28 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes

Poke cakes are really easy to create, and every baker should try to make one at least once. You may have wondered what a poke cake actually is.

It is a cake that has been punctured and filled with a tasty syrup, liquid or some kind of filling. These little tricks help to produce extremely moist and delicious cakes every time.

28 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes

Anyone can make a poke cake and there are lots for you to choose from. 

In this article, we have put together 28 delicious poke cake recipes that you need to try!

1. Lemon Poke Cake

An incredibly fluffy, light, and delicious cake is made with this recipe.  It has the ideal ratio of tangy to citrus to sweet.

With fresh berries and whipped cream on top, it’s a beautiful burst of flavors and textures. The perfect summer dessert.

2. Better Than Anything Poke Cake

It is a chocolate cake that has been flavored with caramel, sweetened condensed milk, and toffee bits. Everybody’s sweet tooth will rejoice with this!

It has a lovely flavor that isn’t overpowering. The whole cake is well-balanced thanks to whipped cream and the saltiness of the caramel.

3. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Poke Cake

A perfect pairing is chocolate and peanut butter.  This dessert is amazing.

The recipe includes a layer of chocolate cake at the bottom, with a peanut butter and vanilla pudding mixture drizzled over it for additional taste and moisture.

Then, it is garnished with crumbled peanut butter cups and light, fluffy peanut butter whipped cream.

4. Piña Colada Poke Cake

Using a butter cake mix punctured with cream of coconut makes this Piña colada Poke Cake simple.

It has coconut and a cool whip on top. In addition to that, this cake is alcohol-free, and is not alcoholic.

The glaze that has been poured into the cake is what makes it so moist. It has such a deliciously tropical flavor.

5. Pumpkin Spice Poke Cake

The cake has a delicious pumpkin and spice flavor. Alongside a refreshing frosting made from cream cheese.

The cake is poked with sweetened condensed milk, this cake stands apart from other pumpkin cakes. The milk not only makes the cake exceptionally sweet, but it also keeps it obscenely moist for days.

6. Banana Split Poke Cake

Your preferred fruity sundae has now been transformed into a delicious cake!

This dish is ideal for the whole family because it comes with chocolate sauce, cherries, whipped cream, bananas, and strawberries on top.

It is a really luxurious cake that no one will fail to notice. In addition to that, it is made from a simple box cake mix. 

7. Hot Chocolate Poke Cake

The most indulgent chocolate cake is the Hot Chocolate Poke Cake.

It is packed with marshmallow fluff and topped with hot chocolate whipped cream, chocolate fudge, and a mountain of tiny marshmallows. 

8. Boston Cream Poke Cake

The marriage of chocolate and custard is truly something extraordinary.  The flavor of this cake, which combines vanilla pudding, yellow cake, and chocolate icing, is a match made in heaven.

It’s difficult to stop at just one slice because it’s so excellent. Good thing this recipe makes plenty for a large gathering.

9. Butterbeer Poke Cake

This recipe for Butterbeer Poke Cake is moist, tasty, and bursting with butterscotch flavor.

A rich butterscotch pudding filling, a sweet, whipped cream icing, and a tasty drizzle of butterscotch sauce are all added to the cake’s soft and fluffy base.

For all Harry Potter fans out there, you need to try this poke cake (need some magical Harry Potter-themed cocktails? Read here)!

10. Black Forest Poke Cake

Fudgy chocolate cake, is matched with a sour cherry pie filling. Then the cake is topped with chocolate shavings and whipped cream.

This is every black forest lover’s dream. The dessert traditionally requires a few ingredients as well as some work. 

While maintaining the same flavors and textures, this modified poke cake is much simpler.

11. Eggnog Poke Cake

Using pumpkin pie spice and eggnog pudding, a basic boxed cake mix is transformed into a holiday treat.

This cake is fit for any special event because it is decorated with Nilla Wafers and whipped cream.

12. Key Lime Poke Cake

The wonderful Key Lime Poke Cake is a white cake with holes that are leaking with a sweet and acidic key lime filling.

This is a fantastic dish when topped with strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

13. Texas Tornado Cake

Despite being cooked from scratch, this cake couldn’t be simpler.  You might be surprised to learn that the batter has no butter or oil when you read the ingredients (if you want more delicious no-butter recipes, read our guide to butter-free cookies here).

It still manages to be really moist, though!

This cake comes from the 1940s, but is still enjoyed today. The secret ingredient is pineapple that helps with the flavor and moist texture of this poke cake. 

14. Mocha Poke Cake

A coffee and chocolate cake that is poked and covered in a smooth mocha filling.

Then a whipped espresso cream is added to the top. This cake is ideal for all the coffee lovers out there. It is moist, spongy, and full of coffee taste.

15. Grasshopper Poke Cake

Grasshopper Poke Cake is a great cake variation of the well-known mint drink. A creamy chocolate pudding has been poked into a chocolate mint cake.

Even while it already has a tonne of flavor, adding hot fudge, chocolate chips and mint-flavored whipped cream will elevate it even more.

16. Tres Leches Poke Cake

A traditional Spanish delicacy known as tres leches consists of sponge cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk.

It’s packed with milky sweetness and moist but not mushy. It is so easy to make, that it is ideal for anyone that is new to baking. 

17. Raspberry Lemon Jell-O Poke Cake

Lemon and raspberries combine to make such a vibrant and energizing flavor combination, This raspberry and lemon cake is both sweet and attractive.

For flavor and moisture, raspberries are infused into the cake.

Then a thick coat of lemon pudding is placed on top, followed by fresh raspberries as decoration. Creating the ideal summer poke cake for any gathering. 

