This vegan lemon tres leches is a fresh twist on the classic Latin American dessert. A light and airy lemon sponge is soaked in a creamy blend of three dairy-free milks, creating an incredibly moist texture.
Made without eggs or dairy, and bursting with bright citrus flavor, it combines the best parts of classic tres leches and lemon cake in one dessert.
🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this eggless tres leches cake. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Vegan lemon curd: This recipe uses a half batch of my homemade lemon curd. I recommend making a full batch, as you can use leftovers for other recipes like lemon cheesecake, lemon ice cream, lemon cookies, or enjoy it as a breakfast spread for toast or scones.
Dairy-free evaporated milk: Adds richness and creaminess to the milk mixture. Evaporated oat or coconut milk both work well.
Non-dairy whipping cream: Used for the topping to create a light, fluffy finish. I like using Nature's Charm coconut whipping cream.
Olive oil: If you're not a fan of the slightly floral taste of extra virgin olive oil, you can use a light olive oil or a neutral oil such as sunflower, so the flavor stays subtle and doesn't overpower the cake.
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📷 Step-By-Step Images & Recipe Tips
Here's a visual overview of this lemon tres leches cake. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
For the best lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips before adding anything else. This helps release the natural oils from the zest and gives the cake a brighter, more fragrant citrus flavor than simply stirring it in.
Next, make the vegan buttermilk by combining the soy milk and fresh lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes to curdle slightly - this is what helps create a soft, tender crumb. Once ready, whisk it into the lemon sugar along with the olive oil and vanilla until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions, mixing gently each time until no streaks of flour remain. Try not to overwork the batter here, as keeping it light will give you the best sponge texture for soaking up all that lemony milk mixture later.
For the tres leches mixture, whisk the lemon curd into the condensed milk first so it blends smoothly before adding the remaining liquids.
Once baked, allow the cake to cool fully before poking holes all over the surface. Be generous with the skewer; those little channels help the soak reach every part of the sponge.
Pour it slowly and evenly over the cake, giving it a moment to absorb as you go. Then cover and refrigerate overnight. This resting time transforms the texture, making the cake deliciously soft and rich while letting the lemon flavor settle into every bite.
Just before serving, briefly whisk the lemon curd with a hand mixer to loosen it, then add the vegan cream and whip until fluffy. Spread it over the chilled cake and swirl through the remaining lemon curd for a beautiful finish. It adds extra pockets of bright citrus flavor and makes the top look especially inviting.
💬 FAQs
Because the cake is soaked and finished with whipped cream, it needs to stay chilled. Cover the baking dish well with plastic wrap or a reusable lid and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days, so it's ideal for making in advance.
Yes, although this recipe is written for a 10.5 x 7.5-inch dish, you can also use an 8 x 8-inch pan. Baking times may vary slightly depending on the pan you use, so check the cake as it bakes.
I haven't personally tried it, but in case you decide to give it a go, many readers have had success with King Arthur's Measure for Measure flour with some of my other recipes
🥛 More Vegan Tres Leches
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Tres Leches
Ingredients
Cake
- 280 g (2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest *see note 1
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) lemon juice freshly squeezed *see note 1
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) non-dairy milk *note 2
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil *note 3
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tres leches soak
- 80 g (¼ cup) vegan lemon curd *note 4
- 120 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) vegan condensed milk I use Nature's Charm condensed oat
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan evaporated milk I use Nature's Charm evaporated coconut
- 240 ml (1 cup) non-dairy milk
Topping
- 240 g (½ cup) vegan lemon curd *note 4
- 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) vegan whipping cream, chilled I use Nature's Charm Coconut Whipping Cream
Instructions
- Prep: Make the lemon curd and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F. Lightly grease a 10.5 x 7.5-inch baking dish with some oil.
- Combine dry ingredients: To a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Flavor the sugar: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl, and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar crystals feel "wet".
- Make vegan buttermilk: Mix the soy milk and lemon juice in a jug and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: To the bowl with the lemon sugar, add the olive oil, vanilla extract, and vegan buttermilk mixture, and whisk until smooth.
- Make the batter: Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 2 parts using a spatula. Fold the ingredients into the batter between each increment until there are no pockets or streaks of flour. Do not be tempted to overmix!
- Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If there's any wet batter on the skewer, bake for another 5 minutes and check again. Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
- Poke cake: When cool, liberally poke the cake with a skewer.
- Tres leches soak: In a large jug, whisk 80g (¼ cup) of lemon curd with the sweetened condensed milk. Whisk in the evaporated coconut milk, followed by the non-dairy milk. Pour the mixture over the cake, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- Serving: In a large bowl, whisk 80g (¼ cup) of lemon curd for 30 seconds until light. Then add the vegan whipping cream and whisk again until fluffy. Spread it on top of the cake, and swirl the remaining 80g (¼ cup) of lemon curd through the cream with a spoon.
Notes
- Lemon Zest & Juice: I used 2 large unwaxed lemons. Zest the lemons first, then juice them.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Use soy, oat, or almond milk.
- Olive Oil: Or neutral oil like canola (rapeseed oil) or sunflower oil.
- Vegan Lemon Curd: Prep up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge. You will need a half batch of curd for this recipe. The full recipe and instructions are linked in the pink text.
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