This pumpkin pie tres leches recipe is for everyone that brings their Thanksgiving turkey in Cuban mojo. For the children and grandchildren of immigrants who’s Thanksgiving meals include side dishes from their parent’s homeland like pupusas, frijoles negros, yuca or gallo pinto. As a second generation immigrant myself, traditionally American celebrations always call for a marriage of both American food and food from my parent’s country of origin.
As the daughter of immigrants, I am forever caught between the country that I have called home my entire life and the culture/traditions my parents have passed down to me. To me, a Thanksgiving meal is not complete without a pumpkin pie and the Macy’s parade.
However, my mom scoffs at the idea of a pie served on Thanksgiving that is made from pumpkin, her exact words are, “Pie de Calabaza?! Mija, eso no es comida!” So there is always a flan or arroz con leche next to my pumpkin pie. Being born in the US to immigrant parents, I’m caught between two cultures. I’ve assimilated to life in the US and I always find myself incorporating aspects of my heritage into everyday life. Whether it’s the way we drive or literal translations to Hispanic idioms, our culture is engrained in everything we do.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the food we eat. We (second and third generation immigrants) take traditionally American foods or holidays and give them an immigrant twist by mixing in our roots. This year, I’m making a pumpkin pie tres leches with torched maple meringue. This will be my attempt to win over my mother and show her calabaza ain’t so bad. The fact that there’s a quarter cup of bourbon in the recipe, also helps soften the blow.
what is tres leches cake?
Tres leches cake is a light, airy sponge cake that is soaked in a mixture of three kinds of milk, giving it its signature ultra-moist texture. The name tres leches literally translates to "three milks" in Spanish. Despite being saturated with the milk mixture, a properly made tres leches cake is rich and creamy without becoming soggy.
The three milks traditionally used are:
- Sweetened condensed milk for sweetness and richness.
- Evaporated milk for a creamy, slightly caramelized flavor.
- Whole milk or heavy cream to balance the mixture and add moisture.
The cake itself is typically made with a sponge or chiffon-style batter, which is light enough to absorb the milk mixture without falling apart. After soaking for several hours or overnight, it's usually topped with whipped cream, meringue, or fresh fruit before serving.
This cake must be stored in the refrigerator. You can store it in the fridge for upto 3 days in an airtight container.
How is this pumpkin pie tres leches different from traditional?
This tres leches cake contains pumpkin puree, ¼ cup of bourbon and pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. The meringue topping also contains maple syrup to compliment the cake's pumpkin pie flavors.
Top 5 Key Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Tres Leches with Meringue
Check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
- Pumpkin Purée – The star ingredient that gives the cake its signature pumpkin flavor, beautiful color, and incredibly moist texture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – A key component of the tres leches soak, adding rich sweetness and helping create the cake's creamy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
- Evaporated Milk – Balances the sweetness of the condensed milk while adding a smooth, creamy texture to the classic tres leches mixture.
- Pumpkin Pie Spices (Ceylon Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger & Cloves) – This warm blend of spices gives the cake its cozy pumpkin pie flavor, making it perfect for fall and holiday gatherings.
- Bourbon – Added to both the cake batter and the milk syrup, bourbon enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors with warm notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak without overpowering the dessert.
Instructions to make this pumpkin tres leches
Bake your tres leches cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Beat the whites until very foamy and frothy and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and bourbon with an electric mixer.
- Continue mixing and slowly add the milk and pumpkin puree. Slowly add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Finally, use a spatula to gently fold in the beaten egg whites until mixed.
- Pour batter into a prepared 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for 25 minutes.
- Use a skewer or knife to pierce holes throughout the cake.
Make your three milks mixture
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and bourbon in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the milk mixture over the cake a little at a time, until it soaks through. Keep doing this until most of the milk syrup is absorbed. Cover the now milk-drenched cake in and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before frosting.
Make your meringue frosting
- For the meringue frosting, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a large bowl until they form stiff peaks and set aside. In a separate pan, mix the water, sugar and corn syrup.
- Cook over a high heat, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer reads 230°F. Remove from heat.
- While beating the egg whites with an electric mixer, immediately pour the hot syrup into the egg whites slowly. Continue beating for about five minutes, while beating the eggs pour in the maple syrup.
- Let frosting cool in refrigerator. With a wet spatula, spread a thick layer of the frosting on the cake.
- At this point, you can serve the cake as is or you can lightly torch the top of your meringue with a handheld blowtorch.
