Cinco de Mayo Tres Leches (Printable)

Fluffy cupcakes soaked in three milks with a whipped cream topping and festive garnish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Tres Leches Soak

09 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
10 - 1/2 cup evaporated milk
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Whipped Cream Topping

12 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

15 - Ground cinnamon
16 - Fresh berries or maraschino cherries
17 - Lime zest

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing gently just until combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
08 - Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk in a small bowl.
09 - Once cupcakes are cool but still slightly warm, poke several holes in each with a skewer or fork.
10 - Spoon or slowly pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture over each cupcake. Let soak for 30 minutes.
11 - Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
12 - Pipe or spread whipped cream onto each cupcake. Garnish with cinnamon, berries, or lime zest as desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These cupcakes stay impossibly moist for days, so you can actually bake ahead without the dry-cake panic.
  • The three-milk soak tastes fancy enough to impress guests but the technique is forgiving enough that even a slightly overcooked cupcake becomes tender again.
02 -
  • Don't skip poking the holes—I learned this the hard way when my first batch sat on top of the cupcakes instead of soaking in, resulting in puddles instead of moist cake.
  • Refrigerate these cupcakes once soaked; the chill firms up the crumb just enough that it holds together when you bite into it, creating that perfect contrast with the creamy topping.
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs and softened butter without fail—this is the difference between cupcakes that rise properly and ones that stay dense and heavy.
  • The secret to perfect whipped cream is stopping just before it becomes grainy; once you see stiff peaks forming, turn off the mixer and check it by hand to avoid overbeating.
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