Looking for a dessert that’s both indulgent and surprisingly easy to make? This Ferrero Rocher tres leches cake is the ultimate treat you’ve been craving. It blends the light, milky soak of the traditional tres leches with the luxurious chocolate-hazelnut flavor of Ferrero Rocher candies. You get a tender sponge cake drenched in three creamy milks, layered with Nutella-inspired frosting, and topped with crunchy chocolate and hazelnut pieces. If you enjoy traditional Mexican sweets or simply can’t resist a rich chocolate cake, this delicious fusion dessert is sure to satisfy your cravings. Let’s dig into how this dreamy cake came to life in my kitchen.
Table of Contents
A Twist on Tradition: My First Ferrero Rocher Tres Leches
From disaster to delight: My tres leches cake journey
I still remember my first attempt at making tres leches—it looked perfect, but when I sliced into it, the sponge was dry and the milk had pooled underneath like a forgotten soup. Rookie mistake: I forgot to poke the holes. But that mess turned out to be my best lesson. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from vegan strawberry tres leches cake to biscoff cake tres leches, chasing new ways to give this classic dessert a fun twist.
Ferrero Rocher inspiration: Where chocolate meets nostalgia
One day, while raiding my snack drawer for something sweet, I bit into a Ferrero Rocher and it hit me: why not turn this into a tres leches cake? The crispy shell, the smooth hazelnut filling, the milk chocolate—it had the richness that could elevate the gentle flavors of the tres leches base. So I grabbed my whisk and started testing. The result? A melt-in-your-mouth cake that’s light but rich, soaked yet never soggy, with swirls of chocolate and crunchy bits in every bite. It’s my go-to now for birthdays, dinner parties, or any day that needs a little joy.
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Tres Leches Ferrero Rocher Cake
Description
Tres Leches Ferrero Rocher Cake – A decadent fusion of classic Mexican tres leches and the luxurious flavor of Ferrero Rocher. Moist sponge cake soaked in a cocoa-hazelnut milk blend, layered with Nutella whipped cream, and topped with roasted hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher candies.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar (divided)
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Milk Mixture:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp Nutella
For the Filling and Topping:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
3 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
6 Ferrero Rocher candies, halved or crushed
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13” baking pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale yellow. Add milk and vanilla. Mix until combined.
4. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
5. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture in batches.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly.
8. Poke holes all over the cake using a skewer or fork.
9. Whisk together evaporated milk, condensed milk, whole milk, cocoa powder, and Nutella. Pour slowly over the warm cake.
10. Let it soak at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
11. To make the filling, beat whipping cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix Nutella and cream cheese until smooth. Fold into whipped cream.
12. Spread filling over chilled cake. Top with hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher pieces.
13. Chill for 1 more hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
Add extra chocolate drizzle for a more dramatic presentation.
Decorate just before serving to keep the hazelnuts crunchy.
Best served chilled. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to Build Layers of Creamy Flavor
The three milks that define tres leches Ferrero Rocher
Every tres leches cake owes its rich identity to the signature trio of milks that inspired its name: whole milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. For this tres leches Ferrero Rocher version, I add a subtle twist—infusing the milk mixture with cocoa powder and a spoonful of hazelnut spread to complement the chocolate notes. This makes each bite feel richer without losing that silky, moist texture that makes tres leches so comforting. If you’re dairy-free, you can still enjoy this style by checking out the gluten and dairy free tres leches cake on the blog—it’s surprisingly indulgent.
To mix the soak, whisk together 1 cup of evaporated milk, 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup of whole milk with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of hazelnut spread until smooth. You want a pourable, creamy mix that seeps into the sponge like magic.
Why soaking matters: how long to soak and when it’s ready
Mastering a tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake starts with nailing the soaking process—this is where the magic happens. Once your sponge cake has finished baking, take a fork or skewer and carefully pierce deep, evenly spaced holes all over the top. These openings allow the rich, chocolate-hazelnut milk blend to absorb evenly into every bite. Take your time and pour the mixture slowly over the still-warm cake. Let it rest uncovered at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the sponge can fully soak up the liquid. Then, transfer it to the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours—though an overnight chill delivers the most luxurious flavor and texture.
Some folks worry tres leches cakes get too soggy. But it’s all about balance. A good sponge holds its shape while soaking, especially in a tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake where both creaminess and structure matter. That’s why the cake never feels mushy—it absorbs without collapsing. This technique works beautifully in other fusion desserts too, like my sopapilla cheesecake pie, where layers need to stay defined but creamy.
