Butter Pecan Tres Leches Cake (Print version)

Tender milk-soaked cake with toasted buttered pecans and clouds of sweet whipped cream for a creamy, nutty dessert experience.

# 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

# 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 thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla extract and blend 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 the center comes out clean.
07 - While cake bakes, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and coconut milk if using, until smooth.
08 - Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, poke holes throughout the top surface.
09 - Slowly pour tres leches mixture over cake, ensuring it soaks into the holes. Allow cake to absorb milk for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
10 - Melt butter in a 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. 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 chilled or at room temperature.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • The cake stays tender and moist for days, so you can actually make it ahead without stress.
  • Those butter pecan bits are basically candy, and they stay crispy even under whipped cream, which is a small miracle.
  • You'll feel like you're serving something restaurant-quality while barely breaking a sweat in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The overnight soak is not optional if you want that signature tres leches texture—rushing this step gives you a nice cake, but waiting gives you magic.
  • Those toasted pecans will continue to absorb moisture from the whipped cream, so make sure they've cooled completely before adding them, or they'll turn mushy and lose their personality.
03 -
  • When you're poking holes in the cake, think of it like giving the cake permission to drink—the more evenly spaced your holes, the more evenly the milk will distribute, and you'll avoid dry pockets.
  • If your kitchen is warm, work quickly once you pull the cake out of the refrigerator to assemble it, or the whipped cream will start to soften before you're ready.
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