Eggnog Tres Leches

Every tres leches recipe stays true to its name by soaking the cake in three different milks: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy whipping cream. But there are a lot of tres leches recipes that swap one ingredient for another: 2% milk, dairy-free milk and even milky drinks like horchata. The latter got us thinking: If we can make a horchata tres leches, why not use another milk-based drink, like eggnog?

Eggnog in tres leches just makes sense. It’s made up of heavy whipping cream, whole milk, a bit of nutmeg and sometimes alcohol, then cooked with eggs so it becomes thick and custardy. With all its richness, eggnog is a natural swap for the heavy whipping cream in tres leches, imparting an even creamier, custardy flavor that’s naturally festive for the holidays. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover eggnog or a fantastic reason to buy a carton (and I’m always looking for that reason).

Once the cake is properly soaked and has chilled overnight, we’ll top it with whipped cream, plus nutmeg and cinnamon to complement the eggnog’s subtle winter spice. Our eggnog tres leches cake recipe is truly a perfect, festive spin on the classic tres leches cake.

What is tres leches cake?

Tres leches is a sponge cake that’s poked all over and soaked with three different types of milk. It’s a popular cake in Latin America and translates to “three milks.” The sponge cake soaks up almost all the milk, creating a rich, very moist cake that still maintains its airiness.

The usual tres leches soak consists of sweetened condensed milk, heavy whipping cream and evaporated milk. Here, though, we trade the heavy whipping cream for eggnog for a festive spin. Tres leches is usually finished with homemade whipped cream and fruit, but to keep it outfitted for winter, this recipe’s whipped cream topping is garnished with warming baking spices.

Ingredients for Eggnog Tres Leches

• White cake mix: Our Test Kitchen pros tested the most popular mixes to find the best white cake mix. We found three that we loved: One had the best vanilla flavor, another was the moistest and the other was best for a budget.
• Canola oil: You’ll need neutral-flavored canola oil to add fat and richness to the cake batter.
• Egg whites: Separate egg whites from yolks and save the yolks for another use. There are many great egg yolk recipes to whip up this holiday season, like creme brulee or jam-filled kolaches.
• Eggnog: If you’re not trying to use up whatever’s left in your fridge, buy the best eggnog from the store or try making homemade eggnog. It’s easy and a tradition in my house!
• Sweetened condensed milk: Every classic tres leches cake uses sweetened condensed milk as one of the milks in the cake soak. It’s the thickest and creamiest, imparting a ton of richness and flavor to the cake.
• Milk: While we suggest 2% milk, feel free to use skim, whole or even a milk alternative with more flavor, such as hazelnut, coconut or oat milk.
• Heavy whipping cream: You’ll need heavy whipping cream for the homemade whipped cream topping.
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg complement the eggnog’s flavor and add to the festive, Christmas-flavored taste of this eggnog tres leches cake recipe. You’ll need only a little of each, as we’re just sprinkling them on top as a garnish.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cake batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, water, canola oil and egg whites. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds just to mix everything together. Turn up the mixer’s speed to medium and beat for two minutes. This adds volume and structure to the cake.

Pour the cake batter into a greased and floured 13×9-inch baking pan.

Step 2: Bake and poke holes in the cake

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with minimal cake crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack.

Using a skewer, poke holes in the cake all over, about 1 inch apart.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t pierce the holes all the way to the bottom of the pan or the milk soak will immediately go straight to the bottom instead of soaking all throughout the cake. Instead, poke the holes about three-quarters of the way through.

Step 3: Make the milk soak

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggnog, sweetened condensed milk and 2% milk until thoroughly combined.

Step 4: Soak the cake and let it chill overnight

Pour 3/4 cup milk soak over the cake, letting it soak all over, making sure to reach the corners too. Let the cake stand until all the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat this process four more times.

Cover the cake with storage wrap and refrigerate the cake for eight hours or overnight.

Step 5: Add the topping

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add in the granulated sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream all over the cake. Finally, sprinkle the top with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Make the cake from scratch: Skip the cake mix and bake a white cake from scratch. Just make sure to bake it in a 13×9-inch baking dish (and that the recipe makes enough/not too much for this size pan).
• Opt for Cool Whip: To make this eggnog tres leches cake recipe even easier, frost the cake with thawed Cool Whip (or another frozen whipped topping) instead of making homemade whipped cream from scratch.
• Garnish with dulce de leche: Decorate your eggnog tres leches so it’s pretty for the Christmas table by drizzling dulce de leche on top of the whipped cream, then adding the spices.

How to Store Eggnog Tres Leches

Eggnog tres leches can be stored covered in the fridge for up to three days. Keep it tightly covered so the cake doesn’t absorb any lingering fridge smells from nearby foods.

Can you freeze eggnog tres leches?

Yes, you can freeze the unsoaked cake of eggnog tres leches, but I wouldn’t freeze the cake once the milk soak has been added. When thawed, the soak can ruin the cake’s texture.

Instead, allow the baked cake to cool completely to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in two layers of storage wrap and freeze for up to three months. Thaw on the counter for about one hour, then poke the holes and add the milk soak.

Eggnog Tres Leches Tips

How do you serve eggnog tres leches?

Serve eggnog tres leches cold from the fridge. It is perfect by itself but would pair well with coffee drinks, tea, horchata or, of course, more eggnog.

Can you make eggnog tres leches gluten-free?

Yes, you can make eggnog tres leches using a gluten-free white cake mix. To be extra-safe for anyone who’s particularly sensitive, check all other packaged foods for a gluten-free certification.

Can you make eggnog tres leches dairy-free?

Yes, you can make eggnog tres leches dairy-free. First, make sure your cake mix doesn’t contain hidden milk products like milk powder. Second, replace the 2% milk with a nondairy milk alternative, use sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of regular sweetened condensed milk and look for a dairy-free eggnog at the store.