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Tres Leches Cupcakes

Tres leches cupcakes with fluffy, golden crumb soaked in a three-milk mixture, then finished with whipped cream clouds. These individual make-ahead cupcakes stay moist for days in the fridge and are topped with fresh strawberries.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
hours 4 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs separated
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.33 cup whole 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
Topping
  • 2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 fresh strawberries for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Make sure the oven is fully heated before batter goes in.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl until evenly combined. The mixture should look uniform with no visible clumps.
  3. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale. Keep beating until the mixture looks lighter and slightly thicker.
  4. Add whole milk and vanilla extract to the yolk mixture, then mix until smooth. The batter base should be glossy and well blended.
  5. Fold the flour mixture into the yolk batter gently until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as it’s combined so the crumb stays fluffy.
  6. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. You should see peaks that stand straight when you lift the beaters.
  7. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until light and airy. The batter should look smooth with a few faint bubbles.
  8. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Distribute batter evenly so each cupcake bakes at the same rate.
  9. Bake at 350°F for 16-18 minutes until golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
Soak and chill
  1. Immediately after removing the cupcakes from the oven, pierce each cupcake several times with a toothpick. This creates openings for the milk mixture to absorb quickly.
  2. Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. The liquid should be smooth and pourable.
  3. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the warm cupcakes. The tops should soak in while the cups still look plump.
  4. Cool the cupcakes completely at room temperature. Wait until they’re fully cooled so the soaking sets well.
  5. Refrigerate the cupcakes for at least 4 hours. The texture will firm up into a moist, tres leches crumb.
Whipped cream topping
  1. Before serving, beat heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. The mixture should hold a peak when lifted.
  2. Pipe the whipped cream onto the chilled cupcakes. Create swirled, cloud-like mounds on each top.
  3. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Add them right before serving for bright color and freshness.

Notes

For the most even soak, pierce while the cupcakes are still warm and pour slowly so each muffin absorbs the milk mixture. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the whipped topping and soaked crumb can change texture. If you want a lighter dessert, swap half the heavy cream in the milk mixture with whole milk (the flavor remains classic, but it’s less rich).