This easy recipe is perfect for holidays, parties, and potluck desserts! Next time try this Holy Cow Poke Cake.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Tastes like a classic Boston cream pie but SO easy!
- Make it up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Easy to transport to potlucks and picnics.
- That irresistible, shiny, chocolate ganache glaze!
Boston cream poke cake is a tender, buttery yellow cake that you "poke" holes in with a dowel, end of a wooden spoon, or big straw. You fill the holes with French vanilla pudding and pour the rest over the cake.
Once that sets you top the whole thing with a rich, shiny, ganache chocolate glaze.
It's one of my favorite poke cake recipes and the delicious combination of yellow cake, pastry cream, and chocolate topping makes it hard (impossible) to resist!
You can make this with a boxed cake mix or make it from scratch with the homemade cake and pudding recipes from the link in the recipe box below.
🧾 Ingredients
- You can use this yellow cake recipe baked in a 13x9 inch pan if you'd like to make this cake from scratch or just use your favorite yellow cake mix.
- If you'd like you can substitute this vanilla pudding for the instant pudding - or make a traditional vanilla custard.
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
I find that ordering my ingredients from Amazon saves me a ton of time. Here's what I used:
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- Bake a yellow cake according to package instructions (boxed or from scratch) in a 13x9 inch rectangular pan.
- Once the cake cools use a thin dowel or the round handle of a wooden spoon (anything about the diameter of a pencil) and poke holes evenly throughout the cake while it's still warm.
- Mix the instant vanilla pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl. Pour pudding mixture over the cake, being careful to get it in the holes you poked in it. It's important to do this quickly with instant pudding - before it sets up and while the pudding pours easily.
- Now you cover the whole thing and refrigerate it overnight to let the pudding set.
- Next day heat the heavy cream to a simmer. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted.
- Add the butter and corn syrup.
- Stir to blend and smooth chocolate ganache gently over the vanilla pudding custard layer.
- Chill it and let it set for 2 hours and it's ready to go!
To use canned frosting
If you'd prefer not to make this with the homemade glaze you can use canned chocolate frosting and pour over the cake.
Here's how:
- Open a tub of chocolate frosting and microwave in 10 second intervals. Stir between each interval until the frosting is pourable.
- . Don't overheat the frosting and watch it very carefully. If it get's too hot it will separate and be runny. You won't be able to use it.
- Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate as directed in the recipe.
🥄 Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- medium bowl
- large bowl
- 13x9-inch baking pan
- electric mixer
- lipped measuring cup
🥫 Storage
Since the Boston cream pie poke cake has a filling made with dairy you're going to want to keep it covered and refrigerated.
You can freeze the cake prior to adding the pudding and glaze. Just thaw it and poke the holes in it and you're ready to proceed with the recipe. Don't freeze it after you add the pudding - it will be mushy and gross.
📖 Variations
Use a chocolate cake mix with either creamy vanilla pudding or chocolate pudding. Smooth the shiny chocolate glaze over the top as directed above.
💭 Tips for success
Expert Tip: You'll get the best results if your cake is warm but not hot when you add the pudding.
- Save time by grabbing an unfrosted yellow cake from the bakery. You can usually ask them if they have any that haven't been frosted yet.
- I like yellow butter cake mix when using a mix.
- A round wooden spoon handle works great to poke with!
- I like to add a little extra vanilla extract to a boxed mix for better flavor.
- Change it up with different flavors.
- Don't make giant big holes. The cake will be too mushy. Just push the handle of the wooden spoon straight down.
- Be sure to pour the filling into the holes in the cake before the pudding sets.
- If the pudding is too thick to pour add just a little cream to thin it out slightly.
- After the pudding is poured over the cake you can add a layer of raspberry glaze. Just heat raspberry jam in the microwave until it is runny then pour it over the pudding before you add the glaze. SO good!
- Boston cream poke cake will be better if you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- You can vary the filling flavors to create a number of flavors and combinations.
- Use half vanilla pudding and half chocolate pudding so that each side has its own flavor! How cool is that?
👩🏻🍳 Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
It's a cake that you poke holes in after baking then pour over a pudding or sauce to fill the holes before frosting.
Traditionally the filling in a Boston Cream Pie is a cooked custard but you can use instant pudding mix if you want to save time. If you use instant pudding mix I suggest using ½ cup less milk than called for on the box.
