This Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is ultra moist, chocolatey, and soaked in a rich three milk mixture that takes it completely over the top.
We love a flavorful cake for celebrations and especially love classic Tres Leches Cake so it was only logical to make a chocolate version of this favorite Mexican dessert! We are happy to report that this “three milks” cake is what chocolate lovers dreams are made of.
The milk mixture is soaked into the cake sponge and the homemade chocolate whipped cream make it absolutely irresistible.
If you love Mexican desserts, you’ll also love Fried Ice Cream, Churros, and Flan. Try our Easy Tres Leches Cake (with cake mix) or Sopapilla Cupcakes for another quick dessert.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Cake mix recipe. This easy cake is made even easier with the use of a cake mix! It tastes even better after chilling, making it great for make ahead desserts.
- Texture. There’s no risk of a dry cake here. The 3 milks create a deliciously moist cake.
- Not your typical sheet cake. This cake can feed a crowd and is a fun twist on classic sheet cakes. It’s especially perfect for fiestas!
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix (1 package, 18.25-ounce) – Creates a soft, reliable base for the soaked cake. Follow the directions on the recipe and not the directions on the box. Use a box cake mix between 15-18 oz. Or you can make your own Chocolate Sponge Cake, including gluten-free cake, and then soak it with the tres leches milk mixture.
- Chocolate milk (1¼ cups) – Adds extra chocolate flavor and moisture to the cake batter.
- Canola oil (½ cup) – Keeps the cake tender and moist.
- Eggs (3) – Provide structure and richness.
- Sweetened condensed milk (1 can, 14-ounce) – Adds sweetness and creaminess to the tres leches soak.
- Half-and-half (¾ cup) – Contributes richness while keeping the soak smooth.
- Evaporated milk (¾ cup) – Balances the sweetness and creates the classic tres leches texture.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (3 tablespoons) – Intensifies the chocolate flavor in the milk mixture.
- Confectioners’ sugar (1 cup) – Sweetens the whipped topping smoothly.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (½ cup, divided) – Flavors the whipped cream with deep chocolate taste.
- Heavy whipping cream (3 cups) – Creates a fluffy, cloud like topping.
- Chocolate curls – add a decorative and indulgent finishing touch. Choose a high-quality chocolate bar. Use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Tres Leches
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
CAKE. In a large bowl, beat the cake ingredients. Pour into a 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.
MILK MIXTURE. 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 milk. Pour this evenly over the cake.
CHILL. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
TOPPING. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. Make whipped cream. 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.
To make the chocolate curls, all you need is a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. The chocolate bar needs to be at room temperature, or it will be too hard to create curls. Peel the short side for short curls or the long side for larger curls.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Let the cake cool slightly before adding the milk mixture so it absorbs evenly.
- Poke plenty of holes in the cake so the milk mixture soaks into every part.
- Refrigerate at least four hours for the best texture and flavor.
- 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.
- Spread the whipped topping just before serving for the freshest look.
- Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a tasty flavor variation. Top with fresh strawberries or your favorite berry.
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
- 1¼ 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 tablespoons 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 a 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.
Notes
- Let the cake cool slightly before adding the milk mixture so it absorbs evenly.
- Poke plenty of holes in the cake so the milk mixture soaks into every part. If the sponge cake doesn’t absorb the milk mixture after being refrigerated for several hours, it may have been overmixed, or you didn’t poke enough holes with a fork.
- Refrigerate at least four hours for the best texture and flavor.
- 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.
- Spread the whipped topping just before serving for the freshest look.
- This cake slices best when fully chilled.
- Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a tasty flavor variation. Top with fresh strawberries or your favorite berry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
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.
More Like This
More Mexican Desserts
Tres Leches Cupcakes
1 hr 20 mins
Easy Tres Leches Cake
4 hrs 32 mins
Sopapilla Cheesecake
40 mins
Cheesecake Chimichanga
30 mins
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This recipe was first shared March, 2023.
This cake looks so good. Is it possible to make and ass the cake couple days bey? Your direction says not to add the whipped cream mixture till you’re ready to serve. Iv made poke cakes before and assembled it days before. It comes out out fine and taste good.
Yes, it is possible to make it the day before and keep it covered int he fridge until serving.
Do you think putting melted peanut butter in with the milk mixture instead of coco powder would work?
Thank you for the Chocolate version, I make Birthday cakes for people at work, because I think everyone needs to have their Birthday celebrated with cake. I ask them what their favorite cake is and try to make several different kinds for the Birthdays that month. First time I made a Tres Leches cake for one of the gentlemen, they were Amazed it wasn’t from a Bakery.
This month one wants Vanilla on Vanilla and the other said Chocolate (So I think I’m going to do the Chocolate Tres Leches and really surprise them. Again, Thank you so much for the Chocolate version.
You’re welcome!! I hope you enjoy this one too!
I didn’t think I could love tres leches cake any more than I already did, but I guess I was wrong. This was fantastic!!
this was one of the most delicious cakes that I have made in a while! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Wow this recipe was SO easy to make and the best tres leches I have ever had!
Can I use whipped cream that’s already prepackaged, for the topping? If so, would I just add the cocoa powder, not the sugar to the topping?
You know, I haven’t tried, but I imagine you could. I would say add as much powdered sugar so that it doesn’t taste bitter. The cocoa powder will give it a bitter taste, so you may still need the sugar to make it sweet. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you give that a try. I’d be curious to know!
Took this to a fiesta celebration for out library volunteers. Everyone loved it!
It is the best chocolate cake ever!!
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.
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!
This cake was most delicious! This recipe will be one made over and over! Also, thank you for the clarification! Much appreciated!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you are loving the cake!
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!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. The chocolate is a fun spin on the classic recipe.
Awesome recipe. I have not seen a chocolate variety before. Delicious and easy to make!
Love both versions of your tres leches cake, but since I consider myself a chocoholic then this is my preferred one. Not overly sweet but still delicious!!
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Every Chocoholics “wet” dream. The cake is moist! 🙂
I love tres leche
Chocolate or vanilla or butter tres leche.
Probably the most delicious cake ever. Tres leches is already a winner, but then adding chocolate, yum yum extra yum 😋
You can never go wrong with adding chocolate, right? 😉
This looks amazing and so delicious.
Oh my! The description has my mouth watering. I will be trying this ASAP!
My daughter loves Tres Leche. Wanted to try this to give another variation. She loved it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Since I tend to press “skip to recipe” I love the common questions right above the recipe.
A chocolate version of the Tres Leches cake. If you like chocolate like we do you will love this version!
My 16 year old daughter made this over the weekend and everyone loved it. It was delicious.
I love to hear that your teen is baking! And so happy the recipe was a hit!