Irish Cream Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches cake is traditionally a very moist cake with a filling that soaks into the cake as it chills. But this recipe adds a bit of extra flair with Irish cream to make a boozy sauce that’s even more delicious. Serve this up for St. Patrick’s Day or any holiday. Everyone will love it!

Why this recipe works.

If you have had a tres leches cake, you know why they are worth making. The cake is a soft sponge cake with a sweet milk mixture infused into the crumb. The idea of this cake is similar to midwestern “poke” cakes that poke holes all over a baked cake and pour a sweet mixture to soak into the cake. If you have not been lucky enough to enjoy a tres leches cake, this recipe may just solidify a new love for the cake. This recipe deviates from a traditional milk mixture and adds Irish cream and dulce de leche to the mix. The whiskey and cream combination adds an obvious whiskey flavor and a hint of caramel that the dulce de leche intensifies. While this new spin makes it a perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day the recipe works year-round.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Butter is creamed with sugar to give the cake the correct sponge-like texture. Make sure the butter is at room temperature, so it creams correctly.
• Cinnamon adds a hint of warm spice to compliment the rich Irish cream. A small amount brings out the flavors of the milk mixture and adds a nice elevation to the cake.
• Irish cream is an Irish whiskey mixed with cream. The cream tempers the strong alcohol and adds a bit more sweetness. Use heavy cream mixed with maple syrup for a non-alcoholic substitute.
• Dulce de leche is sweetened condensed milk that has been cooked into a rich caramel. The flavor is rich and marries perfectly with the Irish cream.
• Greek yogurt is whipped with heavy cream for a slightly tangy contrast to all the sweetness. The yogurt also helps stabilize the whipped cream for a texture that will last longer.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Mix together the wet ingredients. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and sugar and mix together for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl during the mixing to ensure everything is evenly incorporated. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time. Let the mixer mix in each egg before adding the next. Add in the vanilla extract, let it mix in, and then scrape down the sides of the bowl once more. 

2. Add in the dry ingredients and milk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk these ingredients together to ensure everything is evenly combined. With the stand mixer running, alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the milk, beginning with the dry ingredients and ending with the milk. Once the final addition of milk is added, stop the mixer, and give the mixture one final mix by hand.

3. Bake the cake. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 baking pan and spread it out into an even later. Bake the batter in the preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 35 minutes until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Set aside to let the cake cool slightly.

4. Prepare the tres leches filling. In a bowl, combine the milk, dulce de leche, and Irish cream liqueur. Using a whisk or an immersion blender, mix together all three ingredients until the dulce de leche dissolves. Using a skewer or a fork, poke holes all over the top of the baked cake. Then slowly pour the mixed tres leches sauce all over the top of the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours to chill, and allow the sauce to soak into the cake.

5. Prepare the whipped topping. When the cake has fully chilled, prepare the whipped topping by combining the heavy cream, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of the stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once whipped, spread the frosting on top of the cake, making sure it is in an even layer. Any decoration can be added at this point.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• When creaming the butter and sugar together, make sure that the butter is at room temperature. This will ensure that the ingredients combine as quickly and effectively as possible.
• For the best-textured cake, make sure to mix the butter and sugar for the full 3 to 5 minutes. While it may seem like a long time to mix, it truly will ensure that these two ingredients are well-combined, and the cake will turn out light and fluffy.
• While it may seem like an extra step and a process that slows down the process of preparing the batter, alternately adding the dry ingredients and milk is necessary. This process ensures that the wet ingredients are mixed slowly with the dry ingredients in batches, allowing for the correct texture to develop.
• If whisking together the tres leches ingredients is not resulting in a smooth liquid, use an immersion blender instead.
• When pouring the tres leches sauce over the top of the cake, use a wooden spoon or spatula to divert the sauce from hitting the cake directly. This will result in less pressure on the surface of the cake and create a more even dispersion. It may take some time for the sauce to soak into the cake, which is normal.

More cake recipes to bake.

• Chocolate fudge pudding cake
• Orange and zucchini olive oil cake
• Boston cream pie
• Pumpkin applesauce cake
• Vanilla bean layer cake
• Plum cornmeal cake
• Classic carrot cake