This red velvet cheesecake tres leches is what summer dessert dreams are made of! It starts with a plush red velvet sponge cake soaked in a classic tres leches mixture made with whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk, then topped with a velvety, no-bake cheesecake layer that’s light, creamy, and ridiculously good.

red velvet cheesecake tres leches on a plate

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The sponge cake comes together more easily than the one in my strawberry tres leches cake—no separating egg whites from yolks here. Just whole eggs whipped until fluffy, then folded with sour cream, oil, and a hint of coconut extract for perfectly elevated, chocolatey red velvet flavor. It’s decadent, nostalgic, and so so much easier than it looks!

Looking for more classic summer desserts with a twist? Try this lemon blueberry banana pudding, this lemon blueberry crumb cheesecake or these brown butter s’mores cookies!

Key Ingredients for the Red Velvet Cake

All-purpose flour. Has enough gluten to support the structure of the sponge cake. The gluten also helps to prevent the cake collapsing or turning into soggy mush once all the tres leches milk mixture is added.

Cocoa powder. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder is used for the chocolate flavor in a classic red velvet cake.

Granulated sugar. Sweetens the cake but also helps to stabilize the whipped eggs so they don’t deflate.

Eggs. Whole eggs are used in this red velvet tres leches recipe and, unlike in my strawberry tres leches recipe, they don’t need to be separated!

Neutral-flavored oil. Helps keep the cake soft after refrigeration as well as potentiating the flavors a bit.

Sour cream. Adds a slight tangy flavor to the red velvet cake. Used instead of buttermilk which can be a little difficult to find.

Lemon juice. Contributes to the tangy flavor in the red velvet cake but also adds a light floral flavor as opposed to vinegar that is typically used and can have a overpowering astringent taste.

Coconut extract. Don’t knock it ’til you try it! Coconut flavor complements the subtle chocolate flavor perfectly.

Red food coloring. I prefer gel coloring for a more vibrant flavor without having to use a ton of pigment. If you opt for a natural based coloring it will likely have a less vibrant hue. Some natural colorings like this one also lean more towards a purple hue than a true red.

Tres Leches mixture. Condensed milk, evaporated milk & whole milk are used for the milk mixture in this red velvet tres leches cake.

ingredients for red velvet cheesecake tres leches - all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, coconut extract, red food coloring, sour cream, oil, lemon juice, whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and white chocolate

Key Ingredients for the No-Bake Cheesecake

Cream cheese. Creamy texture with a sweet and mildly tart flavor – a classic cheesecake choice.

White chocolate. Used instead of gelatin to help the cheesecake set an also contributes a little sweetness.

Confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar). Incorporates more easily in a no-bake cheesecake than granulated sugar and includes anti-caking agents which help to cheesecake to set.

Heavy whipping cream. Whipped to give the cheesecake a fluffy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tres leches? Tres leches is a classic Latin American cake. It typically comprises of a simple sponge cake soaked in 3 different kinds of milk and topped with a simple whipped cream. This recipe has a fun twist with the cake being a red velvet sponge and the topping being a fluffy, no-bake cheesecake!

What are the three milks in tres leches cake? The answer will differ from on household to the next but most tres leches recipes will have two milks in common – evaporated and condensed milk. The third milk is usually either whole milk (used in this recipe) or heavy cream. This is usually up to personal preference.

Does tres leches cake have butter or oil? Many traditional tres leches will not include any fat in the sponge cake recipe (apart from the egg yolks). In regular cakes, butter and oil contribute flavor and what is perceived as “moistness.” This isn’t needed in tres leches recipes since the cake is subsequently saturated in milk, having a “drier” sponge works in your favor since it will soak up more of milk mixture. In this red velvet tres leches recipe oil and sour cream are incorporated to help carry the flavors in the red velvet cake!

Does this cake have to be refrigerated? Yes. Between the milk soak for the tres leches cake and the no bake cheesecake topping this recipe is best served cold or at least cool. Due to the dairy it should be stored in the refrigerator after 2 hours out at room temperature

red velvet cheesecake tres leches in a baking pan

Tips for the Best Red Velvet Cheesecake Tres Leches

Use an oven thermometer. Ovens can have hotspots or run hotter or cooler than the displayed reading. Using a thermometer takes out the guess work and ensures that the cake rises evenly and not too fast. I use this one and hang it from one of the racks in my oven over my baking rack. Make sure you leave enough space for the cake to rise!

