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Rich, creamy and bursting with eggnog-y goodness, this eggnog tres leches cake is a festive twist on a favorite classic. While this recipe makes a snack cake friendly 8" x 8" cake, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for other size options, including sheet cakes and cupcakes.

Slice of eggnog tres leches cake on a blue plate with a short fork. Another plated slice plus the rest of the cake are in the background next to a glass of eggnog and a white bowl.

If there's one cake you need to make this holiday season, it's this eggnog tres leches cake.

It takes everything you love about a classic tres leches cake and adds a festive, noggy-filled spin.

How to make tres leches cake

First, make the vanilla cake.

In a bowl, whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). It’s important to give the egg/sugar mixture the benefit of a full whipping here as this is part of what will help your cake rise and will lead to a fluffy texture.

While the eggs and sugar are whipped, combine the wet ingredients (oil, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract) in one bowl and the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in another.

Pour half of the dry ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the wet ingredients mixing, again, until just incorporated. Finally add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and gently whisk until combined.

A quick tip: If you'd prefer, you can substitute a boxed cake mix for the recipe in this post. I'd recommend using a vanilla or white mix, and you can upgrade it to taste nearly homemade using these boxed cake mix hacks.

Pour the batter into a parchment paper line 8" x 8" square baking pan and bake at 350F for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Leave the cake in its pan and allow it to cool until there's only a little bit of warmth left (about 45 minutes).

Overhead view of an eggnog cake in a square 8x8 pan.

Second, make the tres leches mixture.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggnog, sweetened condensed milk and milk for the tres leches.

Use a fork to poke a generous amount of holes all over the top of the cake going about ¾ of the way in. Try to keep the holes from going all the way to the pan to prevent the milk mixture from going straight through the cake.

Close up of holes poked in lines across the top of a yellow cake.

With the cake still in the pan, slowly pour the tres leches mixture over the top.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap (it's okay for it to touch the surface of the cake), place it in the refrigerator and allow it to soak for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.

Eggnog tres leches mixture being slowly poured over the top of a cake in a pan.

Finally, make the whipped cream topping.

In a bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar on high until stiff peaks form.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator, cover with whipped cream and garnish generously with ground cinnamon.

Side view of a sliced eggnog tres leches cake topped with whipped cream with a bottle of eggnog, a bowl and a butter knife in the background.

Expert tips

Cake mix substitution: If you'd like to use a cake mix, you can substitute a white or vanilla box mix for the cake recipe in this post.
Make sure to whip the eggs and sugar for the full 2-3 minutes: This process creates additional leavening, and skipping it can result in a more compact, less fluffy cake.
Poke the holes ¾ of the way through the cake: Going all the way through can cause the milk mixture to run through too quickly, resulting in an uneven soak.
Working ahead: The cake can be made and soaked up to 5 days in advance. The whipped cream should be added immediately before serving.
Storage: Tres leches cakes should be covered and stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

A slice of cake missing a bite on a blue plate with more cake, a glass of eggnog and a white bowl in the background.

Adapting to other pan sizes

This recipe adapts well to other pans and serving sizes. Here are some general guidelines:

Round pan: Bake in a parchment paper lined 9" round cake pan until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes).
Sheet cake: Double the ingredients and bake in a 9" x 13" pan until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 35-45 minutes).
Cupcakes: Pour 3-4 tablespoons of batter into a cupcake liner lined pan and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Poke holes in the top of the cupcakes and divide the tres leches mixture evenly between them.

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