Chocolate tres leches cake with dulce de leche frosting

Name: Chocolate tres leches cake with dulce de leche frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 1 large 9X13 cake or 2 9-inch round cakes
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 10 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 cups sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp baking soda; 12 tablespoons butter; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups water; 14 oz condensed milk; 12 oz evaporated milk; 2 cups heavy cream; 4 tablespoons rum; 8 oz mascarpone; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 6 oz dulce de leche; coconut; chocolate

User Reviews

4.8

1,089 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Additional Time
1 d
Servings
1 large 9X13 cake or 2 9-inch round cakes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
South American

Chocolate tres leches cake with dulce de leche frosting

Iris Warren

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This Chocolate Tres Leches Cake features a moist chocolate sponge soaked with a three-milk mixture and topped with a rich dulce de leche frosting. The cake layers absorb a blend of condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream, and rum, resulting in a soft, creamy texture enhanced by chocolate's depth. The dulce de leche frosting adds caramel sweetness balanced by mascarpone and whipped cream, with toasted coconut and chocolate shavings as finishing touches.

Description

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake begins with a chocolate cake batter made from flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, and vinegar, baked until a toothpick comes out clean. After cooling, the cake is poked with holes to help absorb the tres leches mixture, which combines condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and rum. Slowly pouring this milk blend over the cake allows it to soak thoroughly, creating a tender, moist interior intensified by the chocolate base.

The frosting pairs mascarpone cheese and heavy whipping cream with dulce de leche to create a creamy caramel topping that complements the chocolate and milk-soaked cake beneath. Toasted coconut and chocolate shavings add texture and a pleasant contrast in both flavor and appearance. This layered dessert presents a balance of chocolate richness, milk-soaked moistness, and caramel sweetness.

Served chilled, this cake offers a luscious combination of flavors and textures perfect for special occasions or celebrations requiring a distinctive dessert.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the chocolate cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
12 tablespoons butter melted - can replace with oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups water lukewarm

For the tres leches or three milks combination:

14 oz condensed milk
12 oz evaporated milk
2 cups heavy cream can also use 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup milk
4 tablespoons rum 2 ounces - adjust to taste or replace with 1-2 tsp imitation rum extract or vanilla extract if desired

For the dulce de leche or caramel frosting:

8 oz mascarpone
1 cup heavy whipping cream
6 oz dulce de leche add more to taste

Toppings:

coconut toasted
chocolate shavings

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Instructions

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For the chocolate cake:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease/flour a 9-inch round cake mold.
Sift the flour in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Use a mixing spoon to stir in the sugar and cocoa powder.
Mix in the salt and baking soda.
Make three holes: a large one for the melted butter or oil, and a couple of smaller ones for the vinegar and the vanilla.
Add the water and continue mixing with the spoon until you have a smooth batter.
Pour the cake batter into the baking mold and bake at 350 for ~45 minutes for a 9X13 cake (~30 minutes for a smaller round cake) or until you stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down.

For the tres leches:

Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream/milk with the rum in bowl. Stir until mixed and taste.
Leave the cake in the baking mold and use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake.
Gently and slowly pour the three milks mix over the cake. I find it best to pour a little bit over, then let it absorb, then pour some more, and so on.
Let the cake rest in the refrigerator overnight – 24 hours is ideal. If using a springform mold I recommend placing it on top of large flat bowl or platter, just in case any of the liquid leaks out (none or very little will leak with the mold is very tight).

For the dulce de leche frosting:

Mix the mascarpone with the dulce de leche until you have a smooth mix.
Use an electric mixer or a whisk to whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks start to form. Use a mixing spoon to fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone dulce de leche mix.
You can leave the cake in the mold, or if you used a springform mold you can gently place the cake on a large platter (some of three milk liquid will still leak out when you remove the sides of the mold)
Use a spatula or icing spreader to spread the frosting over the cake – on top and on the sides if removed from the baking mold.
Add the toasted coconut and chocolate shavings on top of the frosting.
Chill the cake for an hour before serving and keep refrigerated.