan (about 33×23 cm).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing very well after each addition.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Turn it out on a serving plate so that it is upside down. Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the cake.
In a large measuring cup or pitcher, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and half and half.
Pour it very slowly and gradually over the cake, allowing it to seep in.
This process takes some patience, but it’s well worth it. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Finally, prepare the spiced cream. Beat the cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until peaks form. Spread evenly over the cake, slice, and serve.
Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake with Spiced Cream
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (one 15-ounce can)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup half-and-half
For the spiced cream:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- A splash of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch sheet pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing very well after each addition.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes, and then turn it out on a serving plate so that it is upside down. Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the cake. In a large measuring cup or pitcher, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and half and half. Pour it very slowly and gradually over the cake, allowing it to seep in. This process takes some patience, but it’s well worth it. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Finally, prepare the spiced cream. Beat the cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until peaks form. Spread evenly over the cake, slice, and serve.
The recipe tastes amazing. I’ve made it two times now. My only complaint is with the written recipe not the execution. That is because it says it only takes 55 minutes to complete but this is not true. There is a waiting period of 4 hours to overnight. I wish this was stated in the time frames because I didn’t remember this when I started and I started baking later than I should have. I rely on those time frames being accurate as I don’t often have time to read through a recipe before starting to cook.
Hi Keshia, that’s fair! I will make and adjustment to the recipe.
what measurement can i use if i replace all the spices with just pumpkin pie spice? since it as everything mixed together. thanks!!
Hi Alyssa, 2 1/2 teaspoons should do it!
This cake is absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!
It’s exactly was I was hoping for. I love that the whipped icing is spiced with cinnamon to give it a fall flavor. The milk mixture is the perfect amount for the cake. soaked but not soggy, each slice is still milky! ugh so good!
I brought some to my coworkers and they loved it! I can’t wait to make this recipe again.
Also thank you for the measurements! (-: i ended up just buying the last spice I needed, but will try out only the pumpkin pie spice seasoning!
Thank you so much, Alyssa! This is one of my favorite fall desserts—happy to see someone made and enjoyed it! :)
Love at first bite!
:) Thank you Adriana! I can’t wait to make this cake this fall!
Do you have a recipe for the traditional tres leches cake?
Hi Sabrina, we don’t have that, but perhaps we’ll work on a recipe one day!
This cake is heavenly, and will be replacing my pumpkin pie for every Thanksgiving/Autumn holiday unless I can somehow find an even more divine recipe to replace it. I’m trying to strategize a version of it for gingerbread cake for Christmas too.
It. Is. So. Good.
Woooo thank you for the feedback, Elle! So happy you love this cake as much as we do. :)
This turned out awful. Should have known when it called for greasing the pan— a major faux-pas when it comes to providing the correct texture for sponge cakes.
Hi Nico, I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong here—I’ve made this cake many times with great results, as have other readers. What didn’t you like about it?
HI, This cake looks wonderful but it has 4 teaspoons of leavener – including two teaspoons of soda. That’s really a lot of soda – usually 1/2 tsp. is sufficient to counter the acid in the pumpkin puree. Won’t the cake taste soapy with all that leavener esp, the baking soda overload?
Hi Marcy, I didn’t feel that the cake tasted soapy at all!