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Easy Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake: Best Cozy Fall Dessert

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This isn’t your average pumpkin cake. It’s a tres leches cake—soaked in three kinds of milk until it’s impossibly moist—but with a cozy fall twist that makes it perfect for sweater weather.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin purée
  • ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1 can (14 oz or 397g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz or 354ml) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1½ cups (360ml) heavy cream, cold
  • 3 tablespoons (24g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your 9×13-inch pan with butter or non-stick spray. If you’re using parchment paper, leave a little overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy—about 3 minutes with a mixer on medium speed. It should look pale and airy.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat in each egg until fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. This prevents the batter from separating.
  5. Mix in the vanilla and pumpkin purée. Beat until smooth. The batter will look a little curdled at this point—that’s normal. Don’t panic.
  6. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk. With the mixer on low, add about a third of the flour mixture, then half the milk, then another third of flour, the rest of the milk, and finally the remaining flour. Mix just until combined. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly with a spatula. It will be thick—that’s okay.
  8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  9. Cool the cake completely. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Then, poke holes all over the cake with a fork or skewer. Don’t be shy—the more holes, the more milk gets in.
  10. Make the tres leches mixture. In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
  11. Pour the milk mixture over the cake. Slowly and evenly, starting from the edges and working your way to the center. Let it soak in for a minute between pours. You might think it’s too much liquid, but trust the process.
  12. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. This is where the magic happens. The cake absorbs the milks and becomes incredibly moist. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil.
  13. Make the whipped cream topping. Just before serving, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form. Don’t overbeat or you’ll get butter.
  14. Spread the whipped cream over the cake. Use a spatula to create swirls. Dust with ground cinnamon if desired.

Notes

Let the cake rest overnight in the fridge so the milks really sink in. Don’t overbake the cake; a dry cake won’t soak up the milks properly. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Poke holes generously with a skewer. Let the cake cool completely before soaking to prevent curdling.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin tres leches cake, fall dessert, pumpkin cake, tres leches, easy pumpkin dessert, cozy fall recipe

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/easy-pumpkin-tres-leches-cake-best-cozy-fall-dessert/