Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Printable Version)

Tender milk-soaked cake with toasted buttered pecans and sweet whipped cream topping

# 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 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
10 - 1 can (12 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 brown sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Whipped Topping

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
04 - Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
06 - While cake is baking, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and coconut milk if using in a bowl until smooth.
07 - 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, preferably overnight in refrigerator.
08 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and brown sugar, cooking and 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.
09 - In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
10 - Once cake has absorbed milk mixture, spread whipped cream evenly over surface. Drizzle cooled butter pecan topping over whipped cream. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays incredibly moist for days, getting better as it sits in the fridge soaking up all that creamy milk.
  • Toasted pecans add a caramelized crunch that balances the soft, pudding-like texture of the cake.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring any fussy decoration or fancy plating.
  • You can make it the night before and just add the topping before serving, making hosting feel easy.
02 -
  • Don't skip poking holes in the cake, the milk needs pathways to soak through or it will just pool on top.
  • Let the butter pecan topping cool before adding it to the whipped cream, or the heat will melt the cream into a soupy mess.
  • Use a fork to poke holes, not a skewer, the smaller holes help the milk distribute more evenly.
  • If the milk mixture doesn't all soak in right away, give it time in the fridge, it will absorb slowly.
03 -
  • Let the cake cool completely before poking holes, a warm cake will absorb the milk too fast and get mushy in spots.
  • Toast the pecans until they smell nutty and fragrant, that's when you know they're ready and full of flavor.
  • Chill the mixing bowl and beaters before whipping cream, it helps the cream whip up faster and hold its shape better.
  • If you're making this ahead, add the butter pecan topping right before serving so it stays crunchy and doesn't soften.
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