Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is the indulgent chocolate version of the traditional Tres Leches Cake. Rich chocolate cake is soaked in a chocolate milk mixture made with three different kinds of milk, then topped with the most luscious chocolate whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings, this easy Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is creamy, moist and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

✔️ Chocolate Tres Leches Cake at a Glance

• Main Ingredients: All-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk.
• Dietary Information: Contains dairy, eggs and gluten.
• What you Need to Know: This easy cake recipe makes a rich chocolate cake with a luscious and creamy texture. The right balance of ingredients makes the cake sweet without being overly sweet.
• Why this Recipe Works? The air bubbles created by whipping the egg whites, gives the cake a lift making it fluffy and ready to soak up the milk mixture without getting drenched.
• How Does Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Taste Like? Scrumptious and not overly sweet. Chocolate three milks cake tastes like a decadent cup of hot cocoa. The chocolate whipped topping, a light dusting of cinnamon, plus the chocolate curls or shavings on top of the cake add warmth and a taste reminiscent of the best Mexican hot chocolate.
• Pros: Bake and soak the cake the day before serving it.

🔎 What’s Chocolate Tres Leches Cake?

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake aka Chocolate Three Milks Cake is the chocolate version of the classic Mexican dessert Tres Leches Cake, which gets its name from the three different types of milk used to make it.

The cake is a chocolate sponge cake made without oil or butter. Sponge cakes get their light and fluffy consistency from airy whipped eggs folded into the cake batter.

After is baked, the sponge cake is poked with a wooden skewer or fork and soaked in a three-milk cocoa mixture made with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and cocoa powder. This adds richness, moisture, and sweetness to this popular dessert.

🔎 What’s in Chocolate Tres Leches Cake?

✔️ Ingredients and Substitutions

This is a partial list of ingredients. For the full list and quantities check the recipe card below.

✔️ For the Chocolate Sponge Cake:

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: You can use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder for this cake recipe.
• Flour: This recipe has been tested with all-purpose flour. If you wish, you can experiment with gluten-free flour.
• Eggs: I use large eggs. Although its better to bake with room-temperature eggs, it’s easier to separate the egg whites from the yolks while the eggs are cold (from the fridge). Separate the eggs first and keep them at room temperature for about 10-12 minutes to take the chill out.
• Other: Baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract.

✔️ For the Tres Leches Mixture:

• Whole Milk: Using regular milk (whole milk) instead of reduced fat or fat-free milk guarantees a moist, but not soggy cake.
• Evaporated Milk: Canned evaporated milk is shelf-stabilized cow’s milk that provides the thick and rich texture of condensed milk without the added sugars.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: The key ingredient in tres leches cake! The rich and glorious sweet flavor of sweetened condensed milk makes all the difference. Do not use the fat-free or unsweetened version of this product. Doing so can result in a soggy cake.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This ingredient gives the sweet milk mixture a hot chocolate taste. You can use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch Process cocoa.

✔️ For the Chocolate Whipped Cream:

• Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: To make homemade whipped cream to use as topping (frosting).
• Chocolate: Semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate shavings or curls are added to top the cake for added chocolate flavor! For ease, use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate.
• Other: Granulated sugar or powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and unsweetened cocoa powder.

🔎 How to Make Chocolate Tres Leches?

✔️ To Make the Chocolate Sponge Cake

1. Preheat the oven and spray a 9×13 cake pan with cooking spray. 
2. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cups of sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the milk and the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

1. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients mixing until just combined.
2. In a separate bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the whip attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy or until soft peaks form. Switch to medium-high and gradually add the remaining sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.

1. In 2 or 3 additions, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter with a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix to avoid deflating the fluffy whipped egg whites.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the cake completely.

✔️ The Chocolate Three Milk Mixture

1. In a large measuring cup or a pitcher, mix together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and cocoa powder.

1. Once the cake has cooled completely, poke holes all over the top of the cake with a wooden skewer or a fork
2. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around.
3. Place the cake in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or overnight so the cake can soak up the milks.

✔️ The Whipped Topping

1. Whip the heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
2. Spread over the cake and garnish with chocolate shavings or curls and cinnamon.

