Chuy’s offers delicious Tex-Mex in a fun environment. Even if you’re not celebrating anything, you’ll feel like you’re at a party with all the decorations and colors. The unlimited chips and salsa are worthy of celebration in itself, isn’t it? If you’re really in the mood for a party, you’ll want to try Chuy’s Tres Leches cake, a dessert made by pouring three types of milk inside and on top of a vanilla cake. If you don’t live near a Chuy’s restaurant, don’t worry- we’ll show you how to make one yourself with this Copycat Chuy’s Tres Leches Cake recipe.
You’ll begin by baking a regular vanilla cake. This part of the recipe is fairly simple and straight-forward. But once the cake is finished cooking, the fun begins. You’ll want to cut small slices or holes (using a straw) all over the cake and mix up your tres leches ingredients. Just before serving, you’ll pour the mixture all over the cake and allow a small milk puddle to form around each piece. You can top your cake with strawberry slices, caramel, strawberry glaze, or cinnamon- or any combination of these. Be sure to check the times in the recipe below- the cake will need resting time, and you’ll want to factor in whether you’re serving right away or saving it for later. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy this Copycat Chuy’s Tres Leches Cake recipe.
Copycat Chuy's Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 tsp butter
For the Tres Leches
- 18 oz evaporated milk
- 10 oz sweet condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla
Toppings (Optional)
- sliced strawberries
- caramel sauce
- strawberry sauce
Instructions
For the Cake
- First, preheat the oven to 350°. Crack the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Place the whites in the fridge for later.
- In the bowl with the yolks, add the sugar and beat it with a hand mixer until it's smooth. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla, and milk. Mix with a hand mixer until combined.
- Remove the whites from the refrigerator. Add salt and beat them with the hand mixer on high for 2-3 minutes until soft peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
- Grease the bottom of an 8×8 or equivalent baking dish with the butter. Pour the cake batter into the dish and bake at 350 for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10-20 minutes.
For the Tres Leches
- While the cake is cooling, mix together the "tres leches" ingredients in a separate bowl. Poke holes with a straw or make small slits with a knife throughout the cake.
- If serving right away, pour 1/2 of the milk mixture over the holes in the cake and let it rest for 30-60 minutes. When serving, cut a piece of cake and serve with a moat of the remaining milk around the cake on the plate.
- If serving later that day or the next day, pour 1/3 of the milk mixture over the cake. Cover and refrigerate. Refrigerate the remaining milk mixture separately in an air-tight covered bowl. When you're ready to serve, remove the cake from the fridge, slice pieces, and serve by pouring more of the milk mixture over each piece.
- Top with a caramel drizzle and sliced strawberries.
Notes
- The cake should be thick, so we'd recommend using an 8×11 rectangular baking dish. You want the dish to be at least 2/3 full.
- If you’re serving six slices, you’ll want about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture per slice. Or if you cut smaller slices, serve with a little less of the milk mixture.
Looking for more dessert inspiration? Check out our post on the 15 Best Fast Food Desserts.
