Chocolate Tres Leches is the decadent chocolate version of a cherished Latin American cake dessert. Chocolate sponge cake replaces plain in this version, and the fluffy confection takes a dip in a chocolaty malted milk bath before being smothered in light, airy chocolate whipped cream. This luscious dessert is going to be the star at your next fiesta- Cinco de Mayo anyone- at any of your special occasions. Chocolate lovers, especially, will love this take on the traditional tres leches recipe.
*I originally published this post in October 2019. The images and instructions have been updated, and metric measurements added.*
Where Does Tres Leches Come From?
Tres leches, pronounced “trays leh-chuhz,” is Spanish for “three milks cake” and is a dessert consisting of a sponge cake soaked in a three-milk mixture to create a very moist cake. The classic tres leches cake is a popular dessert in many Latin American countries. Though many have claimed to be the first to make it, my research points to the Nestlé corporation as having created the recipe.
What Is a Chocolate Tres Leches Cake?
With a chocolate tres leches cake recipe, chocolate milk and chocolate malted milk powder are added to the other types of milk and poured over a chocolate sponge cake. The cake soaks in the mixture for a few hours before it’s topped with chocolate whipped cream and fresh berries.
It’s just a fun, decadent spin on the classic dessert.
What Do You Need to Make Chocolate Tres Leches?
The ingredients for this chocolate tres leches cake are Dutch-processed, unsweetened cocoa powder, cake flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and eggs. We’ll talk about the ingredients for the milk bath and whipped cream later.
Bake the tres leches cake in a 9×13-inch rectangular cake pan or baking dish that’s at least 3-inches deep. When you bake in this size pan, you have enough room to pour the milk mixture in and top it with the whipped cream. Saves on dishes! You also need an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.
What Kind of Cake is Best for Chocolate Tres Leches?
A homemade chocolate sponge cake is the best cake for making chocolate tres leches. Sponge cakes absorb the milk mixture and hold it inside its cell walls. As a result, the milk pools in your mouth when you chew the cake. Tres leches made with cake mix tend to break apart and turns to mush after a day or two. But not this recipe.
Begin by greasing only the bottom of the cake pan. You can do this with melted butter or use a non-stick baking spray. You don’t want to grease the sides of the cake pan because the sponge cake needs something to grab onto for it to achieve its maximum height. If you grease the sides of the pan, it won’t rise as high as it should.
Set the pan aside for now.
Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour together two times. I usually do this over parchment paper, but you can do it into a bowl. Don’t wash the sifter yet. You need it later on.
Why Warm the Sugars?
Sponge cake also relies on the volume of the egg whites and yolks in the batter to give it a lift. This cake doesn’t have any chemical leaveners- like baking soda or powder- so achieving volume in the egg whites and yolks is essential for achieving the best results as far as height in your cake.
When you turn on your oven to preheat it for baking the cake, slide the two portions of sugar in there as well. Let them heat in oven-safe bowls for 5 minutes to warm them up slightly. Gradually add this warm sugar to your egg whites once they start foaming. The heat from the sugar warms the room temperature egg whites, which bolsters their proteins. As a result, your egg whites will whip higher and be stronger for longer.
How Long Does It Take to Whip Egg Whites?
It can take 10 to 11 1/2 minutes to whip eggs to stiff peak. Begin with the electric mixer (I use a hand mixer) on medium speed in a medium bowl. Once the egg whites look foamy, gradually sprinkle that warmed sugar into the bowl. Don’t dump the sugar in all at once, or the egg whites will be overwhelmed, and the sugar won’t dissolve properly. It should take about 1 1/2 minutes to sprinkle in the sugar. Continue whipping the whites the whole time at medium speed.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters once you add all of the sugar. Then, start whipping the whites again, this time on medium-high speed for at least 8-9 minutes, or until the whites stand straight up when you lift the beaters from the surface. This is the stiff peak stage. Set this bowl off to the side for now.
Why Can’t I Whip the Eggs Together?