Use the metric measurements – especially for the sponge cake. It’s really important for this cake to be balanced. Too much flour and the cake will be dense. Too little and it’ll sink. Weighing ingredients in grams is the best best for perfect, predictable and consistent results
If you insist on using imperial measurements and using measuring cups make sure you spoon the flour into the measuring cups to avoid packing.

Leave the oven door closed! Sponge cakes are pretty sensitive to changes in temperature during baking. Opening the oven door in the middle of baking will let out all of hot air, drastically dropping the temperature in the oven and possibly causing the cake to sink. Don’t open the the door before the 25 minute mark to check on doneness.

Wait for the red velvet cake to cool completely before pouring on the tres leches mixture and layering the cheesecake topping. During cooling the cakes structure continues to set. Pouring the tres leches mixture on before it cools could cause the cake to lose volume and become dense. In addition, the weight of the cheesecake on top before the structure sets can cause the cake to sink – resulting in a dense cake.

How to Make the Red Velvet Sponge Cake

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2. In a small bowl mix the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Mix to evenly incorporate.

Step 3. Add the whole eggs & granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy and ribbons on itself.

Step 4. With the mixer still going at high speed add in the sour cream, oil, vanilla extract & coconut extract.

Step 5. Turn the mixer down the low speed and spoon in the flour mixture from earlier. Add about a ¼ cup at a time, waiting until the last addition has completely mixed in before adding another.
Adding all the flour at once can deflate the whipped eggs.

Step 6. With the mixer still on low, add the lemon juice along with the red food coloring and mix until the color is even.

red velvet sponge cake batter in a glass bowl

Step 7. Pour the batter into a 9×13 inch baking pan prepared with baking spray and bake for 25-35 minutes. When done the cake should bounce back when pressed lightly. If using the toothpick method to check for doneness, the cake is ready when the toothpick comes out clean.

red velvet cake batter in a 9x13 inch baking pan

Step 8. Once the cake is done allow it to cool completely in the pan before adding the tres leches milk mixture. Unlike some sponge cake recipes this cake doesn’t need to be inverted straight out of the oven.

Make the Tres Leches Milk Mixture

Step 1. Once the cake has cooled prepare the tres leches mixture. Pour the whole milk, evaporated milk & condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan. Heat for 2-3 minutes or until mixture is warm but still comfortable on the back of your hand.

Step 2. Once the cake has cooled completely use a fork to poke holes through the cake. Don’t be afraid to poke all the way through the cake to the bottom of the pan – this ensures all of the tres leches milk mixture soaks into and through the cake.

red velvet sponge cake with fork holes poke into it for a tres leches cake

Step 3. Pour the tres leches mixture across the top of the cake. Be sure pour evenly across the cake getting along the edges and corners. The milk mixture will start to soak in immediately. It may look the cake needs more but trust me, it will be more than enough!
Prepare the cheesecake batter to add on top before refrigerating the cake.

tres leches milk mixture soaking into red velvet sponge cake

Make the No-Bake Cheesecake Topping

Step 1. In a small, microwave-safe bowl add the white chocolate and a ½ cup of the heavy cream. Microwave in 20-second increments until all the chocolate is melted. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid the chocolate seizing. Set aside.

Step 2. Add the rest of the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer along with 60 grams (½ cup) of the confectioner’s sugar. Whip on high speed until firm peaks form. Transfer to a separate bowl to incorporate into the cheesecake batter later.

Step 3. Add the softened cream cheese and the rest of the confectioner’s sugar to the, now empty, mixer bowl with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until smooth and fluffy.

cream cheese whipped with confectioner's sugar

Step 4. Add the melted chocolate from earlier to the whipped cream cheese and whip again until smooth.

cream cheese whipped with white chocolate

Step 5. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and whip a final time to ensure that the mixture is completely smooth without any chunks.

Step 6. Gently fold in the whipped heavy cream from earlier into the cheesecake batter until it is completely incorporated.

Step 7. Spread the cheesecake batter evenly across the top of the cake. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow the cake to rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.

red velvet tres leches cheesecake in a pan

Serve cold, refrigerating after 2 hours at room temperature.