Cookies and cream fans will love this twist on tres leches cake. Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies are stirred into the cake batter and fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting for that cookies and cream experience. Betty Crocker™ French vanilla cake mix makes this dessert a breeze to make!
Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this easy Cookies and Cream Tres Leches Cake.
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: This cake is not a cookies and cream cake without the cookies! You will need about 20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies for this cake.
French Vanilla Cake Mix: The perfect base for this cake. Betty Crocker cake mix saves time and guarantees a delicious, fluffy, and moist cake.
Eggs: An extra egg is incorporated into the batter for richness and a little more lift for an even fluffier cake.
Milks: One can each of evaporated and sweetened condensed milk, plus half a cup of heavy cream make up the trio of milks needed for this cake.
Cream Cheese: This adds body and stability to the traditional whipped cream frosting.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Vegetable oil, whole milk, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream.
Follow these tips for making this easy Cookies and Cream Tres Leches Cake. See the recipe for full instructions.
Use a food processor to grind the cookies into fine crumbs. Otherwise, place the cookies in a resealable food-storage plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Add the cookie crumbs to the dry cake mix, along with the other ingredients. This easy batter comes together quickly with an electric hand mixer.
Bake the cake for about 20 minutes, the top and edges will be golden, and the top will spring back to the touch. Poke the baked cake all over with a skewer or fork.
While the cake cools, mix the three milks together. Pour the milk mixture over the cake—it’s okay if it is still warm! Chill the cake for at least 1 hour.
Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and lump free before adding the heavy whipping cream. Beat to a soft, medium peak, then fold in the cookie crumbs. Chill at least 1 hour before cutting. Garnish with additional crushed cookies.
Follow these tips for storing Cookies and Cream Tres Leches Cake.
Since this cake has a lot of dairy elements, it is crucial to keep it refrigerated! Store leftover tres leches cake in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
Freezing this cake is not recommended as the texture will not hold up well to freezing.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray or melted butter.
In a large bowl, mix cake mix and 1/2 cup crushed cookies.
Add the milk, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down side and bottom of bowl; beat an additional 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.
Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Using a fork or skewer, poke holes in the surface of the cake.
In a medium bowl, whisk the Tres Leches ingredients until blended. Pour evenly over the cake, tilting the pan as needed to cover any dry spots. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer running, add the heavy cream. Beat until medium peaks form. Fold in 1/4 cup crushed cookies. Spread over the chilled cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Just before serving, top with additional chopped or crushed cookies. Slice and serve. Store in the refrigerator.
Beat the frosting to a soft, medium peak. The cookie crumbs will add body and help stiffen the cream.
Crush the cookies in a resealable food-storage plastic bag using a mallet or rolling pin until you have a fine crumb.
