This pumpkin tres leches cake is a spiced pumpkin sponge soaked in evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream, then finished with vanilla whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. It bakes in a 9×13 pan at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes, soaks in the fridge for at least 4 hours, and serves 12.
It cuts into soft, wet squares that taste like pumpkin pie and cold milk at once. The trick is patience twice over: let the cake cool all the way before the milk goes on, then give it the full chill.
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- Serves: 12 squares from one 9×13 inch cake
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), 28 to 32 minutes
- Soak: 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup heavy cream, about 2 ½ cups in all
- Chill: at least 4 hours, overnight for the cleanest slices
- Total time: about 4 hours 50 minutes, nearly all of it hands off
Pumpkin Puree, Spices and Whole Milk
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Canned puree gives the most even result. If you make your own pumpkin puree, let it drain in a sieve until it is as thick as canned. Extra water makes the cake dense.
The spice is 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon cloves. Freshly grated nutmeg tastes noticeably stronger than a jar that has sat open since last fall. Whole milk gives a richer crumb that stays sturdier under the soak than reduced fat milk.
Mixing a Sponge That Can Drink Three Milks
There is only 1 cup of flour in this cake, so the eggs do the heavy lifting. Beat the 4 room-temperature eggs with the granulated and brown sugar for a full 2 minutes, until the mixture turns pale, thick and falls from the beaters in a ribbon. That trapped air is what lets the cake hold 2 ½ cups of milk later without collapsing.
Beat in the pumpkin, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl, then fold them in with a spatula in two or three additions. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing knocks out the air and makes a tough, rubbery sponge.
Baking in a 9×13 Pan
Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes. It is done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean, the top springs back when pressed, and the edges just start to pull away from the pan.
Leave it in the pan to cool completely, about an hour. A warm cake soaks unevenly and the bottom can turn to paste.
Poking and Pouring the Three Milks
Whisk the evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream in a large measuring cup. Poke the cooled cake all over with a fork, about every half inch, pushing right down to the pan. Shallow holes leave the center dry.
Pour in three additions, starting with the edges and corners, which dry out first, and wait a minute or two between each. Some milk will pool on top at the start. That is normal; it soaks in as the cake chills. Then cover it and leave it alone in the fridge. Four hours is the minimum. Overnight is better.
Whipped Cream and Cinnamon on Top
Use the cream straight from the fridge, ideally in a chilled bowl, and beat 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream with ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stop at soft peaks: the tips should flop over when you lift the beaters. It firms a little more as you spread it, and overwhipped cream turns grainy. Dust the cinnamon on just before serving so it stays bright. For a thicker, pipeable layer, my whipped cream frosting holds its shape longer.
A thin drizzle of caramel sauce or a few chopped pecans on each square is a good extra for a holiday table.
Pumpkin Tres Leches vs Classic Tres Leches
A classic tres leches cake is a plain vanilla sponge, light and very milky. This pumpkin version adds a full cup of puree, brown sugar and three warm spices, so the crumb is a little denser and more custardy, and the milk soaks in more slowly. That is why it gets the longer chill.
Pick the vanilla one for a summer party or anyone who wants pure milk and vanilla. Pick pumpkin from October through Thanksgiving. Serving a crowd in small portions? My mini tres leches cups work well, and for chocolate lovers there is a Mexican chocolate tres leches cake.
Making It a Day Ahead for Thanksgiving
This is a cake that wants to be made early. Bake and soak it the day before, keep it covered in the fridge overnight, and spread the whipped cream on the day you serve it. Slices come out cleanest straight from the fridge.
Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The texture is best within the first 2, before the whipped cream starts to weep.
Pumpkin Spice Swaps and Other Questions
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the separate spices?
Yes. Use 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
Why is my tres leches soggy at the bottom but dry in the middle?
The cake was still warm, the holes were too shallow, or the milk went on all at once. Cool it fully, poke down to the pan, and pour in three additions.
Should tres leches be served cold?
Yes. Serve it chilled, straight from the fridge. It slices more neatly and the soak tastes fresher cold.
More pumpkin for the season: a pumpkin cheesecake for the holiday table, an easy pumpkin dump cake, or a pumpkin spice cake with soft frosted layers.
Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake
This pumpkin tres leches cake is a spiced pumpkin sponge soaked in evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream, then topped with vanilla whipped cream and cinnamon. It bakes in a 9x13 inch pan at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes and serves 12, with at least 4 hours in the fridge so the three milks soak all the way through. Beating the eggs with both sugars for 2 minutes builds a light crumb that drinks up the milk without falling apart. Serve this pumpkin spice tres leches cake for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, fall potlucks or a Halloween dessert table. Swap the spices for 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- FOR THE PUMPKIN CAKE
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR THE TRES LECHES MIXTURE
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- FOR THE WHIPPED TOPPING
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Instructions
PREPARE THE PUMPKIN CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold in the dry ingredients just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
SOAK WITH TRES LECHES: In a large measuring cup, whisk together evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. Using a fork, poke holes all over the cooled cake. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the surface, ensuring it seeps evenly into the cake. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
ADD THE WHIPPED TOPPING: Beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the chilled cake. Dust the top with ground cinnamon just before serving.
Notes
Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Let the cake cool completely before soaking, poke holes all over down to the bottom of the pan, and pour the milk mixture slowly in 3 additions, edges and corners first. Some milk pools on top at first; it soaks in as the cake chills. Chill at least 4 hours; for a cleaner slice, chill the cake overnight before adding the whipped topping. Whip the cream cold and stop at soft peaks. Instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves you can use 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Use freshly grated nutmeg for a stronger spice flavor. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, best within 2.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 472Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 133mgSodium 308mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 1gSugar 47gProtein 9g