🔎 How Long Do You Soak Chocolate Tres Leches Cake?

Pour the milk mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Longer time (6 hours to overnight) is best.

🔎 Should Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Bet Wet?

This cake turns out super moist because it’s soaked in a combination of three types of milk. When you cut up the cake, you most likely will see a small puddle of chocolate liquid mixture at the bottom of the pan or plate. However, the cake is sturdy enough to be cut up into small servings and should not fall apart.

✔️ Storing and Freezing Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you want to make the cake 2 days in advance, I recommend you wait to make and to top the cake with the whipped cream topping. Whipped cream tends to deflate a bit by losing volume.

If properly wrapped and stored, the sponge cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months (before pouring the three milk mixture to soak up the cake). Thaw out and proceed to combine and pour the milk mixture over the cake.

Take a look at these other easy dessert recipes:

• Best Homemade Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
• Coca Cola Cake Recipe
• The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

4.75 from 4 reviews

Kathy McDaniel

This easy Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a rich chocolate cake soaked in a chocolate milk mixture made with three different kinds of milk, then topped with the most luscious chocolate whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Print Pin

Prep 20 minutes mins

Cook 25 minutes mins

Chilling Time 2 hours hrs

Total 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Makes 12 servings

Equipment

• 9 x 13 Baking Dish

Ingredients 

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For the Cake

• ▢ 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch processed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 5 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
• ▢ ½ cup whole milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the 3 Milks

• ▢ 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ ½ cup whole milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

For the Whipped Topping

• ▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar or powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch processed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnishes:

• ▢ 4 ounces shaved semisweet chocolate, optional
• ▢ Fresh mint, optional
• ▢ Ground cinnamon, optional

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. and grease a 9 x13-inch baking pan with cooking or baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together and set aside.
3. Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cups of sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the milk and the vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
6. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients mixing until just combined.
7. In a separate bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the whip attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy. Switch to medium-high and gradually add the remaining 1/4 of sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.
8. In 2 or 3 additions, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter with a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix to avoid deflating the fluffy whipped egg whites.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and cool the cake completely.

The Milks:

1. In a large measuring cup or a pitcher, mix together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and cocoa powder.
2. Once the cake has cooled completely, use a skewer or a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
3. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around.
4. Place the cake in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or overnight so the cake can soak up the milks.

The Topping:

1. Whip the heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
2. Spread the chocolate whipped topping evenly over the top of the cake. Garnish with chocolate curls or chocolate shavings if desired.

Notes

• Folding Egg Whites: Be gentle when folding the whipped egg whites into the batter to prevent the airy bubbles from deflating. The fluffy whites lift the cake and give it a light crumb.
• Soaking: After pouring the milk mixture over the cake, allow it to rest in the fridge for at least two hours before serving it. Overnight is best!
• Very Moist: When you cut up the cake, you most likely will see a small puddle of chocolate liquid mixture at the bottom of the pan and/or plate. This is normal however, the cake should not collapse or or fall apart.
• Making Cupcakes: This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes. Use a regular cupcake tray with paper liners and bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
• Substitutions: I don’t recommend using fat-free milk or 2% milk instead of whole milk for the three-milks mixture. Doing so can result in a soggy cake.
• Optional Addition 1: Sprinkle the cake with chopped toasted nuts such as pecans or walnuts or with mini chocolate chips.
• Optional Addition 2: Espresso powder brings out the flavor of chocolate making it more delectable. Add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the cake batter and/or 1/2 teaspoon to the milk mixture.
• Storing: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you want to make the cake 2 days in advance, wait to add the whipped cream topping until 1-2 hours before serving.
• Freezing: The sponge cake freezes well for up to 3 months, without the milk mixture poured over the cake and without the whipped topping. Make sure to wrap the cake properly to prevent freezer burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 371 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 22 g, Saturated Fat: 13 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 0.01 g, Cholesterol: 125 mg, Sodium: 145 mg, Potassium: 284 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 28 g, Vitamin A: 734 IU, Vitamin C: 0.2 mg, Calcium: 93 mg, Iron: 2 mg

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