Working quickly, because you don’t want the egg whites to deflate too much, begin whipping the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a separate, large bowl. The larger bowl is important because you’re going to mix the cake batter in this bowl.
Whip the egg yolks on high for 5-7 minutes, or until they are a very pale yellow, and the beaters leave ribbons in the mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beaters at least twice during this mixing period.
Fold in the warm water. If you want a really decadent cake, you can use coffee or espresso instead of water.
You can’t whip the eggs together because egg yolks contain fat. Fat inhibits egg whites from achieving a stiff peak. This is why we whip the whites first, to avoid contaminating them with egg yolks. Whipping them separately ensures your eggs achieve their highest volume, and consequently, so will your cake.
Can I Make the Batter Ahead?
Time is of the essence when you’re making a sponge cake. The volume you create in the whites and yolks decreases the longer they sit. Try to work gently but quickly through this next step.
Sift one-third of the flour mixture into the bowl of whipped yolks. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolks until it is mostly incorporated.
Next, fold in half of the whipped egg whites in the same gentle but quick manner. Sift in another one-third of the dry ingredients after you fold in the whites, and only thin streaks remain. Gently fold it in, followed by the remaining egg whites. Lastly, add the last third of dry.
Gradually mixing the sponge cake batter this way prevents the eggs from deflating.
How Long Do I Bake the Chocolate Cake?
Working quickly, scrape the chocolate cake batter into your prepared baking pan and smooth the surface. Give it two gentle taps against the countertop to expel any air bubbles and put it into a 400°F (205°C) preheated oven.
Bake the cake for 15-18 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed.
Do I Have to Poke Holes In the Cake?
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely inside the pan. Don’t fiddle with it, especially when it comes out of the oven, or you could deflate it. Allowing it to cool inside the pan gives the cake the chance to stay attached to the sides of the pan, which keeps it from falling back on itself.
Once the cake is completely cool, use a thin, wooden skewer or toothpick to poke small holes all over. Poking your sponge cake is important because it provides more areas in the cake for the chocolate tres leches mixture to seep into instead of it sitting on top of the cake. You don’t have to do this, but it will take longer for your cake to soak up the tres leches mixture if you don’t.
I recommend only using a skewer or toothpick to poke holes into the cake, by the way. This isn’t a poke cake, so avoid using large dowels or the ends of spoons. Large holes cause the cake to fall apart when you serve it.
What Do I Need to Make the Chocolate Tres Leches Mixture?
The chocolate tres leches mixture comprises half-and-half, chocolate milk, chocolate malted milk powder, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Yes, gentle reader, this mixture is actually a cuatros leches (four different kinds of milk) because half-and-half is cream and whole milk. Let’s pretend like it’s not, though.
What is Malted Milk Powder?
If you like Whopper candy balls, you’re already familiar with the flavor of chocolate malted milk powder. Malted milk powder is made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated milk powder. When you add it to your recipes- like this dessert, milkshakes, or smoothies- it gives a distinctive malted flavor to them. It also contains sugar, as does chocolate milk, so there’s no need to add more sweeteners to the milk mixture when you use it.
You don’t have to add the chocolate malted milk powder. You can omit it if you don’t have any in the house.
Why Is the Chocolate Tres Leches Mixture Sitting On the Cake?
Whisk 1/4 cup or 60 milliliters (just eyeball it) of the chocolate milk into the chocolate malted milk powder to create a thick cocoa mixture. This will keep your chocolate tres leches lump-free. Once the paste is formed, whisk in the remaining chocolate milk, evaporated milk, half-and-half, and the vanilla extract. Stir these together until well combined.
Slowly pour the tres leches over the entire cake. Pour in stages- wait about a minute between pours- to allow the cake time to absorb the milk. It will seem like there’s too much milk, but, remember, we chose sponge cake for a reason. The tres leches mixture takes about 4 hours to soak into the cake. You’ll start to see bubbles on the surface of the milk. That’s your sign that the cake is beginning to soak up the milk mixture.
