This eggnog tres leches cake is a festive holiday dessert you can make ahead and chill overnight. A light sponge soaks up a creamy eggnog milk mixture, then gets a fluffy eggnog whipped cream topping and a crushed gingersnap crunch right before serving. It’s sweet, spiced, and perfect for Christmas gatherings.
Eggnog Tres Leches Cake with Gingersnap Crunch is Christmas dessert at its most comforting!
I’ve been requesting tres leches cake since I was a little girl. My grandmother used to make it for my birthday, and it has been part of my birthday celebrations for as long as I can remember. My husband even started looking for tres leches cake in the area so I could have it for my birthday. It’s always been part of our family celebrations. I love tres leches so much because it’s so creamy and packed with flavor.
This is such a great twist for the holidays. You start with a light sponge, soak it in a creamy eggnog milk mixture, and finish it with fluffy eggnog whipped cream and a crushed gingersnap crunch right before serving.
The gingersnaps add a little spice and crunch on top of that sweet, creamy cake. It looks impressive, but the steps are simple, and the cake does most of the work overnight in the fridge. It’s the perfect twist for Christmas.
why you will love this eggnog tres leches cake
What I love most about this recipe is that it takes a cake I have loved my whole life and gives it a festive holiday twist. It’s creamy, spiced, and a little crunchy on top—everything you could want in a Christmas dessert. Plus, you can make it ahead and let it chill overnight, so you’re not at the stove when you should be with your family. And the best part? It looks like a showstopper on the dessert table.
This delicious cake is:
- Easy to Make
- Make-Ahead Dessert
- Crowd-Pleasing
- Festive Holiday Flavor
- Perfect for Christmas Gatherings
I love a make-ahead holiday recipe that lets me spend the morning with my family instead of at the stove, and this one does exactly that.
Shall we get started?
ingredients
To make this easy, festive eggnog tres leches cake you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online!
Here’s what we are working with:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- fine salt
- ground nutmeg
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- store-bought pasteurized eggnog (alcohol-free)
- evaporated milk
- sweetened condensed milk
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- store-bought gingersnap cookies
how to make eggnog tres leches cake with gingersnap crunch
the sponge
Prep the pan and dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan (glass or metal). In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
Beat the yolks: Beat the egg yolks with ¾ cup of the sugar on medium-high until thick and pale, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter will be thick.
Beat the whites: In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat to glossy, firm (not dry) peaks.
Fold and spread: Stir about a quarter of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.
Bake: Bake for 25–35 minutes, starting to check at 20 minutes. The cake is done when the top is light golden, springs back when pressed, and a toothpick comes out clean. Avoid overbaking, which makes a dry, tight crumb.
Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan until it’s no longer warm, about 1 hour.
the eggnog soak
Soak the cake in stages: Whisk the eggnog, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk together. Poke holes about 1 inch apart, going roughly three-quarters of the way down, not through to the bottom. Pour about ¾ cup of the soak evenly over the cake, including the corners and edges, then refrigerate for 15–20 minutes so the dairy stays cold while it absorbs. Keep adding ¾-cup portions the same way until the cake stops absorbing (the liquid sits on the surface or pools at the edges) or the soak is used up. Don’t force in all the liquid. Refrigerate any leftover soak.
Chill overnight: Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
the topping and gingersnap crunch
Add the topping: Beat the cold heavy cream, eggnog, powdered sugar, and vanilla to medium-soft peaks. Spread a modest, even layer over the cake and dust lightly with nutmeg. Keep the cake refrigerated.
Add the gingersnap crunch: Right before serving, scatter the crushed gingersnaps over the whole cake or over individual slices.
Serve: Serve the cake cold. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and don’t leave the cake out for more than 2 hours.
can you make this cake ahead?
Yes! After you soak the cake, cover it and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours or overnight. Add the whipped topping after the chill, and add the gingersnap crunch right before serving (or up to 1 hour ahead).
how should I store leftovers?
