Everyone will rave about your Boston Cream Poke Cake. Prepare a cake mix, a box of instant pudding, and a rich ganache frosting, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing dessert that is perfect for any occasion.

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Table of Contents

Boston Cream Poke Cake with Ganache Ingredients
How to Make This Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
FAQ:
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Boston cream poke cake with ganache frosting sounds fancy but is so easy to make and so fun to serve. Just bake a yellow cake mix, add some vanilla pudding and cover with the frosting. It tastes just like Boston cream pie with a lot less effort. Poke cakes are just that; they have holes poked in them and are filled with pudding to give them incredible moistness. They are perfect for parties or potlucks and easy enough to whip up for no occasion at all.

Boston Cream Poke Cake with Ganache Ingredients

You’ll need:

For the Cake:

1 box butter yellow cake mix, plus ingredients called for on the package (vegetable oil, eggs, water)
6.8 ounces (2 x 3.4-ounce boxes) instant vanilla pudding (see directions for not using the entire second box of pudding)
4 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Ganache:

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Substitutions and Additions

BUTTER: You could use corn syrup in place of butter.

GANACHE: Use a ready-made tub of chocolate frosting to make this poke cake even easier.

CAKE MIX: We used yellow cake mix in this recipe, but white cake mix would work just as well.

How to Make This Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Make the yellow butter cake mix according to the package directions. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Place in the oven and bake at the recommended temperature and time from the cake box directions.

STEP TWO: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool. Once cooled, use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake, about an inch and a half apart. Set aside.

PRO TIP: Let your cake cool slightly, but not completely, before poking holes in it. Once the cake has completely cooled, the top may crack and crumble when you poke holes in it.

STEP THREE: In a medium mixing bowl, combine instant vanilla pudding, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to combine.

STEP FOUR: Before pouring, take out ½ cup of the mixture and set aside then immediately pour the pudding mixture over the top of the cake before it has a chance to set up.

Note: This step is simply because the package of instant pudding makes just a bit to much for this poke cake. Enjoy the excess pudding that you set aside in a bowl.

PRO TIP: Before refrigerating your cake, tap it on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and allow the pudding to get down into the holes.

STEP FIVE: Place the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

STEP SIX: In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Stir together. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir together. Repeat heating in 30-second increments until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is combined.

NOTE: When making ganache, it is important to ensure that the heavy cream is hot enough to melt the chocolate but not hot enough to burn it. Let it cool to room temperature on the counter before using it.

STEP SEVEN: Pour the chocolate over the top of the cake and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight if you have the time.

How To Serve

There is no right or wrong time to serve this incredible cake. Boston cream poke cake is the perfect sweet treat for a special occasion, after-dinner dessert, or afternoon snack. Serve it as is or with a scoop of ice cream alongside it.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Cover and keep your poke cake in the fridge for up to one week to enjoy over and over again.

IN THE FREEZER: Boston cream poke cake will freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.

This Boston cream poke cake seems so special but is really simple to make. With only a box of cake mix, instant pudding for the vanilla filling, and some basic baking ingredients, you can prepare this cake in no time.

FAQ:

Q? What temperature should I serve Boston cream poke cake at?

A: The nice thing about this cake is that you can serve it cold out of the fridge, at room temperature, or slightly warmed in the microwave.

Q? How can I make my cake less soggy?

A: Check your cake according to the bake time on the package, and continue to bake a bit longer if it seems too moist.

Q? Can I use chocolate pudding for this poke cake?

A: Traditional Boston cream poke cake uses vanilla as the cream filling, but you could try chocolate pudding as the filling and maybe a white chocolate ganache.

Boston Cream Poke Cake

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

Cake

1 box butter yellow cake mix plus ingredients called for on package (vegetable oil, eggs, water)
6.8 ounces 2 x 3.4-ounce boxes instant vanilla pudding (see directions for not using the entire second box of pudding)
4 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ganache

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the yellow butter cake mix according to package directions. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Place in the oven and bake at the recommended temperature and time from the cake box directions.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake, about an inch and a half apart. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine instant vanilla pudding, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to combine.
Before pouring, take out ½ cup of the mixture and set aside then immediately pour the pudding mixture over the top of the cake before it has a chance to set up.
Place the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Stir together. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir together. Repeat heating in 30-second increments until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is combined.
Pour the chocolate over the top of the cake and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight if you have the time.

Notes

It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.

Make sure to pour pudding onto the cake quickly, before it has a chance to set.
When you’re pouring the cream into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the cream fills the holes completely.

Don’t forget to take out ½ cup of the pudding mixture. Trust us, we’ve tried this recipe out lots and the texture is best when you take the ½ cup out. Set it aside to set and you’ll have a snack for later.

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM https://12tomatoes.com/boston-cream-pie-cake/

Keyword Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe

Boston Cream Poke Cake