Poke cakes are one of my favorite types of cake, and this chocolate tres leches cake is the ultimate rich and gooey poke cake recipe. I soaked chocolate cake in a rich three-milk mixture to create an irresistibly soft and moist cake. Topped with chocolate whipped cream, this tres leches chocolate cake is so indulgent!
Tres leches cake is Latin American cake that is soaked in a sweet mixture of three milks– sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. I added chocolate to every component of this cake to make my rich and chocolatey version of this classic cake. My chocolate tres leches cake is so rich and flavorful!
What’s in This Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe?
- Chocolate Cake Mix: Makes this recipe super simple to start with.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps make the cake moist and rich.
- Eggs: Bind the cake and keep it moist.
- Milk: I used whole milk, but any kind will work.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds a rich, sweet, and caramelized flavor.
- Evaporated Milk: Helps to add a thicker consistency to the milk mixture.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder adds rich chocolatey flavor to the milk mixture and the topping.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the topping light and fluffy.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes the topping.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth to the topping.
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How to Store
Store leftover chocolate tres leches cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that after 2 days, the whipped cream topping will begin to deflate.
Tips for Success
- When pouring the cake into the baking pan, spread the batter evenly to create a level cake that will soak up the milk more evenly.
- Let the cake soak in the milk mixture for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow the cake ample time to soak in the milk evenly and become moist and tender.
- If your tres leches cake is not absorbing the milk after several hours, it is possible that the batter was overmixed. Overmixed batter loses its airy, spongey texture, which makes the cake heavy, dense, and non-absorbent. Be sure to poke the cake all over with the skewer to help it absorb the mixture.
- Do not top the cake with whipped cream until it has fully chilled; otherwise, the whipped cream will melt into the cake.
- I recommend waiting to top the cake with the whipped cream until just before you plan to serve it, especially if you are preparing it in advance.
- If you plan to leave this cake out for an extended period of time in warm conditions, you may wish to use stabilized whipped cream to prevent deflating.
- The traditional topping for tres leches cake is a whipped cream frosting and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. However, you can also serve the cake with fresh berries! Strawberries are traditional, but blueberries, raspberries, or a mixture of all 3 would be delicious! You could also top this cake with a dusting of cocoa powder or a drizzle of caramel or dulce de leche!
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix 432 grams (1 box)
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso 2 grams, optional
- 1¼ cups water 284 grams
- ½ cup vegetable oil 100 grams
- 3 large eggs 150 grams
For the Milk Mixture
- 1 cup milk 227 grams, hot (180-200°F)
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 396 grams (1 can)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 340 grams (1 can)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 28 grams
For the Topping
- 2½ cups heavy cream 568 grams
- ½ cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- 4½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 24 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- Chocolate sauce optional, for topping
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Stand Mixer
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Mix the cake mix, espresso (if using), water, oil, and eggs together in a medium bowl.15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix, 1 teaspoon instant espresso, 1¼ cups water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and place into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 48 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack.
- While the cake is warm, poke holes into the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon or a clean dowel rod. Set aside while you make the milk mixture.
For the Milk Mixture
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the hot milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and cocoa together.1 cup milk, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces evaporated milk, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Once well combined, pour over the warm cake, then let the cake finish cooling.
- Once cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
For the Topping
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Beat for 4-5 minutes, until stiff.2½ cups heavy cream, ½ cup powdered sugar, 4½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Assembly
- Spoon the topping onto the chilled, milk soaked cake. Drizzle lines of chocolate sauce overtop and pull with a toothpick.Chocolate sauce
Notes
How to Make Chocolate Tres Leches Cake Step-by-Step
Mix the Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Mix 15.25 ounces (1 box) of chocolate cake mix, 1 teaspoon of instant espresso (if using), 1¼ cups of water, ½ cup of oil, and 3 large eggs together in a medium bowl.
Bake the Cake: Transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and place into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 48 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. While the cake is warm, poke holes into the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon or a clean dowel rod. Set aside while you make the milk mixture.
Mix the Milks: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 cup of hot milk, 14 ounces (1 can) of sweetened condensed milk, 12 ounces (1 can) of evaporated milk, and ⅓ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder together.
Soak the Cake: Once well combined, pour over the warm cake, then let the cake finish cooling. Once cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Whip the Topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 2½ cups of heavy cream, ½ cup of powdered sugar, 4½ tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat for 4-5 minutes, until stiff.
Frost the Cake: Spoon the topping onto the chilled, milk soaked cake. Drizzle lines of chocolate sauce overtop and pull with a toothpick
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