Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 55-60 minutes

Last Thanksgiving was the first official celebration at our house and I made this Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake as one of the desserts for my dinner party. My family and friends could not get enough of it and asked for the recipe. I finally gave in and decided to publish it in Spoonful first.

This recipe is definitely going to be in our menu every year. The cake batter has all the spices that, to me, makes it taste like fall. And the tres leches part just completes it! 

by Denisse Icaza

What you'll need

Pumpkin Cake:

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup pureed leftover pumpkin or canned pumkin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Tres Leches:

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Topping:

• 2 cups whipped topping
• Powdered cinnamon

Variations:

I use half and half instead of table cream but feel free to substitute it and make it richer.

How to make it

1. Preheat the oven at 350° F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13 rectangular cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, add butter and sugar and use an electric mixer to combine. Then, add the eggs, one by one, the vanilla extract, the pumpkin and the sour cream while still mixing.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger, baking soda and salt. Add half to the batter and mix, until well combined. Add the second half and mix on medium-high speed for two more minutes.
4. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. While the cake is in the oven, mix the evaporated, sweetened condensed milk and half and half in a bowl. This will be the tres leches that will be poured on top of the finished cake.
6. When the cake is ready, let it cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes and poke it generously with a fork. Make sure to get the sides and corners as well. 
7. Pour the tres leches mixture on the cake, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for an hour. When ready to eat, add the whipped topping to the top of the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon.