Cinco de Mayo Tres Leches (Printable)

Moist cupcakes soaked in three milks and topped with whipped cream, ideal for festive celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ For the 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

→ For the Tres Leches Soak

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

→ For the 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

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each cupcake stays impossibly moist for days, getting better as it sits because the milk keeps soaking in.
  • The three-milk soak is pure alchemy—it transforms a simple vanilla cake into something that feels luxurious without being heavy.
  • You get to customize the toppings, so everyone can add their own festive touch with berries, cinnamon, or lime zest.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and butter aren't a suggestion—cold ingredients won't blend smoothly and you'll taste the grittiness in every bite.
  • The cupcakes are actually better the next day once all the milk has fully soaked in and the flavors have melded together.
  • Don't skip the thirty-minute soak time no matter how eager you are, because that's exactly when the magic happens.
03 -
  • Make sure your heavy cream is actually cold before whipping—warm cream takes forever and might not reach those glossy peaks you need.
  • If the whipped cream starts to look grainy while you're beating it, stop immediately because you're moments away from sweet butter.
  • The cupcakes taste better slightly chilled, so pull them out of the refrigerator five minutes before serving so the flavors come through clearly.
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