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Hi Bold Bakers!
There is an amazing Cuban bakery in LA that I love, Porto’s Bakery, whose cake inspired my new homemade Tres Leches Cake recipe with fresh berries.
The founder, Rosa, was born in Cuba. The bakery’s story said when she was a child, she grew up with the smells of cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla from her mother’s baking. It reminds me of my own childhood in Ireland, where my mom’s baking helped ignite my own passion!
This Homemade Milk N’Berries Cake is my take on her wonderful cake, and I think it is the ultimate summer cake—it’s a delicious sponge cake soaked in a cold, sweet, milky syrup and filled with fresh berries and fluffy whipped cream. Definitely a recipe that is kid-approved!
What Is Milk’ N Berries Cake?
If you’ve made my Tres Leches Cake before, then you will love this recipe. Milk’ N Berries cake is essentially a tres leches cake with lots of fresh berries, and whipped cream, which I feel helps make the cake feel almost lighter. It’s sweet, creamy, and incredibly refreshing with fresh, seasonal fruits.
What You Need To Make This Tres Leches Cake Recipe
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Two 8-inch square cake pans
- Mixing bowls
How To Make My Tres Leches Cake Recipe With Berries
If you can’t find your way to Los Angelos, then this Porto’s inspired cake will more than do the job! Here is how you make Milk ‘N Berries cake (get the full, printable recipe below).
- Make the tres leches cake batter by following my recipe for Easy Tres Leche Cake.
- Pour this batter between two 8-inch square cake pans and bake for around 30-35 minutes.
- Mix together the 3 kinds of milk and pour the mixture evenly over the cakes. Cover and allow to soak overnight.
- The next day, whip the cream to stiff peaks.
- In a medium bowl, combine the berries.
- Place one layer over the cake on a serving plate and drizzle on any liquid left in the pan.
- Spread some of the whipped cream over the cake and cover it with half of the berries. Then, carefully place the second cake layer on top. Spread another dollop of whipped cream on the second layer and the sides of the cake. You want it to look rustic, a naked cake look.
- Top the cake with the rest of the berries and serve it immediately or chill for no longer than 4 hours until ready to serve!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making A Milk ‘N Berries Cake
- My Tres Leches Cake is usually baked in a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) pan, and if you prefer, you can still make the cake in that pan. When ready to assemble, cut the cake in half to make a smaller rectangle-shaped layer cake.
- You can use different berries or other fruit: as long as you stick with the same proportions. Diced stone fruits would be as lovely as berries!
- Try this as a trifle: cut the tres leches cake into cubes and then, in a trifle bowl, layer half the cake, half the whipped cream, and half the berries. Repeat to get two layers!
- This cake is a kid favorite, but for a slightly sophisticated twist, toss the berries with 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of orange zest before using to layer your cake.
- The whipped cream isn’t sweetened in this recipe as the cake is already quite sweet, but if you prefer, you can make it sweet by adding 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the cream before you whip it!
How Do I Store A Tres Leches Cake?
This cake is best served the day it is made, but you can store any leftover Milk ‘N Berries cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Get more of my Best Cake Recipes:
- Best-Ever Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Best-Ever Vanilla Cake
- Best-Ever Carrot Cake
- Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Watch The Recipe Video!
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Tres Leches Cake
- 1 ½ cups (12floz/360ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) fresh blueberries
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) fresh raspberries
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) fresh strawberries (hulled and quartered)
Instructions
- Make the tres leches cake by following the recipe for Easy Tres Leche Cake.
- Pour the batter between two 8-inch square cake pans and bake for roughly 30-35 minutes.
- Mix together the 3 kinds of milk and pour the mixture evenly over the 2 cakes. Cover and allow to soak overnight.
- The next day, whip the cream to stiff peaks.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
- Place one layer of the tres leches cake on a serving plate and drizzle on any liquid left in the pan.
- Spread some whipped cream over the cake and cover with half the berries.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top.
- Spread another big dollop of whipped cream on top of the second layer and spread the remaining whipped cream on the sides of the cake. It will be a rustic, naked cake look.
- Top the cake with the remaining berries and serve immediately or chill (for no longer than 4 hours) until ready to serve.
- This cake is best served the day it is made but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
I sent in a comment couple of months ago. Wanted to post my creation. Thanks for all your help.
I made this and used two 9 “ round cake pans. My daughter-in-law said it reminded her of her favorite milk & berries cake from Portol’s. My 6 year old granddaughter loved it!
I didn’t use cinnamon, and added a couple of TBP of powdered sugar to the whip cream. Definitely a repeat recipe!
Hi Gemma!
Can I use two 9-inch cake round tins for this recipe?
Getting better and better with practice. My family calls this my signature cake. Thanks for all you do Gemma.
Hi Gemma, Can I substitute gluten free flour in this? I want to make this for my sister who has a gluten allergy
Hi there! I actually used to live near Porto’s in Burbank and this is the best cake ever! I miss it so much. Thanks for posting a copy cat recipe. I’d like to double the recipe to feed more people. Do you think using large rectangular cake pans would be too risky? I know soaking the cake might make it less stable and I worry about removing it from the pan to assemble. Have you tried making this on a larger scale? Any tips?
Hi Gemma,
Could you also share one of Porto’s most popular cheese roll’s recipe too?
Thank you
Is the “Easy Tres Leches Cake” make 1 or 2 layer…Im just asking if I need to double up the recipe…Thanks.
This is the best Tre Leche ever!
Gemma, in your Tres Leches Cake recipe, you state to add egg whites to egg yolks but in the Milk N’Berries cake video, you add yolks to whites. Which way is better? Also, in the TLC recipe, you say to beat whites to stiff peaks but in the video, the whites have very soft peaks. Which is it? Thank you for all you do. I really enjoy your website.