Once you pour the last measure of the milk bath over the cake, cover it with foil or plastic wrap and carefully transfer it to the fridge to soak for 4 hours or overnight. It’s best to soak your tres leches cake overnight, so the cake has a chance to fully absorb the milk mixture.
What Do You Top Chocolate Tres Leches Cake With?
Chocolate tres leches cake is topped with chocolate whipped topping. Though it’s cream, it’s lighter and less rich than buttercream is, so it’s the perfect complement to the cake. You need heavy whipping cream, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate malt powder, and vanilla extract to make it. If you want even more chocolate flavor, replace the vanilla extract with chocolate extract. A wee pinch of salt is also a nice addition as it brings out the flavors of the chocolate and vanilla.
Use a whisk to stir the sugar, chocolate malt powder, and cocoa powder until they are well combined. Set this to the side while you begin whipping the cream.
Can I Use Plain Whipped Cream?
Begin whipping the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract at medium speed using the whisk attachment. After about 1 1/2 minutes, or when you see the whip leaving ribbons in the cream, start sprinkling in the sugar mixture. Again, sprinkle gradually over 30 seconds so you don’t deflate the volume you’ve achieved thus far. Once the sugar mixture is in the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and the whip.
Continue whipping the cream at high speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cream holds stiff peaks when you lift the whip from the surface.
Though I prefer to use a chocolate whipped cream, you can top chocolate tres leches with plain whipped cream, rum-flavored whipped cream, or even a cream cheese frosting.
Spread the chocolate whipped cream over the surface of the chocolate tres leches. For optimum taste, allow the whipped cream to sit on the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving. The bottom of the whipped cream seeps into the chocolate tres leches cake and creates this silky syrup that is just over-the-top good.
Add chocolate shavings, chocolate curls, or a few strawberry slices on top for extra glam.
Is Tres Leches Supposed To Be Soggy?
Most tres leches cakes recipes result in soggy, disintegrating messes. It’s tragic, really. Chocolate tres leches cakes should not be soggy. Instead, tres leches cake should weep the milk mixture. Only when you pierce or bite into your piece of cake should the milk flow. Most recipes lose the opportunity to make a truly spot-on tres leches by not using a sponge cake as their base. You’re not going to have that problem here.
Garnish your chocolate tres leches cake with fanned strawberries or your favorite berries. You can also drizzle Cajeta, Caramel, or Spiced Toffee Sauce over it. Or, leave the chocolate tres leches cake plain.
How Long Can I Store Chocolate Tres Leches In the Fridge?
You can store tres leches cake covered in the fridge for four days. It’s important to keep the leftover cake refrigerated because of the amount of dairy in it.
How Long Can I Keep It At Room Temperature?
Chocolate tres leches cake is safe to store at room temperature for 2 hours. After that, you risk exposing yourself or your diners to foodborne illnesses. It’s best to cut and serve your pieces of cake and return the rest to the fridge. You can always get more.
Can I Freeze Chocolate Tres Leches Cake?
Surprisingly enough, chocolate tres leches cake freezes really well for up to 2 months. Wrap it well in plastic film to prevent freezer burn and store it in the freezer. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving. The whipped cream may deflate slightly, but it should still hold its shape.
Enjoy making this extra-rich Chocolate Tres Leches Cake this week, and let me know what you think of it in the comments below. Pin this to your desserts boards for easy finding later. And, if you make it, be sure to tag me in your pictures @senseandedibility!
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- 9x13x3" cake pan
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter melted, for greasing the cake pan
- 1 1/3 cups (165 grams) cake flour
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 8 large eggs yolks and whites separated and at room temperature
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 grams) granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) warm water
For the Chocolate Tres Leches Mixture
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) chocolate malted milk powder
- 2 cups (500 milliliters) whole chocolate milk
- 1 12-ounce can (354 milliliters) evaporated milk
- 1 cup (250 milliliters) half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt optional
Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (10 grams) chocolate malted milk powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (10 grams) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups (625 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract or chocolate extract
Optional Garnishes
- cajeta
- caramel sauce
- fresh berries
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Sponge Cake
- Grease only the bottom of the cake pan with melted butter or non-stick baking spray. Avoid greasing the sides of the cake pan because the sponge cake needs something to grab onto for it to achieve its maximum height. Set the pan aside for now.
