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    Vegan Tres Leches Cake

    02/19/2019 by Dora S. 39 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Vegan Tres Leches cake is nothing short of a dream. A dream come true!! A sweet vanilla cake is soaked in almond, macadamia, and oat milk, covered in silky coconut whipped cream, then topped with strawberries.

    Glass bowl filled with the ingredients to make vegan tres leches cake

    I had avoided veganizing this recipe for so long, thinking that I couldn't possibly get it right or that I had to make vegan condensed milk, and who has time to make vegan condensed milk?? I don't know why, but inspiration finally hit and this vegan version of homemade tres leches cake was born.

    Tres leches cake batter in a glass bowl with a blue whisk

    What is Tres Leches Cake?

    Tres leches (three milks) cake is traditionally a vanilla sponge cake soaked in condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream (media crema). It is topped with whipped cream and berries or assorted fruit, and sometimes cinnamon. On occasion, rum or rompope (a sort of Mexican eggnog) is added to the milk mixture. To make this vegan I decided to use almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk. The combination proved to be ridiculously good!

    Tres leches cake resting on a rack

    Tres Leches Cake History

    This is a tricky one. Some say that tres leches cake originated in Nicaragua, but Mexico certainly claims it as its own, and Cuba and Puerto Rico have their own versions of well. Tres leches cake became popular in Latin America in the 19th century, possibly due to Nestle publishing a recipe in the back of its cans of condensed milk. They, however, did not invent it, even before then you can find various versions of milk-soaked cakes way before the 19th century. Without a doubt, there is some influence of European colonization, thus there are some who believe tres leches is a new world version of  European milk soaked cakes topped with cream, like tiramisu.

    Milk being poured on tres leches cake in a red baking dish

    The Challenges of Making an Authentic Tres Leches Cake Vegan

    It wasn't as difficult as I had imagined, because I decided to completely leave out the condensed milk. Instead, I combined three plant-based milks with sugar and reduce the liquid by 1/3. The cake itself was the biggest challenge. The cake needed to be dry or maybe not dry, but at least not overly moist. The omnivore version is made without oil and mostly eggs which presented a huge problem in the vegan version. After 4 tries I came up with a cake that is dry enough to absorb the milk, but strong enough to not become mush instantly.

    A slice taken out of a tres leches cake in a red baking dish

    I tried 2 types of coconut whipped cream. I decided not to make my own but go with a store-bought option. First I tried So Delicious Coco Whip which turned out too sweet and heavy for my taste for this cake. I settled with Reddi-whip's Coconut Whipped Topping which is light and airy, and not too sweet.

    Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry

    The Recipe: Vegan Tres Leches Cake

    • It's very important to make the cake the day before so you can let it sit out and dry out a little bit.
    • I used almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk, but you can use any combination you prefer. If you like coconut, I suggest coconut milk.
    • Top with strawberries or assorted berries. The acid in the berries cut the sweetness of the cake.
    • If you want to make your own whipped topping I recommend this recipe.
    • Enjoy!!

    Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry

    Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry
    Save Recipe Go to Recipe Box
    5 from 1 vote

    Vegan Tres Leches Cake

    This Vegan Tres Leches cake is nothing short of a dream. A dream come true!! A sweet vanilla cake is soaked in almond, macadamia, and oat milk, covered in silky coconut whipped cream, then topped with strawberries.
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Resting Time10 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: tres leches cake, vegan mexican recipes
    Servings: 10 Servings
    Calories: 299kcal
    Author: Dora S.

    Ingredients

    Cake:

    • 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 1 tsp. Baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp. Salt
    • 1 tsp. White vinegar
    • 5 tbsp Vegetable oil
    • 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
    • 1 cup Water

    Milk Syrup:

    • 1 cup Almond milk, unsweetened
    • 1 cup Macadamia nut milk, unsweetened
    • 1 cup Oat milk, unsweetened
    • ½ cup Sugar, granulated

    Whipped Topping:

    • 2 cans Reddi-whip Coconut Whipped Topping
    • 1 pint Strawberries, hulled and sliced

    Instructions

    To make the cake

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 8 x 13” baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease with vegetable oil.
    • In a medium bowl combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
    • Form three depressions (small holes) in the flour. In the first depression add the vanilla, in the second one the vinegar, and in the last one the oil.
    • Pour the water over the top and using a whisk, mix until combined.
    • Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake in the middle rack of the oven, for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
    • Remove from oven. Let cake cool in pan for 10 min, and remove from baking dish. Remove parchment paper and let cake cool completely on a rack. Leave it out at room temperature without covering it, overnight.

    To make the milk syrup

    • While your cake is baking. Combine the three milks and sugar in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 min. Remove from heat and let cool in the refrigerator until ready to use. You should have about 2 cups of milk syrup.

    Assembly

    • The following day, using a serrated knife, gently cut the dome off the top of your cake. Poke the surface of the cake several times with a fork or a steak knife.
    • Place your cake inside of the baking dish and pour enough milk syrup over to soak the cake. (You might have some syrup left.) Place in your fridge and let cake soak for 30 min.
    • When you’re ready to serve, top the cake with the coconut whipped topping and spread with a spatula. (Don’t add the whipped topping to the cake unless you’re ready to serve it.)
    • Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the whipped topping and serve.

