This Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches Cake is the epitome of chocolate heaven! It’s ultra-moist, decadent, and a great make-ahead dessert for celebrations!
Tres leches cake is a popular dessert that originated in Latin America. It’s a sponge cake that is soaked in a mixture of three different types of milk (hence the name "tres leches" which means "three milks" in Spanish). It’s been around for centuries and there are lots of flavor variations that are delicious!
The first time I had Tres Leches Cake was 20 years ago at a Bahama Breeze restaurant in northern Kentucky. When I say it was “Love at first bite,” I mean it! I’ve always wanted to recreate that moment, and this one took the cake! It has the perfect amount of sweetness, savoriness, and decadence. Accented with fresh mango, strawberries, and mint, it’s pure heaven!
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Like Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches Cake
- Versatility: Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is versatile and the perfect cake to make ahead of time for an event. It’s PERFECT for a birthday party, holiday celebration (especially Cinco de Mayo), a work potluck, or family get-together!
- Dreamy Creamy Topping: The whipped topping is so dreamy that you’ll want to just eat it with a spoon!
- Easy Recipe: A semi-homemade cake saves time without sacrificing quality. Using this boxed cake mix yields a moist cake with rich chocolate flavor.
- Pure Chocolate Decadence: This cake is tender, moist, and definition of a chocolate lovers dream!
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
Cake
- Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (or homemade as noted below): Provides the base flavor and structure for the cake layers.
- Milk: Adds moisture and contributes to the texture.
- Oil: Adds moisture to the cake and helps keep it tender.
- Eggs: Contribute to the structure and richness of the cake.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture, richness, and a slight tanginess to the cake batter.
- Instant coffee granules: Enhances the chocolate flavor in the cake, giving it a richer and more complex taste.
Tres Leches Topping
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds moisture, sweetness, and richness.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds chocolate flavor, depth, and color.
- Evaporated Milk: Contributes to the moistness and texture.
- Half and Half: Provides creaminess and moisture.
Whipped Topping
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Used to create a creamy topping for the cake. It adds richness and a light, airy texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream topping and helps stabilize it.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds to the texture of the topping as well as chocolate flavor and color.
Garnish Options
- Cocoa Powder, Fresh Fruit, Mini Chocolate Chips, Toasted Coconut, Fresh Mint Leaves, Chocolate Sauce
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
How to Make This Recipe
- For the cake, whisk or beat together the cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, sour cream, and instant coffee granules in a large bowl until well combined.
- Pour in a buttered or non-stick sprayed 13”x9” baking dish, spread evenly, then bake for 28-32 minutes at 350℉. While warm, poke holes over the entire cake.
- Meanwhile, while the cake is baking, make the tres leches topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder until smooth. This will ensure the cocoa powder dissolves well. Add the evaporated milk and half and half and whisk again until well combined.
- Once the cake has finished baking and holes have been poked, evenly pour the tres leches topping over the entire cake.
- For the whipped topping, beat heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder in a large bowl on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, evenly spread the whipped topping on top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. It’s optimal to let it refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve garnished as desired.
Tips and Substitutions
- How to Serve: Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches cake tastes best when served chilled, so remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
- Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix: If you want to substitute with a homemade cake mix, here are the ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar,. ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
- Garnish Options: Besides berries and mint, this Homemade Chocolate Syrup makes for a delicious and beautiful garnish over the top of a slice of this cake. It has just 5 ingredients and can be repurposed with ice cream, chocolate milk, or over brownies.
Storage
This Chocolate Tres Leches cake should be stored in the refrigerator because of the milk content. It can be kept in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to four days.
You can also freeze the cake portion and add the tres leches and whipped topping later. Simply wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before adding the tres leches and whipped topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Personally, a hot cup of coffee paired with a slice of this cool cake is pure heaven. A tall glass of milk is also amazing with it!
Coffee intensifies chocolate flavor in baked goods.
You can simply omit the instant coffee granules from the cake batter.
Traditional tres leches cake is made with flour, which contains gluten. However, there are gluten-free versions of tres leches cake that use alternative flour, such as almond flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Yes! See how to make a homemade chocolate cake mix under “Tips and Substitutions.”
