Red velvet cake meets tres leches cake in this festive dessert.
I will totally admit that sometimes I start to get a too comfortable in the kitchen. Thinking that I can do no wrong. That I really know what I’m doing. After all, it is what I do for a living. But almost always, when I feel like I have it all together, I have a recipe (or two) that just don’t work out like I want it to. This year, red velvet week has done that to me.
This cake was actually a total failure the first time I made it. Well, I shouldn’t say total failure, because it was still totally edible, but it wasn’t what I was going for the first time around. I thought I’d get all creative and try to make a cheesecake-ish filling that would soak into the cake. Only it didn’t soak. It just went around the edges of the cake, and the cake itself was completely dry. So I ended up going with what I knew would work, and guess what? It was just perfect!!
I’m a huge fan of tres leches cake, so I knew I’d love a red velvet version. And while a traditional tres leches cake has a whipped cream topping, I wanted to add in the cheesecake element somewhere, so the topping on this is a little heavier, but still extremely delicious. And since this starts off with a boxed cake mix, it’s super easy to make.
I think this cake would be the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert!!
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Red Velvet Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
- 1 18.25 oz Red Velvet Cake mix, plus ingredients called for on the box
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 16 oz container nondairy topping (such as Cool Whip)
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- mini chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix according to the box directions.
- In a bowl, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream. While the cake is still warm, poke holes through the cake. Pour the milk mixture over the cake and allow the liquid to soak into the cake. Cool completely.
- To prepare the frosting, beat together the topping, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if desired.
More versions of the red velvet cake:
Red Velvet and Strawberry Trifles
Around the web:
Heritage Red Velvet Cake from Sprinkle Bakes
Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes from Baked by Rachel
Red Velvet Icebox Cakes from SugarHero
Sindi says
This is heavenly,,,can’t get enough thank u!!!
Piggy says
What kind of cream?
stef says
I really want to make this cake but I would love to know what kind of cream to use? Is it the cream you use for milk? Please reply to me ASAP THANKS!!
Deborah says
@stef, heavy cream
Debbie says
I’ve always wanted to make a tres leches cake, so I tried this one. Sorry to say that it is a soggy mess around the edges and I don’t know why anyone would want to do this to a cake. I was going to make it to take to work. Glad I tried it at home first. It will be going out with the trash tomorrow.
When you pour on the milk mixture, are you suppose to avoid the edges?
Deborah says
@Debbie, the cake is definitely soaked with a tres leches cake. I even cut back on the liquid compared to the normal tres leches cake that I make. I don’t necessarily avoid the edges when I’m pouring on the liquid, but if your cake is really domed, you would want to mostly pour it in the middle and let it run down to the sides. But the texture of a tres leches cake is definitely different than a normal cake.
Dina says
the tres leches cake sounds great, but all your red velvet week recipes sound great!
Becky says
All of these red velvet recipes look divine but I think this one would be my pick!! Wishing we lived closer this week 😉
Take care friend!
grace says
you’re getting extra creative with your red velvet this year! this sounds delicious. 🙂
Tasha @ Homemade says
Love this soooo very mucho!
Heather of Kitchen Concoctions says
What a great idea Deborah! I love it! Can’t wait to see what else you come up with for Red Velvet week.
Emily says
I better stock up on red velvet cake mix!
Joanne says
We’ve all had a few of those moments (or weeks…) so don’t stress it! This cake sounds amazing. As if tres leches cake could get any better!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Tres Leches is my FAVORITE! This red velvet version is killing me! Yum!