- Begin preheating your oven to 400°F (205°C). As soon as you turn on your oven to preheat it for baking the cake, slide in the oven-safe bowl with your measured sugar in there as well. Allow the sugar to heat up for 5 minutes to warm them up slightly. After 5 minutes, remove 1/2 cup (110 grams) of the sugar to use when whipping the egg yolks. Use the remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (70 grams) sugar for the egg whites.
- Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour together two times over parchment paper or into a bowl. Reserve the sifter because you'll need it again.Set these dry ingredients aside for now.
Whip the Egg Whites
- Add the egg whites to a very clean mixing bowl and begin whipping them with an electric hand mixer at medium speed. Once the egg whites look foamy, gradually sprinkle the reserved 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (70 grams) warmed sugar into the bowl. It should take about 1 1/2 minutes to sprinkle in the sugar. Continue whipping the whites the whole time at medium speed.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters once all of the sugar has been added. Begin whipping the whites again, this time on medium-high speed for at least 8-9 minutes, or until the whites stand straight up in stiff peaks when you lift the beaters from the surface. Set this bowl off to the side for now.
Whip the Egg Yolks
- Working quickly, because you don't want the egg whites to deflate too much, begin whipping the egg yolks, the reserved 1/2 cup (110 grams) sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a separate, larger bowl. Whip the egg yolks on high for 5-7 minutes, or until they are a very pale yellow, and the beaters leave ribbons in the mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beaters at least twice during this mixing period.Fold in the warm water.
Alternate the Dry and Egg Mixtures
- Try to work gently but quickly through this next step. Sift one-third of the dry ingredients into the bowl of whipped yolks. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolks until it is mostly incorporated.Next, fold in half of the whipped egg whites in the same gentle but quick manner.
- Sift in another one-third of the dry ingredients after you fold in the whites, and only thin streaks remain. Gently fold it in, followed by the remaining egg whites. Lastly, add the last third of dry.
- Working quickly, scrape the chocolate cake batter into your prepared pan and smooth the surface. Give it two gentle taps against the countertop to expel any air bubbles.Bake the cake for 15-18 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely inside the pan. Once the cake is completely cool, use a thin, wooden skewer or toothpick to pierce holes all over.
Mix the Chocolate Tres Leches Mixture
- Whisk 1/4 cup (60 milliliters)- just eyeball it- of the chocolate milk into the chocolate malted milk powder to create a thick paste. Once the paste is formed, whisk in the remaining chocolate milk, evaporated milk, half-and-half, and the vanilla extract. Stir these together until well combined.
- Slowly pour the tres leches over the surface of the cake. Pour in stages- waiting about a minute between pours- to allow the cake time to absorb the milk. Once you pour the last measure of the milk bath over the cake, cover it with foil or plastic film and carefully transfer it to the fridge to soak for 4 hours or overnight.
Whip the Chocolate Whipped Cream and Decorate the Tres Leches Cake
- In a small bowl, use a whisk to stir the sugar, chocolate malt powder, and cocoa powder until they are well combined. Set this to the side while you begin whipping the cream.
- Begin whipping the cream and vanilla extract at medium speed using the whip attachment. After about 1 1/2 minutes, or when you see the whip leaving ribbons in the cream, start sprinkling in the sugar mixture, sprinkling gradually over 30 seconds so you don't deflate the volume you've achieved thus far. Once the sugar mixture is in the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and the whip.
- Continue whipping the cream at high speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cream holds stiff peaks when you lift the whip from the surface.Spread the chocolate whipped cream over the surface of the chocolate tres leches*.
