Easy Boston Cream Poke Cake
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Boston Cream Poke Cake is a yellow buttery cake filled with a French vanilla cream pudding and frosted with rich chocolate ganache frosting. Everyone loves a good Boston cream pie. But why choose between a cake and a pie when you can have both with a Boston cream poke cake?
Beyond a doubt, this is a very heavenly dessert and we cannot resist! Much like these Boston Cream Cupcakes and these 20 Heavenly Layered Desserts!
What Are Poke Cakes?
Poke cakes are cakes that are baked and then holes are poked all over the top. Then the holes are filled with puddings, sauces, syrups and more followed with a frosting, ganache or whipped cream! They are super yummy and perfect when you want a tender cake filled with lusciousness and deliciousness!
This Boston Cream Poke Cake is a simple and convenient way to make an elegant dessert. Not only does it require minimal ingredients and effort, but it’s an unforgettable dessert that’s sure to be a hit at any event or gathering.
From the delicious and light yellow cake to the dreamy custardy and chocolatey filling, this cake has it all. It’s one of our favorites!
We love pokes cakes! Strawberry Creme Passion Poke Cake, Reese’s Peanut Butter Devil’s Food Chocolate Poke Cake, Sinful Triple Chocolate Fudge Poke Cake, and this awesome round up of 25 Dreamy Pudding Poke Cakes You Shouldn’t Live Without are just a few recipe posts we go ga-ga over!
This Boston Cream Poke Cake recipe is one of my husband’s favorite desserts of all time. When I told him I made it just for him, I could see pure happiness on his face. So that made me happy too! Not to mention, he gobbled most of it up on his own in three days. I did manage to get a few nibbles too, thank goodness!
This Boston cream poke cake was for him though, so by rights, he should get most of it, right? I could argue…but sometimes it’s just better to let it go and move on like it never happened.
When and Where Did Boston Cream Pie Originate?
Boston Cream Poke Cake is a very simple, luscious dessert. The best part, besides eating it is, it’s really hard to mess up this recipe because it’s super simple to make.
Did you know? Boston Cream Pie was created by Armenian-French chef M. Sanzian at Boston’s Parker House Hotel in 1856. It’s also the official dessert of Massachusetts. The original Boston Cream Pie was a cake combination of two layers of sponge cake filled with vanilla custard and topped with a chocolate ganache. Delish for sure!!
If you’re a Boston Cream fan, you’ll love these light and fluffy pudding filled Heavenly Boston Cream Puffs as well!
How Long Do Poke Cakes Take to Make?
This sinfully delicious treat is an easy twist on the classic that can be made in about 20 minutes with just a few ingredients, not including the cake baking time. This delicious twist on the much loved classic is a scrumptious way to satisfy your sweet tooth!
You can make this delectable Boston cream poke cake with a few simple ingredients with these easy steps. Not only is this classic cake easier to make than a regular Boston cream pie, but it is also even more delicious. Are you ready to make some pudding poked cake?
Ingredients You Need to Make Easy Boston Cream Poke Cake
All it requires is simple directions, yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and chocolate frosting and we can’t forget the pokes! After all, it is a poke cake! 🙂
Yellow Cake
- 1 box yellow butter recipe cake
mix & ingredients to make
Pudding
- 2 small boxes French Vanilla instant pudding
or pudding of choice & ingredients to make (If you want less pudding, use 1 box pudding instead of 2)
2 Chocolate Frosting Options:
Pre-Made Chocolate Frosting
- 1 tub chocolate frosting
OR Make Homemade Chocolate Ganache Recipe
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips/chopped bar (½ lb or 1 ⅓ cup). For more ganache, use 12 oz. or 1 ½ cups chocolate chips/chopped bar.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup more of heavy whipping cream if using 12 oz (1 ½ cups) chocolate chips instead of 8 oz. (1 cup)
How to Make Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake
Cake
- Bake cake as directed on the box in a 9×13 baking pan.
Pudding
- Prepare the pudding as directed on the box, after the cake has baked.
How to Poke Cake and Fill With Pudding
- While the cake is still warm, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes randomly through the cake about an inch apart.
- At this time, decide if you want 1 or 2 packages of pudding, depending how much pudding you want. Make pudding according to instructions on box using ingredients called out.
