Triple chocolate tres leches cake is a rich and decadent chocolate sponge cake soaked in a sweet and chocolatey three milk mixture. This chocolate version of the classic Mexican dessert is the ultimate cake to serve for any occasion!
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🍫A chocolate twist on a tres leches cake
I have a classic tres leches cake on my site, and thought it would be fun to make a chocolate version, because, who doesn't love chocolate cake!?!
Triple chocolate tres leches cake is exactly what it means. There is chocolate in three parts of this cake - the fluffy sponge, whipped topping, and chocolate milk is part of the three milk mixture that gets soaked into the cake.
This cake is perfect for Cinco de Mayo, summer BBQ's, or anytime you feel like eating a light, moist chocolate cake!
🥘Ingredients
Chocolate cake ingredients
Tres leches mixture & whipped topping ingredients
Ingredients notes
- Whole milk - 2% milk can be substituted, but I don't recommend a lower fat milk then that, for best taste.
- Vegetable oil - Other healthy cooking oils can be substituted, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, or grapeseed oil. I don't recommend olive oil because it has too strong of a taste.
- Cocoa powder - I used dark cocoa powder because that is what I had on hand. Any kind of cocoa powder will work in this recipe.
🔪Instructions
To make the chocolate cake, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
Pour the dry ingredients into wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix because that will develop gluten and make a dense cake. We want an airy cake so it will soak up the three milk mixture well.
Pour the batter into a greased 9"x13" baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F (180°C), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes while you make the milk mixture.
To make the tres leches (three milk) mixture, whisk sweetened condensed milk, chocolate milk, and heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl.
Use a knife to gently unstick the sides of the cake to the pan. Than poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Do not poke holes too deep. We want the milk mixture to soak into the cake, not pool to the bottom.
Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. The cake will cool and fully absorb the milk mixture during this time.
To make the whipped topping, add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Beat on high until soft to stiff peaks form. You want the mixture to be spreadable.
Spread the whipped topping over the cooled cake and decorate with chocolate shavings. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dessert is meant to be served cold.
For more step-by-step photos and instructions, view the web story for Triple Chocolate Tres Leches Cake!
✔️Expert tips
- When poking holes in the cake, don't poke all the way to the bottom or else the milk mixture will pool in the bottom of your cake.
- Want to spice this cake up!?! Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a Mexican hot chocolate flavour.
- Want to make this ahead of time? Make the cake and pour the milk mixture over the cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.
- Store this cake in the refrigerator. It needs to be served cold.
💭FAQs
If the cake has not soaked up the milk mixture after several hours, the cake might have been overmixed. An overmixed cake develops gluten and makes the cake dense and nonabsorbent.
The milk mixture ratio in this recipe is perfect for this size of cake. Your cake will only get soggy if you add more milk than this recipe calls for.
Freeze the cake without the whipped topping for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then top with whipped topping.
🔖Related recipes
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Triple Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Equipment
- one 9x13" baking pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tres Leches Mixture
- 1 10oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Whipped Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspooon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9"x13" baking pan and set aside.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the large bowl and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix because that will develop gluten and make a dense cake.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes while you make the milk mixture.
Tres Leches Mixture
- Whisk sweetened condensed milk, chocolate milk, and heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl.
- Use a knife to gently unstick the sides of the cake to the pan. Than poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Do not poke holes too deep. We want the milk mixture to soak into the cake, not pool to the bottom.
- Cover cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. The cake will cool and fully absorb the milk mixture during this time.
Whipped Topping
- In a large bowl add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on high until soft to stiff peaks form. You want the mixture to be spreadable.
- Spread the whipped topping over the cooled cake and decorate with chocolate shavings. Serve cold. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- When poking holes in the cake, don't poke all the way to the bottom or else the milk mixture will pool in the bottom of your cake.
- Want to spice this cake up!?! Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a Mexican hot chocolate flavour.
- Want to make this ahead of time? Make the cake and pour the milk mixture over the cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.
- Store this cake in the refrigerator. It needs to be served cold.
Carrie Myers
Perfect recipe. Made as written and my husband, who doesn't eat tres leche but will taste anything I ask him to taste, went back for seconds!
Nina
Thank you! I'm so happy that he loved it! 🙂