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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 theseBoston Cream Cupcakes and these20 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
mix & ingredients to makePudding
- 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)
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!
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
Kim Lange
Boston Cream Poke Cake...yellow buttery cake filled with a french vanilla cream pudding and frosted with rich chocolate.Beyond doubt, this is a very heavenly dessert!
4.19 from 500 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
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 andwhisk 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 andwhisk 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.
Keyword boston cream, cake, cake mix, poke cake, pudding
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