This recipe, gleaned from the grandeur that is TikTok, originally had me skeptical, but after trying it out to great success, I’m posting it here in all its culinary blasphemy, and throwing caution to the Sandra Lee wind. It uses a box cake, and pumpkin, and melds the idea of a tres leches cake into its creation, so its wrong on just about every level you can think of, but the end result tastes oh-so-right. We don’t stand on kitchen ceremony here.
It’s a pumpkin tres leches cake, and you may find that it entirely replaces the need for the lackluster pumpkin pie that most people are simply over, particularly those who do the pumpkin thing out of obligation rather than genuine preference. It begins with a box of yellow or vanilla cake, mixed according to the instructions, then amended with an additional egg, a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, and a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (or just some cinnamon and nutmeg – this is a forgiving thing). Bake that in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. (You need not undercook to ensure a moist consistency – that comes later.)
After cooling for about 15 minutes, poke a bazillion holes in the cake (I used a fork and went up and down in neat little rows cause I’m a Virgo) and then cool another 15 minutes. In a bowl, mix 1 can sweetened and condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, and about 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Slowly pour this milk mixture (the tres leches of the title) onto the cake, allowing it to soak into every little hole. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least five hours).
Before serving, make the whipped topping, which is just 2 cups heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Whip that shit into the desired consistency, firm, but not butter-firm (kinda the state of my ass these days) and spread it out atop the cake (the whipped topping, not my ass).
This was an absolute hit with my family, including my niece and nephew, who have given the thumbs down to my last three cake concoctions, so it’s bound to please yours. It’s November. It’s time to consider your Thanksgiving menu. 
