Fruity Pebbles Tres Leches Cake (Cereal Milk Cake)
This Fruity Pebbles Tres Leches Cake is a soft sponge cake soaked in concentrated cereal milk and a balanced tres leches mixture, then topped with fluffy whipped cream and crunchy Fruity Pebbles. Moist, vibrant, and perfectly balanced without sogginess.
Servings 12 slices
Calories 335kcal
Cost $12 for entire recipe
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fine mesh strainer
- saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fork or skewer (for poking holes)
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 1 cup 120g all-purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 large eggs separated
- ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp neutral oil
Fruity Pebbles Cereal Milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2½ cups Fruity Pebbles cereal lightly crushed
Tres Leches Soak
- 1½ cups prepared cereal milk
- ¾ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Garnish
- 1–1½ cups Fruity Pebbles cereal
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until thick and pale.
- Mix in milk, vanilla, and oil until smooth.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Add remaining sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
- Fold the egg whites into the batter in 2–3 additions, keeping the batter light and airy.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 26–28 minutes, until set.
- Let cake cool completely.
Step 2: Make Fruity Pebbles Cereal Milk
- Heat milk until steaming (do not boil).
- Add crushed Fruity Pebbles and let steep for 25 minutes.
- Stir and lightly mash once or twice.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing firmly.
- 👉 Measure exactly 1½ cups cereal milk.
Step 3: Prepare the Tres Leches Soak
- In a bowl, whisk together the cereal milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla until fully combined.
Step 4: Soak the Cake
- Poke evenly spaced holes across the cooled cake.
- Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake in 4 stages, letting it absorb between each addition.
- 👉 The cake is ready when the surface looks glossy, no liquid is pooling, and it feels evenly saturated.
Step 5: Chill
- Cover and refrigerate for 6–8 hours or overnight.
Step 6: Make the Whipped Topping
- Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until soft-medium peaks form.
- Spread evenly over the chilled cake.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
- Top with Fruity Pebbles just before serving.
- Slice and serve chilled.
Notes
- Measure the cereal milk after straining to ensure consistent Fruity Pebbles flavor in your tres leches cake. This prevents a weak or diluted cereal milk taste.
- Do not oversoak the cake. Slowly pouring the tres leches mixture in stages allows the sponge cake to absorb evenly without becoming soggy.
- Use about 2½ to 2¾ cups of soak total for a perfectly moist tres leches cake with clean slices.
- Lightly crush the Fruity Pebbles before steeping to extract maximum flavor into the cereal milk.
- Chill the cake for at least 6–8 hours or overnight for the best texture and fully developed flavor.
- Add the Fruity Pebbles topping just before serving to keep it crunchy and prevent it from becoming soft.
- A light, airy sponge cake is key for proper absorption—avoid overmixing the batter to maintain structure.
- Lemon zest enhances the fruity cereal flavor without making the cake taste citrusy.
- For stronger cereal milk flavor, steep the cereal the full 25 minutes and press firmly when straining.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for best freshness and texture.