Serve the cake cold, then refrigerate leftovers promptly. Don’t leave the cake out for more than 2 hours.
eggnog tres leches FAQs
I recommend adding the crushed gingersnaps immediately before serving so they stay nice and crunchy. That said, they can remain crispy for up to 1 hour before serving if you want to get that step done a little early.
Yes! After you soak the cake, cover it and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours or overnight. Add the whipped topping after the chill, and add the gingersnap crunch right before serving (or up to 1 hour ahead).
Use store-bought, pasteurized eggnog (alcohol-free). The soak and topping don’t contain any raw eggs. The only eggs are in the sponge, and those are baked.
No. Pour it on in stages and stop if the cake stops absorbing, if liquid sits on the surface, or if it pools at the edges. Don’t force in all the liquid. Refrigerate any leftover soak.
Serve the cake cold, then refrigerate leftovers promptly. Don’t leave the cake out for more than 2 hours.
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It’s definitely one of those recipes worth saving. There’s nothing better than having what looks and tastes like a gourmet holiday dessert on the table, but one that you can make ahead and finish just before serving.
Please leave us a star review and comment if you make this delicious, family-loved eggnog tres leches cake.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I answer every single question as quickly as I can.
Happy cooking! And thanks for being part of our tribe, The Tasteful Tribe!
ENJOY!
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Eggnog Tres Leches Cake with Gingersnap Crunch
Ingredients
for the sponge
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 190 g
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 g, divided (¾ cup + ¼ cup)
- ⅓ cup whole milk, 80 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
for the eggnog soak (about 3¾ cups)
- 1½ cups store-bought pasteurized eggnog, 360 ml, cold
- 1 can evaporated milk, 12 fl oz / 354 ml
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk, about 230 g (less than a full 14-oz can; save the rest)
for the topping
- 1½ cups heavy cream, 360 ml, cold
- ¼ cup pasteurized eggnog, 60 ml, cold
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, 15 g
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg, for dusting
for the gingersnap crunch
- 10–12 store-bought gingersnap cookies, about 3 oz / 85 g, coarsely crushed (about ¾ cup of rough crumbs and small pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together.
- Beat the yolks with ¾ cup sugar on medium-high until thick and pale, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined; the batter will be thick.
- In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the whites to soft peaks. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat to glossy, firm (not dry) peaks.
- Stir about a quarter of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain. Spread evenly in the pan.
- Bake for 25–35 minutes, starting to check at 20 minutes, until the top is light golden, springs back when pressed, and a toothpick comes out clean. Avoid overbaking.
- Cool in the pan until no longer warm, about 1 hour.
- Whisk the soak ingredients together. Poke holes about 1 inch apart, roughly three-quarters of the way down (not through to the bottom). Pour about ¾ cup of soak evenly, including the corners and edges, then refrigerate the cake 15–20 minutes so the dairy stays cold while it absorbs. Keep adding ¾-cup portions the same way until the cake stops absorbing (liquid sits on the surface or pools at the edges) or the soak is used up. Don’t force in all the liquid. Refrigerate any leftover soak.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Beat the cold cream, eggnog, powdered sugar, and vanilla to medium-soft peaks. Spread a modest, even layer over the cake. Dust lightly with nutmeg. Keep refrigerated.
- Right before serving, scatter the crushed gingersnaps over the whole cake or over individual slices. For the crispiest topping, add it immediately before serving. It can remain crispy for up to 1 hour if added a little earlier.
- Serve cold. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and don’t leave the cake out for more than 2 hours.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch pan (glass or metal)
- Electric mixer
Notes
- Use store-bought, pasteurized eggnog (alcohol-free). The soak and topping contain no raw eggs. The only eggs are in the sponge, and they are baked.
- The ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk is less than a full 14-oz can. Save the rest.
- This cake can be cut into about 10 squares; nutrition is for 10 squares.
- For the crispiest topping, I recommend adding the crushed gingersnaps immediately before serving. They can remain crispy for up to 1 hour if you want to get that step done a little early.