Variations/substitutions for this pumpking thanksgiving dessert recipe
Variations and Substitutions for Pumpkin Pie Tres Leches with Meringue
Enhance the flavor: Add a teaspoon of maple extract or a splash of vanilla extract to the cake batter or milk mixture for additional warmth and depth of flavor.
Top with whipped cream: If you prefer, replace the toasted meringue with homemade whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream for an equally delicious finish.
Use homemade pumpkin purée: Homemade pumpkin purée can be substituted for canned pumpkin purée. Just be sure it's well-drained so the cake doesn't become too moist.
Adjust the spices: Customize the flavor by adding more cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, or pumpkin pie spice to suit your taste.
Add a crunchy topping: Sprinkle crushed graham crackers, gingersnap cookies, toasted pecans, or candied pecans over the meringue for extra texture and a pumpkin pie-inspired finish.
Make it boozy: Add a splash of bourbon, dark rum, or spiced rum to the tres leches mixture for an adult-friendly dessert.
Swap the milk mixture: If you don't have evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk, use your favorite homemade tres leches mixture while keeping the overall liquid ratio similar.
Add dulce de leche: Drizzle dulce de leche or caramel sauce over each slice before serving for an extra indulgent dessert.
Try a different topping: Instead of meringue, top the cake with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon whipped cream, or mascarpone whipped cream for a richer variation.
Make it gluten-free: Substitute your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the all-purpose flour to make a gluten-free version.
Storage Instructions for this pumpkin dessert
Storage Instructions for Pumpkin Pie Tres Leches with Meringue
Make Ahead Tip: You can bake the cake and soak it with the tres leches mixture 1–2 days in advance. Add and torch the fresh meringue topping the day you plan to serve it for the best appearance and texture.
Refrigerator: Because this cake is soaked in a tres leches mixture and topped with meringue, it should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it in an airtight cake container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap.
Best Served Chilled: This dessert tastes best cold. For the best flavor and texture, let it chill for at least 4 hours before serving, and enjoy it straight from the refrigerator.
Freezing: The fully assembled cake with the meringue topping is not recommended for freezing, as the milk mixture and meringue can separate and become watery when thawed.
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Pumpkin Pie Tres Leches Recipe
Ingredients
- Cake Batter:
- 2 Cups cake flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon of baking soda
- ¾ Teaspoon salt
- 5 Large eggs separated
- 2 Cups sugar
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons of Bourbon
- 1 Can of Pumpkin Puree
- 2.5 Teaspoons of Ceylon Cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon of Nutmeg
- A pinch of ginger
- A pinch of cloves
- ½ cup whole milk
- Milk Syrup:
- 1 14-ounce Can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ¼ Cups heavy cream
- 1 14-ounce Can evaporated milk
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon
- Meringue Frosting
- 4 Egg whites
- ½ Teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ Cup water
- 2 Tablespoons of real maple syrup
- 1 Cup light corn syrup
- 1 ½ Cups sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Beat the whites until very foamy and frothy and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and bourbon with an electric mixer.
- Continue mixing and slowly add the milk and pumpkin puree. Slowly add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Finally, use a spatula to gently fold in the beaten egg whites until mixed.
- Pour batter into a prepared 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for 25 minutes.
- Use a skewer or knife to pierce holes throughout the cake.
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and bourbon in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the milk mixture over the cake a little at a time, until it soaks through. Keep doing this until most of the milk syrup is absorbed. Cover the now milk-drenched cake in and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before frosting.
- For the meringue frosting, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a large bowl until they form stiff peaks and set aside. In a separate pan, mix the water, sugar and corn syrup.
- Cook over a high heat, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer reads 230°F. Remove from heat.
- While beating the egg whites with an electric mixer, immediately pour the hot syrup into the egg whites slowly. Continue beating for about five minutes, while beating the eggs pour in the maple syrup.
- Let frosting cool in refrigerator. With a wet spatula, spread a thick layer of the frosting on the cake. At this point, you can serve the cake as is or you can lightly torch the top of your meringue with a handheld blowtorch.
Doug says
This recipe is awesome! Flavor is great and the cake texture is perfect. The only addition I have made is fresh whip and adding a tsp of instant coffee to the fresh whip. This gives a tasty contrast, but the recipe is a winner! Thank you
Andrea says
I was informed that I am no longer allowed to make any other dessert for Thanksgiving.