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Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a chocolate twist on a classic Mexican dessert. This chilled treat is rich and decadent!

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is similar to our classic Tres Leches Cake, but chocolate-y. If you love Mexican desserts, you’ll also love Fried Ice Cream, Churros, and Flan.

A slice of chocolate tres leches cake with a bite missing.


Chocolate + Tres Leches Cake

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a tasty twist on a classic Mexican dessert our family loves!!

But, what is Tres Leches?

Tres Leches is Spanish for “three milks”. It is a baked sponge cake soaked with a combination of 3 types of milk – sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half, and evaporated milk.

For this recipe, you add cocoa powder to the milk mixture and make a chocolate cake so you get a nice chocolatey version.

Try our Easy Tres Leches Cake (with Cake Mix) or our classic Tres Leches Cake for a more classic version.

Ingredients for chocolate tres leches cake ready for baking.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

BATTER. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, chocolate milk, canola oil, and eggs until well combined (about 2 minutes) with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Pour into greased pan.

BAKE. Bake for 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork.

MILK LAYER. In a medium bowl, whisk sweetened condensed milk, half and half, evaporated milk, and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder until cocoa powder is fully mixed into the milks.

CHILL. Pour this evenly over the cake. Refrigerate for at least  4 hours or overnight.

Combining three milks for chocolate tres leches cake.

Cake TOPPING

DRY INGREDIENTS. Make the topping by first sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl.

WHIPPED CREAM. Make whipped cream by beating heavy cream in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.

COMBINE. Add half the sugar/cocoa mix and beat until incorporated. Add the rest of the sugar/cocoa mix and beat on medium-high heat until soft peaks form.

SERVE! Spread chocolate whipped cream over the cake right before serving as well as chocolate curls. Drizzle with chocolate syrup for even more chocolate flavor!

How to make chocolate curls

All you need is a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. 

  • Choose a high-quality chocolate bar. Use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate. The chocolate bar needs to be at room temperature otherwise it will be too hard to create curls. 
  • Peel the short side for short curls or the long side for larger curls.

Recipe Tips

Texture. If the sponge cake doesn’t absorb the milk mixture after being refrigerated for several hours, it may have been overmixed, creating a denser cake.

It’s really important that the sponge cake is light and airy so that the milk has ample places to settle.

Gluten-free. Make your own chocolate sponge cake, including gluten-free cake, and then soak it with the tres leches milk mixture.

Cake mix. Follow the directions on the recipe and not the directions on the box. Use a box cake mix between 15-18 oz. 

Easy cleanup. Grease and flour a cake pan, or line the bottom with parchment paper. This will allow the cake pieces to be more easily removed from the pan.

Poking holes. Once the cake has been baked and cooled for a bit, poke holes all over the cake using a fork or a wooden skewer.

Variations. Add a tsp of ground cinnamon for a tasty flavor variation.

Chocolate whipped topping in a bowl for topping chocolate tres leches cake.

Make Chocolate Tres Leches Cupcakes

Just like with other cake recipes, this can easily be turned into some amazing cupcakes.

  1.  Make the cake batter as directed, but bake them using aluminum or silicone cupcake liners. (The paper liners won’t hold the milk mixture). 
  2. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  3. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes before poking holes in them. 
  4. Drizzle the 3 milk mixture evenly over the cupcakes. 
  5. Top with whipped cream frosting and chocolate shavings.
Chocolate tres leches cake topped with whipped frosting and chocolate shavings.

Storing Info

Tres Leches cake is best when eaten within the first couple of days.

Make ahead of time. If you are purposefully making the cake ahead of time, I recommend storing the cake and the whipped cream topping separately. Frost the cake before serving.

STORE covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.

  • If the fridge is too cold, the milk mixture may partially freeze and produce a hard cake. Simply let the cake sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.

FREEZE for up to 3 months. Freeze it with or without the whipped cream topping. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Slice of chocolate tres leches cake topped with whipped topping and chocolate shavings.

Recipe FAQ

Why is the cake not absorbing the milk?

If the sponge cake doesn’t absorb the milk mixture after being refrigerated for several hours, it may have been over-mixed. This creates a denser cake. The sponge cake must be light and airy so the milk has ample places to settle.

How long does tres leches take to absorb milk?

We like to leave ours in the fridge for a minimum of three hours for the best consistency. But you can let the cake absorb the milk for up to 24 hours before serving.

Does chocolate tres leches cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes! Because of all the liquid dairy, the cake needs to be stored in the fridge. It’s best served cold anyways!

For More Cakes:

5 from 17 votes

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a chocolate twist on a classic Mexican dessert. This chilled treat is rich and decadent!
Servings: 15 slices
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Chill: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
  • cups chocolate milk
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¾ cup half-and-half
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Topping

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder divided
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • chocolate curls

Instructions 

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
  • In a large bowl, beat cake mix, chocolate milk, canola oil, and eggs until well combined (about 2 minutes). Pour into greased pan.
  • Bake for 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk sweetened condensed milk, half and half, evaporated milk, and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder until cocoa powder is fully mixed into the milks. Pour this evenly over the cake. Refrigerate for at least  4 hours or overnight.

Topping

  • Make the topping by first sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl.
  • Make whipped cream by beating heavy cream in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add half the sugar/cocoa mix and beat until incorporated. Add the rest of the sugar/cocoa mix and beat on medium-high heat until soft peaks form.
  • Spread chocolate whipped cream over the cake right before serving as well as chocolate curls.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 61mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 868IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Mexican
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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Took this to a fiesta celebration for out library volunteers. Everyone loved it!
    It is the best chocolate cake ever!!

  2. 5 stars
    My simple brain needs clarification please.

    ▢ ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder divided

    Is this 1/2 cup total for the whipped topping?? or is this 1/2 cup – 3 tablespoons (milk mixture)

    Or referring to confectioners sugar & cocoa divided??

    So far what I’ve tasted is DELICIOUS!! I used dark chocolate cake mix. I bought two cake mixes and weighed out to 18.25 ounces. I think that little bit makes a difference.
    Thanks for the recipes.

    1. So the 3 Tbsp goes with the milk mixture that is poured onto the cake. The 1/2 cup of cocoa is for the topping – you will actually mix all of that 1/2 cup with the confectioners sugar. Then you’ll mix half of the sugar/cocoa mix to the heavy cream. When it’s all incorporated, you’ll add the rest of it and mix until stiff peaks form. Hopefully that helps clarify a bit!

      1. 5 stars
        This cake was most delicious! This recipe will be one made over and over! Also, thank you for the clarification! Much appreciated!

  3. 5 stars
    I had never had the chocolate version of this before. It is going to be one of my all time favorites from now on. DELISH!