A Carajillo Tres Leches Cake You Can Delegate
High Impressiveness. Approachably Low Effort. Made for Real Life and the Holiday Party You Hypothetically Forgot About
This is for the moment you realize — not last minute, exactly — but late enough that you need something dependable, something that looks like you put in real care without requiring a full baking identity.
The kind of doable dessert that works for the holidays, for a potluck, for a school thing, or for the text that lands while you’re already wearing socks and emotional exhaustion: “Can you bring dessert?”
And yes, you can absolutely hand this recipe to the person in your household who doesn’t really cook (partner, teenager, brave friend) and say, “If you’re willing to put in a little bit of focused effort and possibly a good five minute arm workout, this will work.”
This cake is for that moment.
It’s a tres leches cake with coffee, inspired by a Mexican carajillo.
Coffee-soaked. Soft. Familiar, but interesting. Slightly boozy if you want. Fully kid-friendly if you don’t. It travels well, which matters more than people admit.
And an excellent impressiveness-to-effort ratio.
This is not a zero-effort dessert. It is a “do a solid for the food person in your life” dessert — the kind that rewards a little attention with a lot of payoff.
If you’re looking for:
an approachable tres leches cake for beginners
a holiday dessert that feels thoughtful without being fussy
a reliable dessert for non-bakers willing to try
a tres leches recipe that works with a box mix
a make-ahead cake that actually improves overnight
You’re in the right place.
The carajillo part of this recipe comes from espresso and Licor 43. Mezcal is optional. If kids are involved, skip the alcohol entirely and keep moving.
Hey food friends! 👋 I’m Kaitlynn, half of a food-loving couple 🍜 exploring DC (& beyond) who knows the best connections happen at a shared table 🍽️. Whether you're searching for the best hidden restaurants in Mexico City, trying to master your grandma's marinara 🍅, or just craving something real, I’m here with dishes (and discussions) that make life more interesting. Come hungry, leave inspired. ✨🍴
This series, Fall at the Table is a quiet return to what steadies us. Each dish is a small restoration — the kind that happens when the air cools, slow braises that turn into next-day lasagna, and we start paying internal attention again. It’s showing up at the table even when we’re tired enough to face-plant into the stew.
Here, we cook what we can, laugh when we spill, and remember that sharing a meal is still one of the oldest ways to hold each other up when the earth shifts — tomatoes simmered into calm, cardamom buns rising with patience, herbs carrying their quiet medicine into the pot.
You Can Do This (Really)
Tres leches is not precious.
It is a cake that wants to be soaked.
You are not ruining it.
You are finishing the job.
The structure is simple and forgiving:
Bake a cake
Poke holes
Pour milk over it
Chill
Add cream
That’s it.
If you don’t want to do our store bought cheats (definitely allowed) there is a step or two that asks a little of you — beating egg whites until they’re fluffy and structured, same with whipped cream. They each take about five minutes by hand or much less with a mixer. Think of it as a brief arm workout in service of dessert. Worth it.
And yes, you can absolutely:
use a box cake mix
use store-bought whipped cream
use a disposable aluminum pan
Hand this recipe to a partner, teenager, friend, or relative and say:
“This takes some focus, but no special skills. Follow the steps. I trust you.”
This is a confidence-building dessert for non-bakers — especially people who want to contribute something real, even if baking isn’t their usual lane.
Why This Exists (Credit Where Credit is Due)
I fully thought I knew what our next post was going to be.
Then Larry came up with this recipe on his own, tested it, put his own spin on it, and somehow ended up making this cake four times in one week for different party-season events. At some point we looked at each other and realized:
Oh. This is the post.
This recipe exists because someone who had never done it before wanted to contribute to their community, followed curiosity, gave it a shot, and kept going until it worked. That’s worth celebrating 🎉 — and worth leaving room for on repeat.
And if you’re the one being “delegated” this cake:
You’re not the backup plan. You’re a capable contributor to your community. This recipe was built to be followed clearly, without tricks or secret knowledge. If you can read a list and take things one step at a time, you’ve got this.
We’ve got you with a patchwork store-bought option or a way to make everything from scratch if that’s fun for you. Both paths are correct. You have enough on your plate already, but we’re going to squeeze in this pastelito.
