Tres Leches Cake Jars

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Tres Leches Cake Jars are made up of a light and fluffy sponge cake baked into a jar and soaked with a sweet blend of 3 milks, topped with the perfect homemade whipped cream and dusted with cinnamon.

A glass jar filled with cake and topped with whipped cream and fresh flowers.

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A light and fluffy cake that literally melts in your mouth, Tres Leches Cake Jars are the perfect individual dessert for spring, summer and Cinco de Mayo! This is a Mexican inspired dessert that is made with a sponge cake and soaked in a three sweet milk blend made of heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk.

Tres Leches Cake Jars are an alternative to the traditional sheet pan and makes a beautiful presentation for each individual to have their own cake! Same delicious sponge cake baked into eight ounce jars and the sweet milk mixture soaks perfectly into the cake.

If you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo with this favorite cake jar, pair it with The Perfect Paloma Cocktail or Skinny Blood Orange Margarita.

Ingredients

A bowl of egg yolks, egg whites, flour, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract.

Sponge Cake
Flour-Cake flour is the best to use when baking a sponge cake. It is a finer texture and will help create a light and fluffy texture. I would not recommend substituting it for any other flour.
Baking Powder- Acts as a leavening agent for the sponge cake
Salt- Just a dash enhances the flavor of the cake
Eggs- Eggs are the structure of the sponge cake. They going to be separated and used in different ways. When baking a sponge cake the eggs yolks will be whisked together first to create the base of the cake and then the egg whites are whisked to make a meringue and then folded into the batter.
Oil-Vegetable oil is the only type of oil I would use for this recipe!
Milk- Whole milk will add moisture to the cake, I would not replace this with any other type of milk

Three Milks
The three milks that are used to soak the sponge cake, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk! Whole milk is another milk option that can be used to replace the heavy cream.

Step-by-Step Directions

A glass bowl with cake batter mixed together.

Prepare the Sponge Cake

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside

Combine the egg yolks and ½ of the granulated sugar and whisk until the yolks are light in color and fluffy
Slowly add in the milk and vegetable oil and continue whisking to create a bubbly fluffy batter
Add in the cake flour to the egg yolk mixture and mix just until combined
Pour the batter into large bowl and set aside while making the meringue

A mixing bowl with whisk attachment and meringue in the bowl.

Whisk The Egg Whites

In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until stiff peak; Slowly add in the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar to the egg whites

Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined

Glass jars filled with sponge cake batter.

Bake The Cake Jars

Divide the batter into the 8 glass jars and bake for 20 minutes or until the sponge cake is light golden brown and baked through

Once the cakes are removed from the oven, poke several holes in the top of the cakes; set aside and allow to cool

Three Milks

In a small bowl combine the heavy cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla extract and whisk together
Evenly divide the milk mixture and pour over each sponge cake in a jar (you will need to allow a little bit of time for the milk to soak into the cake before continuing to pour the remainder of the milk)

Tips and FAQS To Make The Best Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake Garnish
The simple flavors of this cake is what makes it the best, but I love adding a few extra flavors!

Ground Cinnamon
Caramel Sauce
Fresh Fruit
Toasted Coconut

Jar Size
When baking in a jar, make sure that you are using a glass jar that can handle hight heat! I used this 8 ounce jar that worked perfect! If you are serving a larger crowd, you can make the size smaller to a 4 ounce jar and make 16 tres leches cakes.

Make It A Cake
If you want to make the Tres Leches Cake, but don't want to bake them in jars you can use this exact recipe and make the sponge cake in a 9x13 cake pan. Once the cake is baked you will soak the cake the same way and garnish with whipped cream! It is equally as good as the individual cake jars.

Can Tres Leches Cake Be Made In Advance?

Yes!! Tres Leches Cakes are actually best when they are made in advance and have time to allow the milks to soak in. Once the cake is made and soaked, refrigerate the cakes until you are ready to serve them.

How Long Does Tres Leches Cake Last?

This cake is actually really great several days later, but I would recommend serving it within 3-4 days of making it for the freshest and most delicious taste!

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