This is what you get when you combine Vietnamese flavors with a Latin American dessert! You get a pandan tres leches cake that has a light sponge, with fragrant pandan-infused three milk blend then gets topped with the creamiest coconut mascarpone whipped cream. It's light, aromatic, and not too sweet! Once you try this, you won't want to go back to a regular tres leches.
If you're a huge pandan lover like me, you might also like my pandan custard dessert, made easy in the microwave!
What is Pandan Tres Leches Cake?
Tres leches cake (or "three milks" cake in Spanish) is a Latin American classic! It's a light sponge cake that traditionally gets soaked in a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk until it's rich and moist.
This version infuses that three milk soak with pandan (the fragrant tropical leaf used all over Southeast Asia in cakes, drinks, and sticky rice desserts). If you've had pandan honeycomb cake or coconut pandan waffles, the flavor might sound familiar-- earthy, floral, nutty, and a little vanilla-adjacent. The pandan here runs through both the sponge cake and the milk soak, with the whipped topping getting a splash of coconut extract to tie everything together!
Why you'll love this pandan tres leches cake
- Not too sweet, like traditional Vietnamese desserts! Unlike traditional tres leches, the pandan milk soak is balanced with coconut mascarpone whipped cream that keeps every bite light and just sweet enough.
- Moist and rich - The pandan-infused three milk soak soaks all the way through the sponge, giving you that fragrant, milky flavor in every single bite.
- Make ahead dessert that gets better the next day!
- Enough to feed a crowd and party - one 9x13 pan serves 12!
Jump to:
Ingredients
For the Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Large eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Pandan extract
- Whole milk
Milk soak
- Pandan leaves
- Pandan extract
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Whole milk
Coconut Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream
- Mascarpone cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Coconut extract
- Kosher salt
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make pandan tres leches cake
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan and set aside.
Make the pandan infused milk soak:
- Step 2: To a small saucepan, add ½ cup whole milk, evaporated milk, and 8 washed and knotted pandan leaves. Heat on the lowest setting for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, swirling gently. Turn off the heat and add the pandan extract. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk off heat. Let the mixture sit to infuse.
Make the cake batter:
- Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar on medium-high speed until the eggs double in volume and turn into a pale pastel yellow, about 3–4 minutes.
- Step 5: Turn the speed to low and pour in the pandan extract and ½ cup of whole milk until just combined. Pour the yolk mixture into the flour mixture and gently mix until just combined.
- Step 6: Clean and dry the mixer bowl thoroughly. Any residue will prevent the whites from whipping. Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl and beat on high with the whisk attachment. With the mixer running, slowly pour in ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form.
- Step 7: Gently fold ⅓ of the egg whites at a time into the flour mixture until no white streaks remain, being careful not to deflate the egg whites as you fold. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently shake it to level out the batter.
Bake the cake:
- Step 8: Bake at 350F for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned.
Add the milk soak:
- Step 9: Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes or until ever so slightly warm to the touch. Don't worry if the cake shrinks a little, that is normal.
- Step 10: Using a fork or skewer, poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
- Step 11: Remove the pandan leaves from the milk mixture. Evenly pour half of the milk mixture over the top, making sure to get the edges. Allow it to absorb for 5-10 minutes, before adding the remaining soak. For drier areas, use a spoon to pour the milk mixture over it. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Step 12: To a mixing bowl, add heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, pinch of salt, sifted powdered sugar and coconut extract. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, whip on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over the top of the tres leches cake. Optionally, garnish with toasted coconut flakes and enjoy!
Top Tips for the Best pandan tres leches cake
- Don't over whip the egg whites! Over whipped egg whites will cause the cake to deflate while baking.
- Don't underbake the cake. Ensure the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Poke sufficient sized holes to allow for more milk soak distribution.
- Butter the side of the baking dish so the cake does not cling to it! This will provide even surface area for the milk soak to go through.
