Inspired by the classic Latin American tres leches, this non-traditional version features a light sponge soaked in three kinds of milk - all dairy-free. It's completely egg-free and infused with earthy ube for a vibrant twist on the original.
🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this ube tres leches cake. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Ube sweetened condensed coconut milk: This cake recipe uses ube condensed milk by Nature's Charm, which adds sweetness and ube flavour to the soak. Any leftovers can be used in other desserts like ube flan or ube tiramisu.
Dairy-free evaporated milk: Adds richness and depth to the milk mixture. Use evaporated oat or coconut milk.
Non-dairy whipping cream: I use Nature's Charm coconut cream for the heavy cream topping.
Olive oil: A light olive oil or neutral oil, such as sunflower, works best here to not overpower the flavor or the cake.
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📷 Step-By-Step Images & Recipe Tips
Here's a visual overview of this ube tres leches cake. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
Start by preheating your oven and lightly greasing your baking dish so everything is ready to go. This is a simple batter, so it comes together quickly once you begin.
For the dry ingredients, sifting is worth the extra step here as it helps avoid lumps and keeps the sponge light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, when you mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar, give it a minute to curdle slightly - this creates a vegan buttermilk effect, which is key for a soft, tender crumb.
When combining the wet and dry mixtures, add the dry ingredients in batches and fold gently. Try not to overmix at this stage, as it can make the cake dense rather than airy. You're aiming for a smooth batter without overworking it.
Once baked, let the cake cool completely before moving on. This is important; if it's still warm, it won't absorb the soak properly.
When you poke holes in the cake, be generous and go deep with the skewer or toothpick. These holes allow the tres leches mixture to soak through every bite, giving that signature moist texture.
As you pour over the triple milk mixture, do it slowly and evenly so it has time to absorb rather than pooling on top. Then comes the hardest part - letting it rest in the fridge overnight. This chill time makes all the difference, allowing the flavors to develop and the texture to become perfectly soft and rich.
Right before serving, whip your vegan cream until light and fluffy with stiff peaks, then spread it on top of the cake. It adds a beautiful creamy finish that balances the sweetness of the soaked cake.
💬 FAQs
Since it's soaked and topped with whipped cream, it needs to be refrigerated. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable cover to keep it fresh. It will keep well for up to 5 days, making it great for prepping ahead or enjoying throughout the week.
Absolutely, this recipe uses a 10.5 x 7.5-inch dish, but you can also bake it in an 8 x 8-inch pan. Just keep an eye on the baking time, as different pan sizes may affect how quickly it cooks through.
🥛 More Vegan Tres Leches
📖 Recipe
Vegan Ube Tres Leches
Ingredients
Cake
- 280 g (2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) non-dairy milk *note 1
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) neutral flavored oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tres leches soak
- 120 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) ube sweetened condensed coconut milk I use Nature's Charm
- 120 g (½ cup) evaporated oat milk I use Nature's Charm *note 2
- 240 ml (1 cup) barista-style oat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) vegan whipping cream I use Nature's Charm Coconut Whipping Cream
Instructions
- Prepare: 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.
- Combine wet ingredients: To a separate large bowl, add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar, and let them sit and curdle for 5 minutes to create a buttermilk effect. Then whisk in the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Make the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, gently folding after each one until just combined. Be careful not 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 the ingredients for the soak. Pour the mixture over the cake. Place in the fridge to chill overnight.
- Serving: Whip vegan whipping cream, and spread it on top of the cake.
Notes
- Non-Dairy Milk: I use soy milk, oat milk, and almond milk can also be used.
- Evaporated Oat Milk: Use evaporated coconut milk if preferred.
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