18. Tiramisu Poke Cake

Traditional tiramisu is as delicious as it is difficult to create. Here comes the recipe for poke cake.

You can make a light and fluffy treat that includes all the same textures and flavors as the traditional Italian dessert with only a few basic steps and ingredients.

19. Halloween Poke Cake

This amazing cake is very simple to create using boxed cake, orange jello, and the most amazing whipped cream cheese icing.

The perfect cake to be served at any Halloween party. In addition to that, you don’t have to stick with the orange and black theme.

Why not try green and purple instead for a Halloween fright!

20. Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake

Blueberry sauce, a creamy ricotta icing with a hint of lemon, and a moist, delicate sponge.

This cake is extremely light and sweet that balances out the sharpness provided by the blueberries and lemon (see also ‘21 Delightful Lemon Cake Mix Recipes‘). Everyone needs to try this cake at least once. 

21. S’mores Poke Cake

Let this s’mores cake bring back happy campfire memories from your childhood.

With hot fudge, broken graham crackers, and toasted marshmallows on top of a rich chocolate cake.

That is not all, the cake is covered with marshmallow cream that seeps into your cake. A really rich but tasty cake that everyone will enjoy.

22. Red Velvet Peppermint Poke Cake

Have you ever combined peppermint and red velvet? Even though it’s an unusual combination, it works beautifully. 

The color combination is really fantastic, to start. The crimson cake is just too lovely, especially with a pink buttercream on top.

The flavor is also perfect in every way. It has a sweet, chocolate flavor with a dash of fresh mint.

23. Death By Chocolate Poke Cake

This rich dark chocolate cake is poked with an indulgent chocolate pudding.

Then with a thick creamy chocolate frosting and chocolate pieces on top. If you love chocolate, you will adore this cake. It’s a lot of chocolate, but is really easy to make using a chocolate cake mix. 

24. Champagne Cherry Poke Cake

This elegant champagne cake is gorgeous and sparkling. More significantly, it will totally impress your taste buds.

At its center, it is a tender, fluffy yellow cake poked with cherries. Then a frosting, which is made from sugar, melted butter, champagne, and edible glitter.

You don’t have to apply the frosting, but it does elevate the whole cake. 

Cherry sauce is poked into the cake, to create a marbled effect in the light cake. This is a true celebratory cake. 

25. Margarita Poke Cake

Margarita Poke Cake is a great way to start any celebration. This simple dessert for the summer is boozy, fluffy, moist, and bursting with lime flavor.

If you love margaritas, then what’s stopping you from creating the poke cake version!

26. Funfetti Poke Cake

If you’re on a diet but have a sugar craving, this funfetti cake will do the job.  The cake is incredibly tasty and delicious.

The sprinkles and whipped cream topping add a delightful flavor and various textures to the moist cake.

Yet, with that being said, this cake doesn’t contain too many calories either. Thus, the perfect sweet treat.

27. Unicorn Poke Cake

The cutest dessert that any child would like to have for their birthday is this unicorn poke cake! Just look at what a gorgeous blend of colors that is created.

Since it only requires a simple mixture of food coloring, you won’t need much artistic ability to accomplish this.

It is created using boxed cake mix, vanilla pudding, whipped cream icing, and colorful sprinkles.

28. Triple Coconut Poke Cake

This cake is the ideal treat if you’re in the mood for light, tropical flavors.

It is a coconut cake that has been filled with coconut cream and is topped with toasted coconut and coconut whipped cream.

Each bite has coconut, and it’s delicious. Alongside that, you only need one bowl to create this cake. Which limits your washing up once everything is done. 

Conclusion

There are a lot of different types of poke cakes out there. You will notice that poke cakes are one of the moistest cakes you will ever make, due to the liquid or filling that you inject into them.

Yet, this allows you to add even more flavor to your cakes while also creating the ideal texture. 

We have shown you 28 delicious poke cake recipes that you should try making at home. These cakes are ideal for a family gathering or a special occasion. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can You Use To Poke Holes Into A Cake?

Make holes in the cake about an inch apart with the handle of a wooden spoon or the pointy end of the fork.

This will depend on the type of filling you are adding to your cake, on which piece of equipment that you decide to use. 

Ensure the holes you are creating aren’t too close together or too far apart. If the holes are too close together, then the cake will become too moist and ruin the texture.

However, if they are too far apart, then there may not be enough of this feeling throughout your cake.

Can A Poke Cake Become Soggy?

It is possible for your poke cake to become soggy. This is down to your hotels and how much filling you are adding.

As mentioned above, if the poke holes are too close together, this will cause your cake to become soggy.

When Do You Poke Your Cake And Add The Filling? 

As the cake cools, the crust on top will become more brittle, thus it is better to make the holes in it while it is still slightly warm.

Also, while it’s warm, this allows the filling to penetrate further through the cake than it would when added when the cake was cold. 

Do Poke Cakes Need To Be Refrigerated? 

The answer to this question will vary, depending on the type of poke cake you have. Any poke cake that has jello or pudding will need to be kept in the refrigerator until it is needed.

However, you can also treat poke cakes like a normal cake and leave it out for up to 4 days in an airtight container. 

When Did Poke Cakes Become Popular?

Poke cakes have been around for quite a while now and doesn’t seem to be going out of fashion.

It originally made a name for itself in the 1980s, as it was a really easy dessert that you could make ahead of time.

In addition to that, you don’t need many ingredients either, especially if you just use a standard cake mix. 

Today, the poke cake is still loved as a quick dessert that any baker can make. No matter how much skill or experience they have. 

28 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes

28 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes

Recipe by Jenna

Have you ever tried a poke cake before? Carry on reading to discover 28 delicious poke cakes that you need to make for your next social gathering.

Course: Dessert
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