- Spread the ½ the pudding over the cake, pushing it into the holes. Add the rest of the pudding and spread out, making sure you have enough room at the top for your frosting.
- Refrigerate for 1 ½ – 2 hours. Choose Frosting options of Pre-Made Chocolate Frosting or Home-Made Chocolate Ganache.
Use Pre-made Chocolate Frosting
- Remove the lid and seal from chocolate frosting and microwave for 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the frosting can be poured. Take care not to overheat or boil the frosting, as it will separate and be runny.
- Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
OR
Make Homemade Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and whisk until well incorporated and velvety. Wait about 5-10 minutes before adding it top of pudding on cake and pudding should be set as well before adding it.
- Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and whisk until well incorporated and velvety. Wait about 5-10 minutes before adding it top of pudding on cake and pudding should be set as well before adding it.
- The ganache will thicken as it cools. When it’s completely cool, it will be thick and fudgy.
Storing Your Poke Cake
Poke cakes should be sealed or covered and they last up to 2-3 days after you make it. It’s best to serve it the next day and refrigerate any leftovers.
This Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake recipe is sure to impress all your dinner guests or make any day special. You may want to check out these 25 Slices of Summer Heavenly Desserts and 45 Awesome Easter & Spring Desserts!
So what are you waiting for? Try this Boston Cream Poke Cake today and let the taste buds decide.
More Heavenly Desserts!
- Overnight Cinnamon French Toast
- Strawberry Ice Box Cake
- 20 Heavenly Layered Desserts!
- No-Bake Strawberry Eclair Cake
- Pumpkin French Toast
- Death By Chocolate Poke Cake
Easy Boston Cream Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box yellow butter recipe cake mix & ingredients to make
Pudding
- 2 small boxes French Vanilla instant pudding or pudding of choice & ingredients to make (If you want less pudding, use 1 box pudding instead of 2)
2 Chocolate Frosting Options:
Pre-Made Chocolate Frosting
- 1 tub chocolate frosting
OR Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips/chopped bar (1/2 lb or 1 1/3 cup) For more ganache, use 12 oz. or 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips/chopped bar.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup more of heavy whipping cream if using 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) chocolate chips instead of 8 oz. (1 cup)
Instructions
Cake
- Bake cake as directed on the box in a 9x13 baking pan.
Pudding
- Prepare the pudding as directed on the box, after the cake has baked.
How to Make Poke Cake
- While the cake is still warm, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes randomly through the cake about an inch apart.
- At this time, decide if you want 1 or 2 packages of pudding, depending how much pudding you want. Make pudding according to instructions on box using ingredients called out.
- Spread the 1/2 the pudding over the cake , pushing it into the holes. Add the rest of the pudding and spread out, making sure you have enough room at the top for your frosting.
- Refrigerate for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Choose Frosting options of Pre-Made Chocolate Frosting or Home-Made Chocolate Ganache.
Use Pre-made Chocolate Frosting
- Remove the lid and seal from chocolate frosting and microwave for 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the frosting can be poured. Take care not to overheat or boil the frosting, as it will separate and be runny.
- Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
OR
Make Home-Made Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and whisk until well incorporated and velvety. Wait about 5-10 minutes before adding it top of pudding on cake and pudding should be set as well before adding it.
- Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and whisk until well incorporated and velvety. Wait about 5-10 minutes before adding it top of pudding on cake and pudding should be set as well before adding it.
- The ganache will thicken as it cools. When it’s completely cool, it will be thick and fudgy.
Hi Autumn, it would be hard to spread on top of the pudding layer, so if you do attempt it, try to have it room temp and whip it well to make smooth and creamy so it’s more spreadable and it would be good if it the pudding was chilled before frosting. You’ll be able to tell then if it will work or not.
Heating*
Could I frost the cake regularly without hedging it up? Would it still be good that way?
Hi Nia, it should be fine to do that. Enjoy!
Hi, I’m making homemade pudding but is it ok to pour very hot pudding over the cake?
The only thing I can think of is the chocolate seized or got overheated somewhere in the process when melting it. Hope that helps Linda! Thank you for trying it and next time, hopefully no problems. 🙂
A delicious and easy cake. I made the ganache but it did not adhere to the cake. When cutting or eating it separated from the cake. I did let cake cool before adding ganache . Any suggestions? I would definitely make again.
