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Churro Tres Leches Cake

Churro tres leches cake with a fluffy vanilla sponge soaked in three-milk cinnamon mixture, then topped with whipped cream and crunchy crushed churro. Each bite has moist layers, a creamy milk soak, and a cinnamon-sugar finish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting and chilling 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs, separated separate yolks and whites
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.33 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Milk mixture
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp sugar
Topping
  • 2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 4 churro pieces, crushed use 4–5 pieces

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish for easy release.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. This distributes the leavening evenly through the batter.
  3. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale. Add milk and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Mix gently until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter to keep it airy.
  6. Pour batter into the greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Soak with three milks
  1. While cake bakes, whisk sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, and sugar. Whisk until the cinnamon is fully incorporated.
  2. Immediately after removing cake from the oven, pierce it all over with a fork. Create lots of holes so the milk mixture soaks in.
  3. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the warm cake. Allow it to soak in rather than pouring too quickly.
  4. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Chill until the top feels set and the cake absorbs most of the liquid.
Finish and serve
  1. Before serving, beat heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. This makes a thick, sliceable topping.
  2. Spread whipped cream over the chilled cake. Garnish with crushed churro pieces for crispy texture.

Notes

Pro tip: pour the milk mixture right after baking while the cake is warm so it absorbs evenly. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the soaked texture can change. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat evaporated milk and reduced-fat sweetened condensed milk, keeping the whipped cream as written for the best structure.