i have never made this cake before, but a good place to start might be here. i check this site out ALL. THE. TIME. mostly because of all the reviews! the recipe i linked to has over 200 of 'em, so you can read what worked, what didn't, and if you don't like the sound of that one, there are several others on the same site, just do a search.
good luck! you can do it!

I like the recipe and the discussion at this site: www.texascooking.com/features/sept2002treslechescakerecipe.htm

In the alternative, you can make a typical yellow cake and then do the poking holes and pouring stuff in and on thing.

Good Luck!

I've been checking out this recipe lately because it seems fairly simple.

http://www.cottageliving.com/cottage/food/article/0,21135,1083521,00.html

I'm planning on serving it to guests next month. Nice of you to volunteer to be a guinea pig, and test it for me. ;o)

Not sure if this is a help to you, but I have a great recipe for a very moist and luscious banana cake that I get compliments for every time I make it...and what's more important. IT'S AS EASY AS MUD!
It can be eaten as cake with coffee...or as a dsert, it's that delish!

Cook's Illustrated has a good one. I've made it myself twice and it came out great both times. Unfortunately the site is doing maintenance so I can't link you to it, but they'll probably be done with that shortly after I post this. :)

You do so many other things so well...why not see if the partner or someone at the restaurant -- or any random someone -- can do the baking?

You need NOT be all things to all people / tricks. Really. Once I accepted that, life got a lot more pleasant...and easier.

Alton brown makes a tres leche cake. And he's good at explaining things.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_36975,00.html

I have made this and loved it: http://www.chow.com/recipes/10649

Oh this cake is easy, but doesn't taste like it. I make it all the time. Your clients will love it.

Tres Leches Cake

1-½ cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
½ cup Unsalted butter
2 cups White sugar (divided)
5 Eggs
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla extract (divided)
1 cup Milk
½ of a 14-ounce can Sweetened condensed milk
½ of a 12-ounce can Evaporated milk
1/3 cup Liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Peach Schnapps,
1-½ cups Heavy (whipping) cream

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

When cake has finished baking, pierce it in 10-12 places with a fork or skewer, and let it cool. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and liqueur and pour over the top of the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Whipped Cream Topping: When ready to serve, combine the whipping cream and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 cup of sugar, whipping until thick. Spread over top of cake.

Because of the milk in the cake, it is very important that you keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

I'll second the Good Eats suggestion. I've never made it, but I can offer the transcript of the episode in which this cake was cooked. It includes a lot of helpful stuff that regular recipes don't cover. Good luck!

http://goodeatsfanpage.com/Season11/milk/milktran.htm

FW: try Epicurious.com

Lesley: please please pretty please tell us the banana cake recipe - my mouth is watering just thinking of having a (big)piece of that cake
with my morning coffee - Thank you!!

Oh, Food whore. I also HATE baking and have messed up many a cake. But I have willed myself to do it and bake and bake and bake. And the site The Joy of Baking is really helpful (although I have yet to experience the joy of it).
For small groups I always make a back up cake in case the "real" cake fails(see jamie Olivers site The Fridge cake- no baking no failure, no crumb left!). I sleep better that way!

I think this is wonderful: http://www.micocinalatina.com/recipes/detail.aspx?id=116509
You'll notice that some of the comments say things like "it tasted eggy". Well, yes, one should expect that when one makes a cake that has SIX EGGS IN IT.
I've made it and think it is elegant and delicious.

Oh you are all fabulous. Thank you.

Melody, I am going to make it and photograph it (I laugh as I type that) and let you know how it goes.

I made a good one from Martha Stewart once... it was delicious. And Saveur just published a delicious looking Tres Leches cake. I haven't tried it yet. Check on their websites.

Good luck!

In this world there are the cooks and there are the bakers. My niece is a fabulous cook but can't bake worth a damn. Me, I'm a plain cook but a good baker. When she invites me for dinner I always accept and always bring dessert.

I second Nana's comment. Find yourself a good baker and treat them well.

Check this out - http://www.recipezaar.com/11619 - and good luck!!

I am not a fan of using internet recipes for the most part - or recipes off of TV shows without making a tester first before offering it to the public (or more picky... the family)... but the Alton Brown version Carly posted above? It is delicious. It is wonderful, it is everything a tres leches cake is and needs

Oh cool. I can't wait to see how it turns out. The liquor you choose should depend on what flavor you want to highlight. I have done peach schnapps (kind of a southern feel) and the frangelica (little nutty). I can't wait to see what you choose.