Beginner-Friendly Tres Leches Cake with a Carajillo Twist (Choose Your Own Effort Level)
Option A: From‑Scratch Cake 🥣
You’ll need:
1 1/2 cups all‑purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft
1 cup granulated sugar (plus a few extra pinches if you’re beating the egg whites)
5 eggs, separated (yolks and whites)
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
A splash of lemon juice or white vinegar if you’re beating the egg whites
How to bake it:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Beat butter, sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg yolks and extract.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Note: This is the trickiest step, and it’s still very doable. Here is a delightful french gentleman to help you through the process. When I did it by hand (because I don’t have an electric mixer) it took about 5 minutes of whisking to get them done. That is…some effort but it is less than maybe 2 songs. An electric mixer makes it faster, but either way works.
Cake batter in the pan. Beaten egg whites with a squeeze of lemon and some sugar. Gently fold the dry ingredients and egg whites into the batter. Think slow, careful motions, like lifting and turning, not stirring. If you’ve never folded batter before, check out this rad dad who can show you the technique.
Pour into pan. Bake 25–30 minutes.
Let cool slightly, then poke holes all over with a fork.
Texture to look for: light, springy, and fairly plain. That’s perfect. Tres leches does the rest.
Option B: Shortcut Cake 🚀
1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix
Prepare according to box directions
Bake in a 9x13 pan
This works. Many people use box cake specifically for tres leches because the crumb is light and absorbent. If the cake bounces back gently when you press it and doesn’t feel dense, you’re exactly where you want to be.
The Milk Soak (This Is the Important Part 🥛)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
1 double shot espresso, cooled (or very strong coffee - you can also get this from a bottle at the grocery store or a coffee shop. no one is going to know.)
2 oz Licor 43 or vanilla liqueur (optional)
1.5–2 oz mezcal or tequila (very optional)
If you are into it, and enjoy a subtle smoky depth, our resident mezcal aficionado recommends La Venenosa Tigre del Sur.
Whisk everything together in one bowl.
The Topping (Also Flexible ☁️)
2 cups heavy cream, cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or less)
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form
OR
Store-bought whipped topping
Finish with cocoa powder, cinnamon, or chocolate sprinkles ✨ if you remember. If not, it’s fine.
Cinnamon isn’t just there for vibes. In a lot of traditional food ways, it shows up in cold-season dishes meant for gatherings because it’s warming, circulatory, and gently grounding. Not “stimulating” like caffeine, not sedating either — more like a hand on your back that says, you’re okay, keep going.
In a time of year that runs on adrenaline and obligation, that is a refreshing addition.
The Easiest Possible Instructions
Bake the cake. (From scratch instructions above, or do it according to box directions if using a box mix). Let it cool slightly.
Poke holes all over the top with a fork.
Pour all the milk over the cake. Yes, all of it.
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is better).
Add whipped cream. Dust if you want.
Done.
Transport & Timing 🚗
This cake needs chill time, so it’s not instant — but it is hands‑off.
Make it the night before if you can.
It likes being cold and travels well.
Why This Works When Life Is Full
One pan
No decorating skills
Store-bought options welcome
Familiar flavors with a twist
Extremely high impressiveness-to-effort ratio
And hey—if paid membership isn’t doable, we get it. But even a one-time donation keeps the feast going. Thanks for being part of this table.
(ICYMI we did a full post on the Mexican Carajillo during our Mexico City series if you want the deeper story.)
Carajillo: Mexico’s Indulgent Coffee Cocktail You Can Make in Minutes
Coffee and booze go together like bad ideas and great stories. The combination is a universal truth you’ll find all over the globe — a little rebellious, and just makes sense. Mexico’s contribution shares a name with it’s Spanish cousin - the carajillo - but other than coffee and some colonial baggage, they have nothing in common.
What’s Coming Next 🔥🍞
Next time, we’re finishing (what is technically still) our fall series with the thing we thought we were going to post last time.
But it’s this time of year. Plans shift.
Up next is something simpler, toast-adjacent, skillet-friendly, and exactly what cold mornings seem to ask for. Not flashy. Just warm, crisp at the edges, and flexible enough to carry whatever the week hands you.
We’re going to make it.
That’s the plan.