More Chocolate Sweet Treat Recipes
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Loaf
- Silky Chocolate Mousse
- Frozen Hot Chocolate Pie
- Frozen Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 15.25 ounce box Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 0.1 ounce instant coffee packet
Tres Leche Topping
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder regular or special dark
- ¾ cup evaporated milk
- ¾ cup half and half
Whipped Topping
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder regular or special dark
Garnish Options
- Cocoa Powder, Fresh Fruit, Fresh Mint Leaves, Chocolate Sauce
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, sour cream and instant coffee granules. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Butter or spray with non-stick sprayed 13”x9” baking dish. Pour in and evenly spread the cake batter.
- Bake 28-32 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. While the cake is still warm, poke holes over the entire surface.
Tres Leche Topping
- While the cake is baking, make the tres leches topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the evaporated milk and half and half and whisk again until well combined.
- Once the cake has finished baking and holes have been poked, evenly pour the tres leches topping over the entire cake.
Whipped Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Beat on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, evenly spread the whipped topping on top.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. It’s best if it sits overnight. Slice and serve garnished as desired.
Pam Hunsucker
This recipe made me almost lick the screen!! I can not wait to make it!! 😋
Laura Ashley
🤣I love that! Thank you so much! I hope you love the cake too!
Dana Clark
Oh My! This dessert is one for "the cooking Bible" for sure! I made this one and shared with a few of my neighbors as I do with just about everything I cook/bake.. (we're deep southern and that's just what we do). I garnished it with shaved chocolate. Everyone RAVED over it!! They couldn't believe it wasn't made at a specialty bakery but in my own kitchen! I also made another one after that but I made a strawberry version and it was an even more popular dessert! Hubby requested me doing a "smash tres leches" with a chocolate bottom cake layer and a strawberry top cake layer, vanilla whipped topping, and garnished with chocolate dipped strawberries and shaved chocolate. I'm making one tonight and will post again with the consensus of the neighbors and hubby. (With pictures of course) Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!!!
Laura Ashley
Oh Dana! That sounds incredible! I love your hubby's idea! It thrills my heart that you made them and that they've made "the cooking bible" 🙂 Thank you so so much! I love that you shared it with your neighbors too. There's nothing more precious than southern kindness! Thank you again, Dana!!
Ginger Taylor
Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches Cake was every bit was delicious as described and then some! I made it for my husband's birthday, and he is still thanking me for this wonderfully delectable concoction, post birthday. Easy to make and will not disappoint the most discerning of chocolate lovers. This recipe will be joining my cache of family favorites! Thank you!!
Laura Ashley
Oh Ginger, that just made my heart so happy to hear! Thank you so much! I’m so happy you made it for his birthday and that he loved it so much! 🥹💕
Whitney
This cake was such a hit at a potluck AND a holiday gathering! So moist and rich, plus a chocolate lover's dream! I recommend making two at a time, since some of the less common "day-to-day" ingredients may spoil in between bakes.
Laura Ashley
Thank you SO SO much! I’m so happy it was a hit! That is a great tip too😁
Beth
I love this twist on tres leches! I had never had a chocolate mocha version and this was perfection!
Laura Ashley
🥰Thank you so much sweet friend!!
Madi
This isn’t an American dish.
Dana Clark
OH MY!!!! I have a new favorite cake! I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! So moist and the whipped cream with it's slight chocolate flavor balanced the richness of the cake perfectly! My husband brought some to work with him and now all the ladies at work want me to make them one! Which I will certainly do! Fantastic recipe! I've was diagnosed with a terminal illness in April and the life expectancy is only a year or less, so I've been writing down recipes in a notebook for my husband so he won't starve when I'm gone and he can make MY food. THIS CAKE has definitely earned a spot in my little cookbook! Thank you so much for sharing it!!!
Laura Ashley
Dana, bless your sweet heart! If there’s any help or recipes I can provide that would help you in your journey, please let me know. I’m so happy that you made this cake and that everyone loved it so much! I will keep you in my prayers!
Chantal
Can I used ground instant express for the coffee part?
Laura Ashley
Instant coffee granules will definitely dissolve better than freshly ground. It might work, but I can't say for sure.
FreedomTastesGreat
I made this for a birthday gathering and everyone loved it. The birthday girl wanted a cheesecake, or an ice cream cake or a German chocolate cake. She LOVES coffee so I settled on this recipe because its consistency is wet (but not runny) as cheesecakes or ice cream cakes are similarly not dry. This recipe is a winner and I will definitely be adding it to my favorites. Thank you!
Laura Ashley
What a SWEET review! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I love that you made it for the birthday party and that it was such a big hit! Thank you!!!! 🙂