Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
- Total Time
- 50 minutes, plus soaking
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-by-13 inch cake (about 12 servings)
- 1¾cups/225 grams all-purpose flour
- ½cup/45 grams unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- 1½teaspoons baking soda
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1½cups/300 grams granulated sugar
- 2eggs, at room temperature
- 1cup/240 milliliters whole milk
- ½cup/120 milliliters grapeseed oil or any mild-flavored oil
- ½teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1cup/240 milliliters boiling water
- 1(12-ounce) can/355 milliliters evaporated milk
- 1(14-ounce) can/395 milliliters sweetened condensed milk (3 tablespoons reserved for the whipped cream)
- 1cup/240 milliliters heavy cream
- Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1cup/240 milliliters heavy cream, chilled
- ½teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- Chocolate shavings (optional)
For the Cake
For the Tres Leches
For the Condensed Milk Whipped Cream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
561 calories; 31 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 48 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 404 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of a 9-by-13-inch cake pan (preferably metal), leaving a ¼-inch border that remains ungreased. Do not butter the sides of the pan.
- Step 2
Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift. Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
- Step 3
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Carefully pour in the boiling water and stir until combined.
- Step 4
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, make the tres leches: In a large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk (setting 3 tablespoons aside for the whipped cream), heavy cream and vanilla bean seeds or extract (if using) and whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using immediately.
- Step 6
Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake’s edges. Cool completely.
- Step 7
While the cake is still in the pan, use a skewer or a fork to poke small holes through the cake to the bottom, about an inch apart. Slowly spoon the tres leches over the top of the cake, giving it time to soak in. Once the liquid is absorbed, repeat until all the tres leches is used. (Toward the end, the tres leches will pool at the edges, but don’t worry; it will be absorbed while in the fridge.) Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Step 8
When ready to serve, make the whipped cream: Add the reserved condensed milk along with the cream, vanilla and cinnamon (if using) to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high until the cream has doubled in volume, forms soft peaks and is light and fluffy. Spread the cake with the cream and sprinkle the chocolate shavings on top. Serve from the pan.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Ann T.
How would it turn out if I replaced some of the boiling water with brewed coffee, or else added some espresso powder to intensify the flavor?
Minhui
This recipe isn’t good for a first time cake baker like me, especially the frosting part. I followed exactly how the recipe tells, after putting heavy cream, condensed milk and vanilla in the electric mixture at MEDIUM HIGH , it turns out to be like little butter. I tried twice, still the same. So I checked on YouTube, one of videos show that this is the key at very low speed. https://youtu.be/_FW0ZFuYpHw
Margaux Laskey, Senior Staff Editor
No ganache. The top of the cake takes on a dark, slick surface after soaking up all of the tres leches. That's what you see. Chocolate shavings are optional (now added to the ingredients list)! Reserved condensed milk is listed in Step 8.
Judy
If you grease the sides of the pan, the cake cannot rise properly.
Barbara T
I made this for my family’s annual solstice feast. As suggested by Ann T, I used a cup of strong coffee instead of the water. The coffee cut the sweetness and intensified the chocolate flavor. I made it a day ahead and refrigerated it for nearly a full day before adding whipped cream topping and serving. It was delicious!
cnb
why does the picture seem to have layer of dark chocolate over the cake, but the recipe makes no mention of this
Zac
For those adventurous types: I replaces the boiled water with heated Guinness and 1/2 a cup of the heavy cream with baileys and added a tablespoon of baileys to the whipped topping.
Linda
Never mind, I just read in step 8 that there was "reserved condensed milk" that goes into the whipped cream topping. It might be a good idea to include that with the whip cream instruction, e.g. the reserved 3 tb condensed milk.
Birdita
That would be beautiful! I always add coffee or espresso powder to chocolate cake to intensify the flavor.
ama
I thought I'd report back to say it got better after it soaked overnight!
Debby
Too sweet for whom? Sweet is to the tooth of the taster. This is a classic Tres Leches cake. If you find Tres Leches cakes too sweet, you will probably find this too sweet.
Pink_Sweater
The medium high setting is for whipping the cream (step 8) which has been sweetened with a bit of the condensed milk. The 3 milks, only need to be combined (step 5).
reiya
Loved this cake and successfully halved it in an 8x8 pan, which still yielded about 9 generous servings!
CJ
The “condensed milk whipped cream” doesn’t include condensed milk? Asking for a friend...
