Trileçe (Albanian: Trileçe, Turkish: Trileçe, Serbo-Croatian: Trileće) is a popular dessert in the Balkans, particularly in Albania^[1] and other Southeastern European countries. It consists of a light sponge cake soaked in a mixture of three types of milk (evaporated milk, condensed milk and whole milk), which gives it its name—derived from the Spanish Tres Leches (three milks).^[2]

The exact origins of Trilece are debated. However, the most likely explanation is that the popularity of Mexican soap operas in Albania led local chefs to reverse-engineer the Tres Leches cake, which then spread to Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegowina and other Southeastern European countries.^[3]

In Albania, Trileçe has become a widely beloved dessert, often regarded as a local specialty. The Albanian version is sometimes made literally with three types of milk: cow, goat, and water buffalo. However, more commonly, a mixture of cow's milk and cream is used.^[4] While Tres Leches Cake is typically topped with cream and fruit, the Albanian variation, Trileçe, usually features a caramel topping.^[1]

Trileçe consists of a standard cake base that is soaked in three kinds of milk ("tres leches" in Spanish). The milks used are evaporated, condensed, and whole milks. This mixture is poured over the baked sponge, allowing the milks to be absorbed to make a dessert with an almost pudding-like consistency. The cake is then topped with caramel or a whipped cream. It can also be adorned with strawberries, blueberries, fruit drizzle and cinnamon.^[4]

• Albanian cuisine
• Tres leches cake
• Latin American cuisine
• Mexican cuisine