Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Printable Version)

Milk-soaked cake with toasted pecans and whipped cream topping

# Ingredient List:

→ For the 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

→ For the 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)

→ For the Butter Pecan Topping

13 - 1 cup pecans, chopped
14 - ¼ cup unsalted butter
15 - ½ cup packed brown sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Whipped Topping

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - While cake bakes, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and coconut milk in a bowl until smooth.
08 - Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top surface of the cake.
09 - Slowly pour tres leches mixture over cake, ensuring it soaks into the holes. Allow cake to absorb milk for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
10 - Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and brown sugar; cook, 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.
11 - In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
12 - Once cake has absorbed milk mixture, spread whipped cream evenly over the surface.
13 - Drizzle cooled butter pecan topping over whipped cream.
14 - Serve cake chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cake stays ridiculously moist for days, soaking up every drop of that three-milk blend without turning mushy.
  • Toasted pecans add a nutty crunch that keeps each bite from feeling one-note or too sweet.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring fancy layers or finicky frosting techniques.
  • You can make it a full day ahead, which means zero stress when guests arrive.
02 -
  • If you pour the milk mixture too fast, it pools on top instead of soaking in; go slow and let each pour absorb before adding more.
  • Overnight soaking transforms this from good to unforgettable, so plan ahead if you can.
  • Don't skip toasting the pecans; raw ones taste flat and won't give you that caramelized crunch.
03 -
  • Use a fork, not a skewer, to poke the holes; the wider openings let more milk soak through.
  • Cool the pecan topping completely before adding it to the whipped cream or it'll melt and turn soupy.
  • If your cake seems too wet after soaking, you poured too fast; next time, go slower and let gravity do the work.
Go Back