Easy Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

Transform a simple box cake mix into a decadent Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake that is easy to make and will impress your friends and family. Top the cake with an easy homemade whipped cream and cinnamon.

Since my family loved this Tres Leches, I decided to try a pumpkin version for Fall. And I’m happy to report that we all loved it! I think it just might replace our holiday pumpkin pie.

Tres Leches means three milks and traditionally this is a white sponge cake that is soaked in the three milk mixture overnight. For this Pumpkin version, I’m using a white cake mix and adding fresh pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to create these Fall flavors in a tres leches cake.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

These are the simple ingredients needed to make a pumpkin tres leches with cake mix.

• White box cake mix– I used Betty Crocker’s super moist white cake mix, but any white box cake mix will work.
• Eggs– The box cake mix calls for 3 eggs, but we going to use 4 eggs for a lighter crumb texture.
• Butter– Another substitution for the box cake mix is melted unsalted butter instead of oil.
• Pumpkin Puree– This will add pumpkin flavor and give the cake a natural orange hue. The pumpkin puree replaces the water that the box cake mix calls for.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice– These spices help to bring out the pumpkin flavor. I prefer buying the pumpkin pie spice which consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
• Whole milk– For the tres leches mixture.
• Sweetened condensed milk– This is the second milk in the mixture, and adds sweetness to the cake. I listed the entire can, but I prefer to use about 10 ounces for a less sweeter cake.
• Evaporated milk– This is the third milk in the milk mixture and has a creamy rich taste.
• Heavy cream– This will be used for the homemade whipped cream along with sugar and vanilla extract.
• Ground Cinnamon– For topping the cake and for the milk mixture or you can use pumpkin pie spice instead.

Preparing the Pumpkin Spice Cake

Start by greasing a 9×13 baking dish. Then make the box cake mix according to the instructions but substituting the following:

• Melted Butter for the Oil
• 4 Eggs instead of 3
• 1 can of pumpkin puree for Water
• Add 2 teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake it according to the directions. I did 30 minutes, but check the cake and remove it once a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes. While the cake is cooling, combine the remaining whole milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk in a large measuring cup. I also like to add some ground cinnamon to the milk mixture, but that’s optional.

The same milk mixture is used to make Arroz Con Leche, Mexican rice pudding.

Once the cake has cooled, use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly on top of the cake, waiting for it to soak into the cake before adding more. It will look like a lot of milk but you can see in the image above the cake will absorb most of the milk mixture.

Another option is to reserve some of the tres leches mixture and give people the option to add more to their individual slice when serving.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

How to Serve and Store

Before serving the Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake, you’ll need to make the homemade whipped cream or use a store-bought one like Cool Whip.

Place your bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for a few minutes. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar to the bowl. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream onto the cake and top with ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

If you reserved some of the tres leches mixture then add some to each slice when serving. Otherwise slice and serve the pumpkin tres leches cake to your guests.

Any leftover tres leches cake can be stored in the refrigerator for about 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing the cake once the milk mixture and whipped cream have been added. Instead, you can wrap the baked pumpkin cake in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month. To serve defrost it in a pan and poke holes to add the milk mixture. Place it in the refrigerator for 4 hours, then add the whipped cream before serving.

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