Cinco Mayo Tres Leches (Printer-Friendly)

Fluffy cupcakes soaked in three milks, topped with whipped cream and subtle cinnamon notes.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ For the Tres Leches Soak

09 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
10 - 1/2 cup evaporated milk
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ For the Whipped Cream Topping

12 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

15 - Ground cinnamon
16 - Fresh berries or maraschino cherries
17 - Lime zest

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes using an electric mixer.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then add milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
08 - While cupcakes bake, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk in a small bowl.
09 - Once cupcakes are cool but still slightly warm, poke multiple holes in each using a skewer or fork to allow milk penetration.
10 - Spoon or slowly pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture over each cupcake. Allow cupcakes to soak for 30 minutes for optimal moisture absorption.
11 - Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
12 - Pipe or spread whipped cream generously onto each cupcake. Garnish with ground cinnamon, fresh berries, maraschino cherries, or lime zest as desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They stay unbelievably moist for days, which means you can make them ahead without the texture falling flat.
  • The three-milk soak is foolproof once you understand the timing, and suddenly you're making something that feels restaurant-quality in your own kitchen.
  • They're naturally vegetarian and work for almost any gathering where you want people to actually remember what they ate.
02 -
  • Poking holes while the cupcakes are still slightly warm is the difference between a soggy bottom and perfectly soaked cupcakes throughout—let them cool completely and the milk won't penetrate as deeply.
  • The powdered sugar in the whipped cream needs to be sifted first if it's lumpy, or it will never fully incorporate and you'll have a grainy topping.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make a measurable difference in how smoothly the batter comes together—pull your eggs and butter out 30 minutes before you start.
  • If your whipped cream starts to look slightly grainy or separated, you've whipped it too far; start over with fresh cold cream because there's no going back from that point.
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