    Notes

    It's very important to make the cake the day before so you can let it sit out and dry out a little bit.
    • I used almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk, but you can use any combination you prefer. If you like coconut, I suggest coconut milk.
    • Top with strawberries or assorted berries. The acid in the berries cut the sweetness of the cake.
    • If you want to make your own whipped topping I recommend this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 27.8mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @dorastable or tag #mexicangonevegan!
    Previous Post: « Guanajuato's Vegan Potato Enchiladas (Enchiladas Mineras)
    Next Post: How to Make Sopa de Fideo »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy

      August 20, 2019 at 9:52 pm

      Hi I haven't tried the recipe yet but I want to. Can you tell me what brands of oat milk and mac nut milk do you use? Or maybe you make them yourself. If so what is the recipe to the milks? Thanks

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 22, 2019 at 11:25 am

        Hi Amy, I used Dream Oat Milk (unsweetened), and Milkadamia Macadamia milk (unsweetened)

        Reply
        • Amy

          August 23, 2019 at 6:30 am

          And how about the almond milk?

          Reply
    2. Mirsha

      September 14, 2019 at 10:36 pm

      Would I be able to make this cake in an 8-9in round pan?? And would the cooking time be the same?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        September 15, 2019 at 12:19 pm

        I think it will also work in an 8-in round pan. Cooking time would be the same.

        Reply
    3. Keana Fabian

      November 15, 2019 at 7:47 am

      No egg replacement needed??

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        November 24, 2019 at 4:46 pm

        No, it's not needed. The cake needs to be pretty dry so it absorbs the milk

        Reply
    4. Ale

      January 14, 2020 at 7:05 pm

      Excellent!!

      Reply
    5. Jasmine

      March 29, 2020 at 11:37 am

      Hi! Do you think I can use cake mix and just not use eggs ? I have one already

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        March 30, 2020 at 7:18 pm

        You can try adding flax eggs to the mix.

        Reply
    6. Maddie

      April 20, 2020 at 9:36 am

      Do you think it’s okay if I used only almond and oat milk??

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        April 20, 2020 at 2:07 pm

        Yes it will work just fine. Coconut milk will also work

        Reply
    7. Amanda

      July 31, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      The recipe lists an oil, but there isn’t one on the ingredients list. How much oil?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 03, 2020 at 2:11 pm

        I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was missing. It's 5 tbsp. of vegetable oil. I've modified the recipe. Thank you!

        Reply
    8. JB

      July 31, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      Hi, I am excited to make this! In step 3 you mention adding oil, how much do you add?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 03, 2020 at 2:12 pm

        I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was missing. It's 5 tbsp. of vegetable oil. I've modified the recipe. Thank you!

        Reply
    9. Jessy

      August 02, 2020 at 9:52 am

      Hello I want to make this cake, but I can’t figure out if you meant 1 cup of water or 1 cup of oil in the cake ingredients as you said to make a third depression in the flour for oil

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        August 03, 2020 at 2:12 pm

        I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was missing. It's 5 tbsp. of vegetable oil. I've modified the recipe. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Arielle

          September 25, 2020 at 7:10 am

          Can olive oil or coconut oil be used?

          Reply
          • Dora S.

            September 27, 2020 at 8:15 pm

            Yes, you can use either one of them

            Reply
    10. Melina

      September 18, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      Hello,
      What do you mean by cut the dome off the top of the cake?

      Like what side would i cut the side inside the pan?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        September 27, 2020 at 8:17 pm

        its the side outside of the pan. So the top of the cake

        Reply
    11. Arielle

      September 25, 2020 at 7:09 am

      Hi, is there substitute granulated sugar? Like coconut sugar, or syrups

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        September 27, 2020 at 8:15 pm

        I would try coconut sugar

        Reply
    12. Liz

      October 09, 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Hi, I'm currently trying to make this right now and the milk isn't turning into a syrup?? How do I even fix this lol.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        October 18, 2020 at 11:24 am

        Hi Liz, it doesn't become a thick syrup, it just thickens a little bit.

        Reply
    13. Natalie

      October 21, 2020 at 7:04 pm

      Hi 👋 I followed the recipe to the T but my bread doesn’t look as this as the image. Will the milk and letting sit overnight allow it to expand. I reread the steps numerous time and doesn’t look like I skipped a step or ingredient. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natalie

        October 21, 2020 at 7:04 pm

        **sorry I meant thick

        Reply
      • Dora S.

        October 24, 2020 at 10:57 pm

        Yes, soaking the bread in the milk will make it expand.

        Reply
      • Steph

        December 06, 2020 at 5:18 pm

        Hey Nataly,
        How did it turn out? I may want to do this for Christmas.

        Thanks!

        Reply
    14. Linda

      October 26, 2020 at 7:07 pm

      Do you have to use all of those milks? I cannot have any sodium, potassium. I have a hard time substituting a few of the items from your recipes. I tried to make flan, but it did not harden in the fridge. It looked like soup.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 31, 2021 at 8:47 am

        No, you can use whatever plant milk you like

        Reply
    15. Samantha Armijo

      December 16, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      What if I don't have white vinegar?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        December 23, 2020 at 8:05 am

        Apple cider vinegar would work with this

        Reply
    16. Lucia

      January 27, 2021 at 3:06 pm

      Hi Dora,

      Would I be able to use Gluten Free flour. Thank you.

      Reply
      • LUCIA

        January 27, 2021 at 3:26 pm

        Hi, I just saw the comments on using Gluten Free AP flour.

        Thanks.

        Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 28, 2021 at 8:51 am

        I've never tried it with gluten-free flour so I'm not sure

        Reply
        • Maureen

          February 05, 2021 at 3:52 pm

          Hi. I just made it w gluten free flour. It looks way too thin to cut off the top. Maybe ill just poke plenty of holes and not cut the top... im
          in the process of baking one w regular flour, ill keep you posted om the comparisons.

          Reply
          • Dora S.

            February 13, 2021 at 6:14 pm

            Keep us posted

            Reply

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