Strawberry Tres Leches Cake Recipe with Fresh Strawberries

Strawberry Tres Leches is a simple, no-fuss dessert built on a light, spongy cake that soaks up a fragrant strawberry milk mixture. It’s finished with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries for a bright, refreshing finish — ideal for spring and summer gatherings or any time you want a crowd-pleasing, chilled dessert.

This strawberry version riffs on the classic tres leches by adding strawberry cake and strawberry milk for pronounced berry flavor. To keep it easy and approachable, the recipe uses a boxed cake mix, but the result is still irresistibly moist and creamy thanks to the traditional three-milk soak. The combination creates a dessert that’s sweet, silky and bursting with fresh strawberry notes.

Why Everyone Loves Strawberry Tres Leches 🍓

• Triple strawberry flavor: Strawberry cake, a strawberry milk soak and fresh sliced strawberries give this cake concentrated berry taste.
• Perfect chilled dessert for warm weather: Served cold, it’s wonderfully refreshing on hot days and pairs well with outdoor celebrations.
• Feeds a crowd: A 9×13-inch pan serves about 12, and yields more if sliced smaller — great for parties or potlucks.
• Easy to make ahead: The cake only improves after a few hours in the refrigerator and can be prepared up to a few days in advance.

Ingredients You Need

Note: Measurements and the full recipe are included below in the recipe section.

For the cake:

• Boxed strawberry cake mix (or vanilla if preferred), plus the eggs and oil called for on the box.
• Milk (use whole milk instead of water for the best texture), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for added flavor.

For the tres leches soak:

• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup strawberry milk — either store-bought or homemade by blending 1 cup whole milk with 3–4 fresh strawberries and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the topping:

• 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (adjust sweetness to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1–2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

How to Make Strawberry Tres Leches

This recipe is intentionally simple and fast when using a boxed cake mix. Expect about 20 minutes of hands-on work and some chilling time so the cake becomes fully soaked and creamy.

1. Bake the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the boxed mix according to package directions but substitute milk for the water and add the eggs, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake as directed on the box. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes after baking.
2. Poke holes: Use a fork, wooden skewer or chopstick to poke holes all over the warm cake. These holes allow the milk mixture to penetrate and flavor each bite.
3. Make and pour the milk mixture: Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and strawberry milk until smooth. Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake, allowing it to soak in; press gently to help the liquid absorb into the holes.
4. Chill: Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the cake fully soaks up the milk and becomes silky and dense.
5. Prepare whipped cream: Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake in an even layer.
6. Finish with strawberries: Arrange the sliced fresh strawberries over the whipped cream. Keep the cake refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.

Recipe Variations

• Fold strawberries into the batter: For extra bursts of fresh berry flavor, gently fold 1 cup of diced strawberries into the cake batter before baking. Drain larger pieces to avoid adding excess moisture.
• Use store-bought topping: You can substitute a premade whipped topping if you prefer convenience, though homemade whipped cream has superior texture and flavor.
• Swap the cake mix: If you prefer a subtler base, use vanilla cake mix and increase the strawberry content in the milk or the topping.

Storage and Make Ahead

Strawberry Tres Leches is ideal for making ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. If you prefer, add the fresh strawberry topping just before serving to keep the berries as bright as possible.

More Easy Desserts

• Crescent roll dumplings with fruit
• Strawberry banana pudding
• S’mores cookies