Cottage Cheese Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches cake is one of those desserts that always feels a little fancy, but it’s actually pretty simple to make at home.

My version uses cottage cheese in both the cake and the milk soak, which is what makes it stand out.

When you blend the cottage cheese until smooth, it disappears completely and just leaves behind a soft, creamy texture you can really taste.

The cake soaks up all that sweet milk mixture and turns wonderfully moist after a few hours in the fridge.

Top it with a little whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, and you have a dessert that looks and tastes like it came from a bakery.

Why I Love This Recipe

Wonderfully Moist – The creamy milk soak gives every slice a rich, tender texture without making the cake feel soggy.

Extra Creamy – Blended cottage cheese makes both the cake and milk soak smooth, rich, and pleasantly creamy.

Perfectly Balanced Sweetness – Lightly sweetened whipped cream balances the condensed milk, so the finished cake never tastes overly sweet.

Light and Fluffy – Whipped eggs create an airy cake that absorbs the creamy milk mixture while staying soft.

The Ingredients

For the Cake

• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Full Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt

For the Milk Soak

• 1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk
• 3/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/2 cup Full Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk

For the Topping

• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make This Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 inch pan. Blend the cottage cheese for the cake until completely smooth.

Step 2

Beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the blended cottage cheese and vanilla.

Step 3

Gently fold in the flour, baking powder and salt just until combined, then pour the batter into the pan.

Step 4

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Blend the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cottage cheese and whole milk until completely smooth. The cottage cheese makes the soak extra creamy.

Step 6

Poke holes all over the cake with a fork, then slowly pour the milk soak over the whole cake so it soaks in evenly.

Step 7

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the best texture.

Step 8

Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form, spread over the cake and dust with cinnamon before serving.

Quick Tips

Blend The Cottage Cheese Until Smooth

Blend the cottage cheese for the cake until it looks completely creamy with no visible curds. A high-speed blender works best, but scrape down the sides once or twice so every bit gets blended.

Do the same for the milk soak. Any small curds left in the mixture will stay noticeable instead of giving the cake a smooth, creamy texture.

Whip The Eggs And Sugar Well

Beat the eggs and sugar for the full 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and fluffy. This adds air to the batter and helps the cake stay light after the milk soak is added.

Once you add the cottage cheese and vanilla, mix only until combined. Keep the mixer on low so you do not lose too much of the air you added.

Fold In The Flour Gently

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt in two or three additions if possible. Fold with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour.

Overmixing can make this sponge dense and chewy. The batter should look even, but it does not need to be perfectly smooth.

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Quick Answers

Why does the cottage cheese need to be blended for the cake and milk soak?

Blending makes the cottage cheese completely smooth, so the cake and soak have a creamy texture without visible curds.

For the best result, blend each portion until no lumps remain before adding it to the recipe.