Janet B
I often add Kahlua (1/2 a cup) to the 3 milks in the soaking mixture when I make my regular (non chocolateH Tres Leches, I also sprinkle shaved dark/bitter chocolate over the whipped cream. It is now my kids absolute favorite cake (they are in their late teens so I'm not worried about the slightly alcoholic component). I think espresso in a chocolate cake base would make it even better.
Melanie
Crowd pleaser and then some! Always a hit! The cinnamon is the best addition to this recipe.
George
This has got to be one of the worst ways to destroy a recipe flavor profile. Chocolate did not belong here. It took away from the sweet vanilla flavors. Not worth the effort nor the calories. If you want chocolate, make a chocolate cake.
Luther
A very good recipe that as the author promises, really is quite easy to make. Two minor changes. One, added about 1/2 tsp of instant expresso to the hot water. Two, used vanilla bean paste as I didn't have any vanilla beans. Tried the cake after 6 hours of refrigeration and it was really good. I imagine after sitting over 24 hours, it will be even better. Thanks for the recipe!
Home Baker/Mom To An Army
I followed the recipe as written. I had no issues and my cake turned out absolutely amazing. I prefer the chocolate tres leche to the more stand tees leche cake. It’s just more decadent and I said mmmmm with every bite lol no joke. I love this recipe and I’ve shared with friends and they love it too! One of my sons has a bday next week and this is the cake he chose for his bday cake! Oh yaaaaaaa I get to eat more of it lol
John
Personally, I just don't like chocolate in a tres leches cake; it blunts the flavors of the milk ingredients and covers them with a chocolate flavor. For me, the taste of the tres leches is what the cake is all about.
Guests Loved This Cake
The only thing I did different from the recipe was mix the boiling water with the Cocoa only and the mixed that in where the boiling water is supposed to be added. Everyone loved this cake and said it was over the top delicious.
Mariangela
I followed the recipe exactly and from an execution standpoint it turned out perfectly. But it was just "one note" for me. I can see why others suggested substituting coffee for the boiling water. For me it was just not very flavorful overall and although I used a triple cocoa powder from King Arthur the chocolate flavor was muted. (I believe maybe a little less tres leches sauce would have been ok.)
Amanda
This was really good. I’m not sure if my baking soda was a little past its prime or something, but the chocolate flavor wasn’t super pronounced, even with the Dutch-processed cocoa. Maybe it’s suppose to be that way. Either way, my guests raved. A dusting of cinnamon is a must.
Marv
Anyone: Please share what modifications are necessary for high altitude--above 5,000'. Thanks.
MM
I made this using a one-to-one gluten free flour mix, and it was delicious! Everyone loved it. I froze the dry sponge cake ahead of time, then defrosted, poured in the milks, and let it soak overnight. I’ll make this again!
gumbolina
Made this recently and substituted a can of coconut milk for the concentrated milk. Added 3 Tbl of sugar to the milk mixture to compensate and added 1/4 cup of Kahlua. Perfect ending for a taco bar lunch on a hot day. Will definetly make this again.
Sitora
This was one of the best tres leches cakes, and best cakes overall that I have ever baked, and I bake A LOT. It is absolutely divine and super easy to make. I also used espresso in the boiled water and used a glass pan for baking and it turned out delicious. Everyone raved and raved. It's also such a good idea to sweeten the cream with the condensed milk. Such a beautiful, fantastic flavor. I think doubling or tripling the amount of cream is a good idea, otherwise the recipe barely makes enough
BigSkyGirl
Excellent dessert for a gathering. The whipped cream with sweetened condensed milk is amazing on the cake as well as floating on top of a cold brew coffee the next morning.
Heather
This was delicious! Very fast, very easy. A little more decadent than the usual tres leches I make (heavy cream instead of whole milk as one of the three milks made it extra rich in a good way) and the cake was fluffy and light without any extra fussing on my end. I thought about beating the egg whites separately as a few folks mentioned, which is what I do for my regular tres leches, but I was tired and didn't bother and it still came out wonderfully. :)
Carrie
I made this cake last night & dug into it tonight - simply delicious, lite & fluffy! It was my 1st attempt at Tres Leches & this didn't disappoint! Patience is required when ladling on the tres leches, sometimes it took almost 5 minutes for it to absorb into the cake. I forgot to remove 3T of condensed milk for the whipped cream, so I had about a 1/4 cup of liquid leftover that just wouldn't get absorbed into the cake. Will make it again!
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