Description

This easy Boston Cream Poke Cake combines a soft yellow cake base soaked in creamy vanilla pudding and topped with rich chocolate ganache. A crowd-pleasing, make-ahead dessert perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
Ingredients listed on the cake mix box (typically 3 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1 cup water)
Nonstick spray or butter (for greasing)

For the Filling

2 boxes (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 cups cold milk

For the Chocolate Topping

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Instructions

Prepare and Bake the Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Prepare cake batter according to package instructions and bake. Let it cool for 10–15 minutes.
Poke the Cake
Using the end of a wooden spoon or thick straw, poke holes evenly across the cake surface.
Mix and Pour the Pudding
Whisk pudding mixes with cold milk until thickened, then immediately pour over the warm cake, spreading it to fill the holes.
Chill the Cake
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the pudding sets.
Make the Ganache
Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and butter, and stir until smooth.
Top the Cake with Ganache
Pour the ganache over the chilled cake and spread evenly.
Final Chill and Serve
Refrigerate for 1 hour until ganache is set. Slice and serve chilled.

Notes

For best results, use instant pudding and pour it while it’s still pourable. The cake tastes even better after chilling overnight.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cake
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 390
Sugar: 29g
Sodium: 320mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 52g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: Boston Cream Poke Cake, Pudding Poke Cake, Easy Boston Cream Cake, Yellow Cake with Ganache, Poke Cake Recipe