- Garnish your chocolate tres leches cake with fanned strawberries or your favorite berries. You can also drizzle cajeta, caramel, or, leave the chocolate tres leches cake plain. Enjoy the cake within 4 days of soaking.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions
- If you want a really decadent cake, you can replace the warm water with coffee or espresso.
- You can omit the chocolate malted milk powder if you don't have it.
- If you want even more chocolate flavor in the whipped cream, replace the vanilla extract with chocolate extract.
- You can top chocolate tres leches with plain whipped cream, rum-flavored whipped cream, or even a cream cheese frosting instead of the chocolate whipped cream.
Tips and Techniques
- The heat from the sugar warms the room temperature egg whites, which bolsters their proteins. As a result, your egg whites will whip higher and be stronger for longer.
- Time is of the essence when you're making a sponge cake. The volume you create in the whites and yolks decreases the longer they sit.
- Poking your sponge cake is important because it provides more areas in the cake for the chocolate tres leches mixture to seep into. You don't have to do this, but it will take longer for your cake to soak up the tres leches mixture if you don't.
- The tres leches mixture takes about 4 hours to soak into the cake. You'll start to see bubbles on the surface of the milk. That's your sign that the cake is beginning to soak up the milk mixture.
- It's best to soak your tres leches cake overnight, so the cake has a chance to fully absorb the milk mixture.
- *For optimum taste, allow the whipped cream to sit on the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
- You can store tres leches cake covered in the fridge for four days. It's important to keep it refrigerated because of the amount of dairy in it.
- Chocolate tres leches cake is safe to store at room temperature for 2 hours. After that, you risk exposing yourself or your diners to foodborne illnesses.
- It's best to cut and serve your pieces of cake and return the rest to the fridge. You can always get more.
Freezing Instructions
- Wrap it well in plastic film to prevent freezer burn and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving. The whipped cream may deflate slightly, but it should still hold its shape.
Dear Marta,
Tried this amazing cake the second time. But this time, the cake did not stick to the sides of the pan. I made the cake again thinking I over baked it. It still separated from the sides but wasn’t overbaked. But then when I added the tres leches mixture, the cake was floating in it! I used the same oven. The egg whites were fluffy and I mixed the egg yolks first so the egg whites don’t have to sit too long. Not sure what happened there. Temperature was 400F. Everything was just the same and followed the recipe to the T. My question is, how do you know the cake is done without opening the oven too early to prevent it from deflating. I watched it like a hawk. Once you see the sides done, do you just take it out. It was barely 10 mins at that point.
Because there’s no fat in this cake, there’s no way it shouldn’t have stuck to the sides of the pan unless the pan used had a non-stick surface or you greased the entire pan when you should’ve only greased the bottom. If so, that’s why it didn’t stick. Try using a ceramic, metal, or glass cake pan that is not greased on the sides (you can even skip greasing it altogether) and you’ll find it sticks. The reason the cake floated in the tres leches mixture is because it released from the sides of the pan, seeped under the cake, and started floating it before the liquid had a chance to soak into the cake on top.
The cake is done at 15 minutes of baking. You don’t rely on the sides for this, because, again, they shouldn’t separate from the pan at all. I hope this helps.
Dear Marta,
You were right! I greased the sides of the pan mindlessly this time. Unlike last time where I followed every line of your recipe and it turned out perfect. It is a key point.. that I don’t think I’ll ever forget hereafter.. lol
Thanks a bunch! <3
Glad I could help clear that up, Karishma. Enjoy!
Just finished the recipe and I can’t wait to try it. I realize after the cake was in the oven, I forgot to add the water to the mixture. Hope it’s not completely ruined. 😫
Praying to the baking gods with you!
Dear Marta,
Thank you for this phenomenal recipe! Your tres leches cake made me look like a dessert chef! It was a total TRIUMPH and everyone relished every bite of it. It is the best cake I’ve had so far. Thank you for sharing your knowledge so whole-heartedly. The details you have given in this recipe were so invaluable and like none other. The cake was just perfect and moist and chocolatey.. a bite of heaven! Thank you so much <3
You are welcome, Karishma. Thanks for the kind words!