Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Effortless Box Cake Hack: Starting with a pre-spiced box mix guarantees a perfectly soft, fluffy cake base every single time with minimal effort.
- Unbelievably Rich and Moist: True to traditional Mexican tres leches, the cake completely absorbs a luxurious mixture of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream, creating a decadent, custard-like texture that never dries out.
- The Ultimate Fall Flavor Profile: The combination pumpkin pie spice and a splash of brewed coffee perfectly cuts through the sweetness of the three milks.
Ingredients You Will Need
Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix: Provides a perfectly balanced, shortcut base bursting with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove flavors.
Brewed Coffee: Used in place of water to activate the cake mix. The coffee deepens the flavor, amplifying the warm baking spices without making the cake taste strongly of coffee.
Pumpkin Spice: Added to both the cake batter and the whipped frosting to ensure the flavor carries through every single layer.
The Three Milks (Evaporated, Condensed, & Heavy Cream): Evaporated milk adds a light creaminess, sweetened condensed milk delivers rich sweetness and body, and heavy cream binds them together to create the ultimate soaking liquid.
Heavy Whipping Cream & Powdered Sugar: Whipped together into stiff peaks to create a fresh, airy, and stable frosting that perfectly balances the dense, moist cake beneath it.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Tres Leches Cake
1. Bake the cake base: Preheat your oven according to the cake mix box instructions. Grease a 13” x 9” nonstick baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the spice cake mix, brewed coffee, vegetable oil, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
2. Mix the milks: While the cake bakes, prepare your tres leches topping. In a small pitcher or large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, 14 oz of heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until completely smooth.
3. Poke and soak: Allow the baked cake to cool completely. Using a fork, poke holes in even rows all up and down the surface of the cake. Slowly pour the tres leches mixture all over the cake, working in rounds to give the cake a chance to absorb the liquid. Tilt the pan slightly in directions where the milk puddles to help it distribute evenly.
4. Chill: Place the soaked cake directly into the refrigerator so it can finish fully absorbing the milk mixture.
5. Whip the frosting: In a chilled mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice. Beat on high speed until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
6. Assemble and decorate: Spread the pumpkin spice whipped topping evenly over the chilled cake. Return the cake to the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the frosting to stiffen. Before serving, decorate the top beautifully with fresh marigolds or seasonal colored sprinkles.
How To Store Tres Leches Cake
Refrigerate Immediately (up to 3-4 days)
- Because this cake is soaked in fresh dairy and topped with homemade whipped cream, it must be stored in the refrigerator at all times.
- Keep it covered tightly with plastic wrap or a fitted lid for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Only slice and pull out the portions you intend to serve immediately. If left at room temperature for too long, the whipped cream frosting will begin to soften
Freezing (not recommended)
- Freezing a fully soaked tres leches cake is not recommended. When thawed, the dairy liquids will separate from the cake.
Better with Time
This dessert actually tastes significantly better on day 2! Letting it sit overnight allows the crumb to completely lock in the three milks and lets the pumpkin spice fully mature in the frosting.
Easy Pumpkin Spice Tres Leches Cake (with cake mix)
Ingredients
Super Moist Spice Cake Mix
- 1 Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix
- 1 Cup Brewed Coffee any blend
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Tbs. Pumpkin Spice
Tres Leches Mixture
- 12 oz Can of Evaporated Milk
- 14 oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup
Powder Sugar
- 1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbs. Pumpkin Spice
Frosting
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Powder Sugar
- 1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice
- 1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Bake the Cake
- Preheat your oven according to the cake mix box instructions.
- Grease a 13” x 9” nonstick baking pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the spice cake mix, brewed coffee, vegetable oil, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Mix the milks:
- While you prepare your tres leches topping, let your cake cool.
- In a small pitcher or large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, 14 oz of heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until completely smooth
Poke and Soak
- Allow the baked cake to cool completely. Using a fork, poke holes in even rows all up and down the surface of the cake.
- Slowly pour the tres leches mixture all over the cake, working in rounds to give the cake a chance to absorb the liquid. Tilt the pan slightly in directions where the milk puddles to help it distribute evenly.
Chill
- Place the soaked cake directly into the refrigerator so it can finish fully absorbing the milk mixture.
Whip the frosting
- In a chilled mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice. Beat on high speed until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
Assemble and Decorate
- Spread the pumpkin spice whipped topping evenly over the chilled cake. Return the cake to the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the frosting to stiffen.
- Before serving, decorate the top beautifully with fresh marigolds or seasonal colored sprinkles.
