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eggnog tres leches cake with gingersnap crunch in a white baking dish, topped with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap cookies

Eggnog Tres Leches Cake with Gingersnap Crunch

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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.
Author: Sarah Troester
Servings: 10 squares
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cool & Chill Time: 9 hours
Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes

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 9x13-inch pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together.
    Ingredients for eggnog tres leches cake with gingersnap crunch, including eggnog, milks, cream, eggs, flour and cookies
  • 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.
    Egg yolk batter for eggnog tres leches cake in a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment
  • 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.
    Whipped egg whites being folded into eggnog tres leches cake batter in a mixing bowl
  • 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.
    Freshly baked eggnog tres leches sponge cake in a white 9x13 baking dish, golden on top and ready to soak
  • 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.
    Pouring the creamy eggnog milk soak over the poked sponge cake in a white baking dish
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
    The soaked cake in a white baking dish, with a bowl of whipped cream and crushed gingersnaps ready for topping.
  • 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.
    The soaked eggnog tres leches cake in a white baking dish, covered with whipped cream.
  • 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.
    eggnog tres leches cake with gingersnap crunch in a white baking dish, topped with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap cookies
  • Serve cold. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and don’t leave the cake out for more than 2 hours.
    A square of eggnog tres leches cake with whipped cream and crushed gingersnaps being lifted from the pan on a spatula.

Equipment

  • 9x13-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.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcal