Cinco de Mayo Tres Leches (Printable)

Moist cupcakes soaked in a sweet three-milk blend topped with fluffy whipped cream.

# What you need:

→ Cupcake Batter

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 0.5 cup whole milk

→ Tres Leches Soak

09 - 0.5 cup sweetened condensed milk
10 - 0.5 cup evaporated milk
11 - 0.5 cup whole milk

→ Whipped Cream Topping

12 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Garnish

15 - Ground cinnamon
16 - Fresh berries or maraschino cherries
17 - Lime zest

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes using an electric mixer.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then add milk, followed by remaining flour mixture, mixing gently just until combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
08 - While cupcakes cool, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk in a small bowl.
09 - Once cupcakes have cooled but remain slightly warm, poke several holes in each using a skewer or fork.
10 - Spoon or slowly pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture over each cupcake. Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
11 - Whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form using an electric mixer.
12 - Pipe or spread whipped cream onto each cupcake. Garnish with ground cinnamon, fresh berries, or lime zest as desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each cupcake becomes impossibly moist and creamy without being dense or heavy.
  • The three-milk soak creates this subtle sweetness that lets you taste the vanilla and butter underneath.
  • They're actually easier to serve and eat than a full cake, especially at parties where people want just one perfect bite.
02 -
  • Do not skip letting the eggs and butter reach room temperature—cold ingredients won't emulsify properly and your crumb will be tough instead of tender.
  • The soak is the entire point of this dessert; don't rush it or under-soak, or you'll end up with a regular vanilla cupcake on top and dry cake underneath.
03 -
  • If you don't have sweetened condensed milk on hand, you can make a substitute by simmering regular milk with sugar, but it's not quite the same—the store-bought version has a slight caramelized flavor that's hard to replicate.
  • Use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip to top these; it makes them look bakery-quality and takes barely any longer than spreading by hand.
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