My frosting was way way to runny…hard to serve very very disappointed………….never says anywhere to not cover cake after frosting it. will not make again.
Love that Sandy! xo
I never have to worry about covering it , theyres never enough left to cover. I’m making this cake tomorrow for my friends coming over tomorrow night for coffee and cake.
Awesome Sandy! So glad you enjoyed it to the very last piece. 🙂
I made this Boston cream poke cake , on Wednesday , we ate the last pieces tonight. It is really good. Thank-You for this recipe.
Thank you Kelly!!
with my Boston Cream Poke Cake? hahaha! xoxo
LOL … killing me softly …
Love an easy cake and all the flavors in this poke cake sound AMAZING! Pinning!!
Yes it should be smooth and creamy to spread.
Was it easy enough to spread the ganache over the cake?
Add the pudding while the cake is still warm, yes. Make the pudding, poke the holes and pour in. Hope you enjoy!!
I’m thinking I shouldn’t let the cake cool down a bit before adding the pudding. Yes?
I’m so glad it’s going to be a family favorite! 🙂 Thanks for your tip and Happy New Year! 🙂
This cake is soo delicious! I know it will be a family favorite.
Just a tip: You just need to be careful putting the frosting on. I found that it had to be done quickly before it made the pudding soft.
Sometimes if you over-microwave your frosting it will break the sugar and fat down, so it won’t thicken back up.
I covered it and the icing was runny. Other than it was good. I wish I’m ew why the icing was runny. Anyone know??
I’m so happy you tried and loved it Shelia! It’s so easy and it’s one of our favorites! Thanks so much for commenting!
I made this yesterday and followed the recipe with the exception of using a yellow cake mix instead of the butter cake mix. I poked the holes in the cake while it was still warm. Next I made the pudding from the instructions on the box, whisking it for 2 minutes then I let it sit for 2 minutes, gave it a stir and poured it over the cake making sure to get it in the holes. There was some pudding on top of the cake. Next I put it in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Next I heated the frosting up in the microwave for 20 seconds gave it a stir and microwaved it again for 15 seconds (mine is a 1000 watt). This time it was pourable so I poured it on the cake using a spoon to spread it to the edges. Put it back in the refrigerator for 4 hours. My family loved it!
Hi Wendelin. Sorry, I’m just getting back to you. I was on the road, but I serve it cold, right out of the fridge, but it’s ok to let it come to room temperature if you want. My husband prefers putting it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a warm dessert. It’s just whatever your preference is. Hope you enjoyed! 🙂
I made this cake today for a potluck tomorrow. It was very easy to make. My question is, “do you serve it cold or room temperature?
Yes, I hope you make it again. I know when I’ve made pudding with almond milk I don’t use as much as it calls out for on the directions. It seems to set up better. Also, I’m guessing the saran wrap was touching the frosting while the frosting was still wet. I would let it set a bit before covering it, if the cake is all the way to the top of the pan. Happy Holidays Peggy!
Made this but it didn’t work out well. I used almond milk and it did not set the pudding. Covered it anyway with frosting but then when I tried to take the Saran Wrap off the frosting came with it! ?♀️ I will try this again though.
Thank you so much Joanne. I’m glad you found it yummy! xo
Very yummy.
Hi Kim! My sister has Fibromyalgia as well, so I know about the good and bad days you deal with because I see her go through it. I hope you have more good days dear! Keep the faith and hope you get to enjoy this soon! 🙂
I have Fibromyalgia but this sounds pretty easy!? So it’s gonna be sitting our table on one of my good days!! ?
Happy Birthday to the Birthdays! That is an awesome idea to get even more pudding down in those holes. Genius Sherri! Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!!
Will be eating this cake tomorrow for some birthdays. I found it easier to use a icing tip in a sandwich bag to fill the holes. Still waiting to frost it with the homemade frosting
Yes you would Barb. Hope you enjoy! xo
Since we are using 2 pkgs of pudding do you double the milk added? Or just keep it to 2 cups.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it Jennifer! (I like to bake from scratch too!) It’s so yummy not to share! xo