Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe

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

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5 from 28 votes

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Chocolate tres leches cake is a chocolate twist on a classic Mexican dessert. This chilled treat is rich and decadent!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Chill4

Total Time4 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: slices

Author: Kristyn Merkley

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 9x13-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

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. 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.

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.

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