Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Print Version)

Milk-soaked cake layers topped with toasted buttered pecans and clouds of whipped cream create a creamy, nutty dessert experience.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ½ cup whole milk

→ Tres Leches Mixture

09 - 1 can (14 fluid ounces) sweetened condensed milk
10 - 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk, optional

→ Butter Pecan Topping

13 - 1 cup pecans, chopped
14 - ¼ cup unsalted butter
15 - ½ cup packed brown sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Whipped Cream Topping

17 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
18 - ¼ cup powdered sugar
19 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - While cake bakes, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and coconut milk if using in a bowl until smooth.
08 - Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake. Slowly pour tres leches mixture over cake, ensuring it soaks into the holes. Allow cake to absorb milk for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
09 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and brown sugar; cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until pecans are toasted and mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let cool slightly.
10 - In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
11 - Spread whipped cream evenly over the milk-soaked cake surface. Drizzle cooled butter pecan topping over whipped cream.
12 - Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist for days, getting better as it sits in the fridge.
  • Toasted butter pecan topping adds a caramel crunch that cuts through all that creamy sweetness.
  • It feeds a crowd without you spending all day in the kitchen.
  • Every bite feels indulgent, but the steps are honestly pretty forgiving.
02 -
  • Do not skip poking enough holes in the cake, I once did not poke enough and half the milk just sat on top in a sad puddle.
  • Let the butter pecan topping cool before adding it to the whipped cream or it will melt into a soupy mess.
  • If your cake seems too wet after soaking, it is not, that is exactly how it should be.
03 -
  • Use a fork with long tines to poke the holes, it helps the milk reach deeper into the cake.
  • Toast the pecans low and slow, if you rush it they will burn and turn bitter.
  • Chill your mixing bowl and beaters before whipping the cream, it whips faster and holds better.
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