Easy Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need for this strawberry tres leches cake recipe.

Strawberry-Flavored Milk: Used in both the batter and soaking mixture to enhance the strawberry flavor throughout the cake. Regular milk can also be swapped in if needed, but it will have less strawberry taste.

Cake Mix: Betty Crocker™ Delights Super Moist™ Strawberry Cake Mix makes the strawberry base for this cake.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: The availability of canned sweetened condensed milk in the mid-20th century played a key role in popularizing this cake, providing an easy and convenient ingredient for the soaking mixture.

Heavy Whipping Cream: Used in both the soaking mixture and topping. You’ll need 2 pints (1 quart) to ensure enough for the recipe.

Eggs: 4 eggs give the cake its signature spongy texture, helping it absorb the three milks.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Vegetable oil, powdered sugar, vanilla, and fresh sliced strawberries.

Cookware You’ll Need

Here’s the equipment you’ll need to make this strawberry tres leches cake recipe.

13x9-Inch Pan: We recommend a shiny, uncoated metal pan for a tender crumb and light crust. If using a dark or nonstick pan, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.

Electric Mixer or Spoon: Either works for mixing the cake batter—go with whatever’s most convenient. However, if you do have a hand mixer, it will make whipping the topping much easier.

Other Tools You’ll Need: Measuring cups (dry and liquid), measuring spoons, medium and large mixing bowls, rubber spatula, cooling rack, fork, mixing spoon, and a small icing spatula.

How to Make Easy Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Here’s how to make this strawberry tres leches cake recipe.

1. Mix the Cake Batter

Beat all the cake ingredients together until the batter is smooth, well-mixed, and free of lumps. Beat for a full 2 minutes—set a timer to stay on track.

2. Soak in Milk Mixture

Once baked, poke the cake all over with a fork, about every half inch—aim for 50 to 60 pokes. This helps the 3-milk mixture soak in evenly.

3. Make the Topping

Chill the beaters and bowl before whipping the cream to achieve a light, fluffy texture. To check for stiff peaks, lift the beaters—if the whipped cream stands tall with a defined peak, it's ready. If not, beat longer. A wire whisk works great by hand, though it may take a bit more time.

Possible Variations

We’ve heard from you that you love trying different variations on tres leches—and we’ve got a few you’ll want to check out.

Classic Tres Leches Cake: Make the dessert that inspired our strawberry tres leches cake recipe. This is Betty’s take on the traditional version—made simple with cake mix.

Banana Tres Leches Dessert: You’ll go bananas over this tropical-inspired cake with banana and coconut flavors.

Triple Chocolate-Tres Leches Cake: A decadent option for chocolate lovers, packed with rich chocolaty taste in every bite.

Craving more? Browse all of Betty’s tres leches-inspired recipes.

Serving Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

Strawberry Tres Leches Cake is best served chilled, allowing the soaking mixture to fully absorb for a moist texture. Topped with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries, it’s a simple yet flavorful dessert. Perfect for birthday parties, potlucks, or any gathering, this cake is sure to please a crowd. For extra flair, garnish with other fresh berries like blueberries or raspberries, a drizzle of chocolate, or a sprinkling of ground freeze-dried strawberries to add even more berry flavor and visual appeal.

Storing Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

These are the storage methods we’ve tested to keep your easy strawberry tres leches cake tasting delicious. Just a heads-up—since the topping contains dairy, it should be refrigerated within 2 hours for food safety.

Refrigerator

Cover the cake with plastic wrap, or store individual pieces in a covered container for up to 3 days. If using plastic wrap, insert toothpicks into the cake to prevent the wrap from touching the sticky top.

Freezer

Unfrosted Poked Cake: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. We don’t recommend freezing the cake without poking, as it may not absorb the milk mixture properly when thawed.

How to Thaw

Frozen Unfrosted Poked Cake: Remove the cake from the freezer the day before serving. Unwrap the foil, and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add the topping the next day, just before serving.