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Tres Leches Cupcakes Recipe

Tres leches cupcakes offer the beloved three-milk soak in a perfectly portioned treat that's filled with sweet, creamy goodness!
Prep Time20 minutes
chill1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 24
Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 24 white cupcakes
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut cream, or coconut milk
  • 8 ounces half and half

Whipped Cream

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • sliced strawberries

Instructions

  • Pierce the cooled cupcakes multiple times with a skewer (being careful not to pierce through the wrappers).
  • In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, and half and half until well blended.
  • Place the cupcakes on a baking sheet (to catch spills) and ladle the milk mixture over each cupcake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then ladle more milk mixture over each cupcake. Refrigerate until ready to serve (at least another 30 minutes).
  • When ready to serve, beat the whipping cream until medium peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
    Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on each cupcake and top with a strawberry slice. Refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips.
  • We usually use a box of white cake, but a homemade white sponge cake recipe can work too; a good sponge cake with many tiny air pockets is crucial for absorbing the milk.
  • If the coconut cream has risen to the top of the can, mix it back into the milk at the bottom before using it in the recipe.
  • The added milk may soak through paper liners, so the best cupcake wrappers for this recipe are sturdier foil liners.
  • When whipped cream reaches medium peaks, it holds its shape fairly well when the whisk or beaters are lifted, but the tips of the peaks will curl slightly over.
  • The frosting was thick enough to be applied with a piping bag, but you could also apply a generous dollop using a spoon.
Prep ahead of time. The cupcakes can be made 1-2 days in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator, or placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Do not poke holes in them until you are ready to add the milk; once the milk is added, they can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours. A fully frosted cupcake can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 1mg