Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Printable Version)

Milk-soaked cake crowned with toasted butter pecans and sweet whipped cream for a creamy, nutty dessert delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ Tres Leches Mixture

09 - 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
10 - 12 ounces evaporated milk
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk, optional

→ Butter Pecan Topping

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

→ Whipped Cream 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, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
07 - While cake bakes, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and coconut milk if using 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 all holes. Allow cake to absorb milk for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight in 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 surface.
13 - Drizzle cooled butter pecan topping over whipped cream.
14 - Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist for days, getting better as the milk soaks deeper into every corner.
  • Buttery toasted pecans add a caramelized crunch that balances all that creamy sweetness.
  • It feeds a crowd without much fuss, and everyone always asks for the recipe.
  • You can make it a full day ahead, which means less stress and more time with your guests.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the soaking time, the cake needs hours to absorb the milk or it will taste dry in spots.
  • Poke the holes while the cake is still warm, or the milk won't penetrate as deeply.
  • Let the pecan topping cool before adding it to the whipped cream, or the heat will melt everything into a soupy mess.
03 -
  • Use a fork with wide tines to poke the holes, it makes bigger channels for the milk to flow through.
  • If the milk mixture pools on top instead of soaking in, wait a few minutes and gently press the surface with a spatula to encourage it down.
  • Make the butter pecan topping in advance and store it in the fridge, then warm it slightly before drizzling so it spreads easily.
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