Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be zombies. That’s close enough to the tune, right?
My oldest is about to turn fifteen and it’s making me a little uneasy. The realization that he’ll be old enough to vote in the next presidential election—and only a year away from driving—sent me into a mild panic. It’s surreal to remember the chubby little boy I raised is suddenly so grown up.
I may need smelling salts. Do they still sell those? They should probably come standard issue for mothers of teens.
To celebrate early, my son invited a handful of his closest friends over. They were taller than I expected (when did that happen?), and their requests were simple:
- Lots of food—especially Cheddar Tailgating Bread.
- They wanted to watch Napoleon Dynamite and Inception.
- Maybe more than one loaf of bread per person.
- An epic Nerf battle.
- Cake.
- And a game called Zombie Apocalypse.
I was game for most of it until Zombie Apocalypse came up. I asked what it meant and was told it was basically tag after dark, where the person who’s “it” pretends to be a zombie and “eats” other players’ brains, turning them into zombies. I tuned out most of the details but asked one practical question: “Does anyone actually get hurt?” They promised no brains or limbs were harmed, so I gave the plan my approval and started baking.
Chocolate tres leches felt appropriate. I planned to drizzle a chunky strawberry sauce over the finished cake, but while I was pureeing the strawberries—distracted by dramatic zombie noises in the front yard—the sauce turned silky smooth. Those high-powered blenders are relentless.
After the outdoor zombie festivities ended, the freshly undead came inside for cake. As I drizzled the strawberry sauce over the chocolate tres leches, someone shouted, “HEY! That looks like BLOOD!” and the Zombie Apocalypse Tres Leches Cake name stuck.
Clearly the faux zombies weren’t satisfied with pretend brains: they polished the cake off so fast I didn’t get a single piece.
Nine out of nine zombies agreed: this cake is better than brains.
Zombie Apocalypse Tres Leches Cake
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 1/2 sticks 12 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk can substitute whole milk if necessary
For the Topping:
- 3 cups your favorite chocolate pudding (a double batch of a rich chocolate pudding works well)
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Zombie Apocalypse Strawberry Sauce:
- 1 pound frozen strawberries partially thawed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
To Make and Bake the Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Grease and flour a 9-inch by 13-inch by 2-inch baking pan.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, mixing and scraping after each addition.
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Whisk the flour and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl until no lumps remain. Sift if needed.
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Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on medium-low until combined. Add one-third of the evaporated milk and mix. Continue alternating flour and milk, ending with milk, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake 30–35 minutes, or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before continuing.
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When cool, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer or chopstick. Pour the pudding over the cake, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and allow it to soak at least one hour or up to overnight.
To Make the Strawberry Sauce:
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Combine the partially thawed strawberries, granulated sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Chill in a covered container until ready to serve.
To Top and Serve:
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When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the cake, slice as desired, and drizzle each serving with the strawberry sauce.
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Store leftovers well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided for reference. Calculate exact nutrition using the specific ingredients you use.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creations!
P.S. Don’t feel too bad for me—I made a second one and ate about a third of it myself.