The Hazelnut Centerpiece
What’s inside Ferrero Rocher and how to replicate the filling
If you’ve ever bitten into a Ferrero Rocher, you know there’s something magical happening in that tiny golden sphere. At its core is a roasted hazelnut, surrounded by a silky chocolate-hazelnut filling (think Nutella), all encased in a crisp wafer shell and coated with chopped hazelnuts and milk chocolate. To bring that same indulgence to this tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake, I mimic the filling using whipped cream folded with Nutella and a touch of cream cheese for structure. This becomes the mid-layer between cake halves and doubles as a topping.
I love adding a handful of chopped hazelnuts into the filling—they bring a satisfying crunch that instantly reminds you of that classic Ferrero Rocher experience with every bite. And let me tell you—it’s addicting.
Crunch layers: adding texture without sogginess
Texture can be tricky in a Tres Leches Ferrero Rocher cake, especially when you’re dealing with something as moist as a soaked sponge. But crunch is essential here. To keep the crunch from disappearing, add it right before serving. Toasted hazelnuts, chocolate wafer crumbles, or even crushed Ferrero Rocher candies make great toppers. I layer a ring of chopped Ferreros around the edge of the cake and sprinkle some over the whipped topping too.
Want more ideas for textural contrast? My churro cheesecake donuts use cinnamon sugar crusts that hold up against creamy centers, and gansito cheesecake layers sponge with jam and crunch beautifully.
The trick is timing: add those crisp elements just before serving so they stay crunchy while the rest of the cake stays decadently soft and milky.
Putting It All Together: How to Serve with Style
Layering and chilling: the final texture magic
By now, your cake is soaked, your filling is rich with Nutella and chopped hazelnuts, and you’re probably sneaking bites when no one’s looking. Everything truly comes to life in the final step of assembling this tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake. Carefully slice your soaked sponge in half if using a tall pan—or layer two thinner cakes. Spread your chocolate-hazelnut whipped filling between the layers and cover the top and sides with more of that luscious mix. Then chill again for an hour. Letting the cake rest gives the flavors time to blend and the texture to firm up, resulting in silky smooth bites and picture-perfect slices of your tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake.
It looks impressive without requiring any special skills. I’ve served this tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake simply frosted or piped into swoops with a spatula. Either way, it disappears in minutes. It’s kind of like my mini churro cheesecake bites—effortless to make, but they vanish fast.
Chocolate drizzle, hazelnut toppings, and serving ideas
Now for the fun part: toppings. I like to drizzle melted milk chocolate over the top of the tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake and let it drip down the sides. Sprinkle on chopped toasted hazelnuts and press whole or halved Ferrero Rocher candies into the top for decoration. If you want a super polished finish, try grating dark chocolate over everything right before serving.
This tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake pairs beautifully with a hot espresso or glass of cold milk. For parties, slice it into squares and top each piece with a mini candy. Want a spicier spin? Try swapping in a cinnamon-hazelnut whipped topping, inspired by my mangonada cheesecake, which plays sweet and heat perfectly.
You’ve now got a showstopper dessert that’s rich, milky, crunchy, and chocolatey—all in one glorious forkful. It looks impressive without requiring any special skills. I’ve served this Ferrero Rocher tres leches cake simply frosted or piped into swoops with a spatula. Either way, it disappears in minutes. It’s kind of like my mini churro cheesecake bites—effortless to make, but they vanish fast.
FAQs
How long do tres leches need to soak before?
To ensure the best texture, it’s ideal to let a tres leches cake soak for a minimum of 4 hours—though letting it rest overnight yields the most flavorful results. The extended time allows the sponge to fully absorb the milk blend without becoming overly soggy. Let the milk soak in at room temperature for about 30 minutes before transferring it to the fridge to fully chill and set.
What’s the filling in Ferrero Rocher?
Ferrero Rocher candies have a whole roasted hazelnut in the center, surrounded by a smooth chocolate-hazelnut cream (like Nutella), encased in a crisp wafer shell, and coated in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. For this cake, we replicate that with a Nutella whipped filling and a hazelnut crunch topping.
Why are tres leches not soggy?
It’s all about the sponge. Tres leches cake uses a light, airy sponge cake made with whipped egg whites and little to no fat, allowing it to absorb the milk mixture evenly without falling apart. If prepared properly, it remains tender and moist without ever becoming mushy or overly wet.
What are the three milks in tres leches?
The classic combination of three milks typically features evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk. In this tres leches Ferrero Rocher version, we enhance the mix with cocoa powder and hazelnut spread for an extra rich flavor.
Conclusion
This tres leches Ferrero Rocher cake is proof that rich, elegant desserts don’t have to be complicated. By combining the soft, creamy texture of a soaked sponge with the decadent crunch of hazelnuts and chocolate, you get a fusion that’s both nostalgic and totally new. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because your sweet tooth demanded it, this recipe delivers every time. It’s the kind of cake that gets people talking—and asking for seconds. And the best part? You made it from scratch, without spending hours in the kitchen. Go ahead and enjoy that last slice—you earned it.
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