What is the name of the Mexican cake soaked in three types of milk?

The Mexican cake soaked in three types of milk is tres leches cake. Its name means “three milks” in Spanish, referring traditionally to evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk or cream poured over a baked sponge cake.

The airy cake absorbs the liquid without completely collapsing because its crumb contains many small air pockets. It is commonly topped with whipped cream, fruit, or cinnamon. Although strongly associated with Mexico and Latin American cuisine, its exact origin is debated. Soaked-cake traditions existed in Europe for centuries, and canned-milk companies helped popularize tres leches recipes across Latin America during the 20th century.

A common mix-up is assuming that every recipe uses exactly the same three dairy products. Variations may substitute heavy cream or other milks, while the defining feature is the milk-soaked sponge rather than one rigid formula. The dessert also inspired related versions such as trileçe in Turkey and the Balkans.