- Pour the milk soak onto the cake in batches.
- Pour the milk soak while the cake is still slightly warm!
How to store pandan tres leches cake
Store pandan tres leches cake in an air tight container for up to 4 days. If you're using toasted coconut flakes, garnish with it right before enjoying so it stays crispy!
FAQ
Pandan leaves can be found in the frozen section of most Asian grocery stores!
I highly recommend using both pandan extract and pandan leaves here for more depth. While pandan extract has a more subtle flavor, pandan leaves really provide the fragrant floral and grassy flavor we're looking for.
Three likely culprits: the cake was too cool when you poured the soak (a slightly warm sponge absorbs faster), you didn't poke enough holes, or you didn't butter the sides of the baking dish, causing the cake to stick to the sides and block the milk soak from going through. Next time, add the soak while the cake is still warm, go heavy on the holes and butter the sides of the baking dish.
Tres leches cake will naturally deflate a little as it cools but if it looks sunken in, this could be due to underbaking the cake, over whipping the egg whites, or using expired baking powder.
Other recipes to try:
Pandan Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature, yolk and whites separated
- ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 teaspoon pandan extract
- ½ cup whole milk
Milk soak
- 8 pandan leaves knotted
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pandan extract
- 1 12oz can evaporated milk
- 7oz sweetened condensed milk ½ 14oz can
Coconut whipped cream
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- pinch of salt
For garnishing
- Coconut flakes toasted, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan and set aside.
Make the pandan infused milk soak
- To a small saucepan, add ½ cup whole milk, evaporated milk, and 8 washed and knotted pandan leaves. Heat on the lowest setting for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, swirling gently. Turn off the heat and add the pandan extract. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk off heat. Let the mixture sit to infuse.½ cup whole milk, 8 pandan leaves, 1 12oz can evaporated milk, 7oz sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon pandan extract
Make the cake batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar on medium-high speed until the eggs double in volume and turn into a pale pastel yellow, about 3–4 minutes.5 large eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Turn the speed to low and pour in the pandan extract and ½ cup of whole milk until just combined. Pour the yolk mixture into the flour mixture and gently mix until just combined.½ cup whole milk, 2 teaspoon pandan extract
- Clean and dry the mixer bowl thoroughly. Any residue will prevent the whites from whipping. Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl and beat on high with the whisk attachment. With the mixer running, slowly pour in ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form.5 large eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Gently fold ⅓ of the egg whites at a time into the flour mixture until no white streaks remain, being careful not to deflate the egg whites as you fold. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently shake it to level out the batter.
Bake the cake
- Bake at 350F for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned.
Add the milk soak
- Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes or until ever so slightly warm to the touch. Don't worry if the cake shrinks a little, that is normal.
- Using a fork or skewer, poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
- Remove the pandan leaves from the milk mixture. Evenly pour half of the milk mixture over the top, making sure to get the edges. Allow it to absorb for 5-10 minutes, before adding the remaining soak. For drier areas, use a spoon to pour the milk mixture over it. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Make the coconut whipped cream
- To a mixing bowl, add heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, pinch of salt, sifted powdered sugar and coconut extract. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, whip on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over the top of the tres leches cake. Optionally, garnish with toasted coconut flakes and enjoy!2 cups cold heavy cream, 4 oz mascarpone cheese, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon coconut extract, Coconut flakes, pinch of salt
Notes
- Don't over whip the egg whites! Over whipped egg whites will cause the cake to deflate while baking.
- Don't underbake the cake. Ensure the cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Poke sufficient sized holes to allow for more milk soak distribution.
- Butter the side of the baking dish so the cake does not cling to it! This will provide even surface area for the milk soak to go through.
- Pour the milk soak onto the cake in batches.
- Pour the milk soak while the cake is still slightly warm!
- Store pandan tres leches cake in an air tight container for up to 4 days. If using toasted coconut flakes, garnish with it before enjoying.
Leave a Reply