Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Print Version)

Milk-soaked cake with toasted buttered pecans and sweet whipped cream for a creamy, nutty indulgence.

# 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 - 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

→ Butter Pecan Topping

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

→ Whipped Topping

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

# Cooking Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake soaks up every drop of the milk mixture and stays impossibly moist for days in the fridge.
  • Toasted buttered pecans add a nutty crunch that cuts through all that creamy sweetness.
  • It feeds a crowd without much fuss, and leftovers taste even better the next morning with coffee.
  • You can make it the night before and let it chill while you sleep, waking up to dessert already done.
02 -
  • Don't skip poking enough holes in the cake, or the milk will pool on top instead of soaking through.
  • Let the pecan topping cool completely before adding it to the whipped cream, or it will melt and slide off.
  • If the cake looks like it's drowning in milk at first, don't panic, it will absorb it all as it chills.
  • Use softened butter for the cake batter, not melted, or the texture will turn greasy instead of fluffy.
03 -
  • Use a fork to poke the holes instead of a skewer so they're wider and the milk can really seep in.
  • Pour the tres leches mixture in stages, waiting a minute between pours so the cake has time to absorb each layer.
  • Toast the pecans until they smell nutty and start to darken slightly, that's when they develop the most flavor.
  • If you don't have coconut milk, substitute it with more whole milk or add a splash of rum for a grown-up twist.
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