You can freeze the cake before you add the pudding but you can't freeze the cake once the pudding has been added. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator, though.
This is one of my favorite recipes to take to church picnics and family get-togethers because it travels so well, too. It's a super easy potluck dessert recipe but it's also great for family game night, or just a great way to tell the people you love that they are special.
I've made Boston cream pie poke cake with boxed mix and boxed pudding AND I've made it from scratch - it just depends on how much time I have. I think I like the from scratch version a touch better but hey -- whatever works for you!
📚 Related recipes
We love our sweets around here! If you are looking for easy desserts that travel well here are some of my favorites! They are perfect for potlucks!
- Patriotic Jello Poke Cake is red, white, and blue made with Jello. Perfect for the 4th of July!
- Pig Pickin' Cake is moist and delicious with a whipped topping full of pineapple and mandarin orange.
- White Texas Sheet Cake is thin and rich like a regular chocolate variety but it has coconut flavor. SO good!
- Texas Sheet Cake is the traditional chocolate flavor with a pecan fudge icing that's almost like candy.
📞 The last word
This moist cake is SO much easier to make than the original Boston cream pie and it transports like a dream!
The hardest part is waiting for it to set so you can cut a big piece!
📖 Recipe
Boston Cream Poke Cake
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 yellow cake, 13x9-inch in pan- leave the cake in the pan.
To Use Instant Pudding
- 7.8 ounces French vanilla instant pudding mix, two 4-serving size boxes
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
To Use Homemade Pudding
Ganache
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Make the cake according to directions, baking it in a 13x9-inch pan.
- While the cake is still warm poke holes all over the cake at about 1 inch intervals using a dowel or glass straw about the same diameter as a pencil - maybe a little bigger.
- Poke through the cake to the bottom but not thru the bottom.
Prepare the Pudding
- Whisk pudding mix with 3 ½ cups of whole milk. OR make the homemade pudding according to instructions. Do not let it set up.
- Pour evenly over the cake getting it into all the holes. A lipped measuring cup works great for this.
- Spread the pudding over the cake pushing it gently into the holes.
- Add the remaining pudding for a thick layer on the top of cake.
- Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the Ganache
- Heat the cream in the microwave until almost bubbling.
- Remove from the microwave and stir in the chocolate until it's melted and completely smooth.
- Stir in the butter and the corn syrup.
- Pour over chilled cake and smooth with a spatula.
- Return to the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.
To Use Canned Frosting (Instead of Homemade Ganache)
- Open a container of chocolate fudge frosting and microwave in 10 second intervals. Stir between each interval until the frosting is pourable.
- Don't overheat the frosting and watch it very carefully. If it get's too hot it will separate and be runny. You won't be able to use it.
- Pour chocolate frosting over the cake and refrigerate as directed in the recipe.
Notes
- Save time by grabbing an unfrosted yellow cake from the bakery.
- Change it up with different flavors.
- If the pudding is too thick to pour add just a little cream to thin it out slightly.
- For best results let Boston cream pie poke cake sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The texture and flavor are so much better!
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published October 18, 2018. Last updated April 2, 2021 for better images and user experience. Small update June 28 for more tips.
Jaunelle
Excellent! Huge hit at a end of summer barbecue. Followed recipe exactly. Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Jaye J. Akers
A huge hit at my church pot luck! Thank you for your wonderful recipes
Norma Decker
I helped my granddaughter make this Boston Cream Cake for her father for his birthday and it was a hit! Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the clear instructions!!
Sharon
Easy to follow directions!
Ruthie Sellers
My husband and I ate this entire cake in a span of 24 hours. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is my pudding was not quite thick enough despite following the directions exactly. Obviously it did not stop us from eating it!
Marye
Im glad you liked the cake! Sorry the pudding didn't thicken properly. I'll check it again. 🙂
Leslie
I made this recipe last week. It is a real keeper. In case your readers wonder, leftovers freeze very well. There are only 2 of us, so we had a lot left. I cut it up into individual servings and froze them. Just take out what you want and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. It didn't take us long to polish off the rest. This was easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Marye
Thanks for letting me know, Leslie! Since you loved it... would you consider giving it 5 stars? 🙂
Mary Beth Elderton
This cake sounds wonderful! *pinned!