Description
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a decadent Mexican-inspired dessert featuring a light chocolate sponge cake soaked in a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, then topped with fluffy vanilla whipped cream. This make-ahead dessert feeds a crowd and gets better as it sits in the refrigerator. Perfect for birthdays, potlucks, and special celebrations!
Ingredients
For the Cake (Chocolate Sponge):
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (about 220-230 g) — the foundation of our tender sponge
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (about 75-80 g) — use good quality for the deepest chocolate flavor
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda — this helps create that airy, absorbent texture
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk — or substitute whole milk with a splash of lemon juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil — keeps the cake moist; canola or melted coconut oil work too
- 2 large eggs, room temperature — they mix in more smoothly when they’re not cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee — or hot water if you prefer, though coffee deepens the chocolate
For the Tres Leches Milk Soak:
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk — the sweet, creamy heart of the soak
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk — adds body without being too heavy
- ¾ cup heavy cream — you can use whole milk or half-and-half for a lighter version
For the Whipped Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold — straight from the fridge is best
- 2-3 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar, to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: chocolate shavings or cocoa powder for garnish — because presentation matters!
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Generously grease your 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray, then give it a light dusting of flour (or cocoa powder for extra chocolate points).
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until everything is evenly distributed and there are no cocoa lumps.
In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and that cup of hot coffee (or hot water). The mixture might look a little odd at first, but keep whisking until it’s smooth and combined. The warmth of the coffee helps everything blend together beautifully.
Pour your wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and gently smooth the top with a spatula. Slide it into your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. You want it warm but not scorching hot, this is the perfect temperature for soaking. While it’s cooling, this is your chance to prepare the milk mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream until completely smooth and combined.
Using a fork or wooden skewer, poke holes all over the surface of the warm cake. These are the pathways for all that milky goodness to travel deep into your cake. Now, slowly and evenly pour the milk mixture over the entire cake, allowing it to absorb as you go.
Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. But here’s my secret: if you can wait 4-6 hours or even overnight, you’ll be rewarded with an even more luscious, thoroughly soaked cake.
Just before you’re ready to serve, make your whipped cream. In a chilled bowl, combine the cold heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip with an electric mixer (or a whisk and some determination) until soft to medium peaks form.
Spread or pipe that gorgeous whipped cream over your chilled, soaked cake. If you’re feeling fancy, add chocolate shavings with a vegetable peeler or dust the top with a little cocoa powder through a fine-mesh sieve. It’s like putting the final bow on a gift.
Use a sharp knife to cut clean slices, wipe the knife between cuts for the prettiest presentation. Serve cold or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Don’t skip the coffee — even if you’re not a coffee drinker, it enhances the chocolate without adding coffee flavor; hot water works, but coffee is better
- Poke generously — I’m talking 50+ holes; the more holes, the better the soak distribution and the more evenly moist your cake will be
- Pour slowly and evenly — take your time with the milk mixture, working in sections to ensure every part of the cake gets its fair share
- Keep everything cold for the whipped cream — pop your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping; cold equipment = better, more stable whipped cream
- Make it bakery-beautiful — pipe the whipped cream with a star tip instead of spreading it for an impressive presentation that takes just minutes
- Avoid over-baking — this cake should be tender and moist even before the soak; an overbaked cake won’t absorb the milk mixture as well
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes + Chilling Time: 4-6 hours (or overnight)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American