Boston Cream Poke Cake
Boston cream pie is a popular treat but now you get to enjoy the same flavors and textures in a poke cake!
This Boston Cream Poke Cake is made with a yellow cake mix base, filled with French vanilla pudding mix, and then topped with chocolate ganache.
Boston Cream Poke Cake is a fun twist to the classic Boston cream pie, including a sponge-cake base, creamy filling, and chocolate ganache.
The poke cake version of this classic treat is made with a convenient cake mix. Once the cake has baked and cooled, it’s poked with holes which then get filled with instant pudding mix, and then topped with a chocolate ganache.
This delicious poke cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. After that, you may see the pudding starting to separate and the cake becoming soggy.
Since this cake contains a lot of dairy ingredients, don’t leave it at room temperature for an extended time.
I don’t recommend freezing this cake since it contains a lot of dairy-based ingredients which won’t hold up well through the freezing and thawing process.
No, but you can easily make the poke cake gluten-free by using gluten-free cake mix and pudding mix.
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Recipe Notes:
- Be careful not to over bake your cake or it will turn out dry. Follow the toothpick method, insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out with a few crumbs on it take it out of the oven. If it comes out with batter the cake needs more time and if it comes out clean the cake needs to be removed immediately. If you don’t have a toothpick you can tap the top, center of the cake with your finger. If it feels firm to the touch and bounces back it is done baking. If it wobbles at all or remains indented then the cake has not finished cooking and needs more time.
- Make large, deep holes in the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Normally a few small pokes is enough if you’re pouring a liquid on a cake, however this pudding sets up quickly and is very thick. Don’t be afraid to really make holes in the cake. You can even use a cupcake corer if you have one, to cut out holes for your pudding to go into. Also be sure to get quite a few holes all over the cake so that the pudding can be enjoyed in every piece.
- Don’t make the pudding ahead of time. It is easy to be tempted to whisk together the pudding before the cake comes out of the oven but if you do so it will set up before the cake comes out and won’t fill your holes well. You may also end up with some lumps or lumpy areas on your cake if you pre-make the pudding. Make it after you’ve baked the cake and poked the holes and then pour it on the cake while it is still liquidy and not thick.
- Heating the cream for the ganache can be tricky because you do need it to be very hot but you don’t want to scald it. You should be able to heat it for 1 minute without any problems but be sure to stir it well at that point and then test the temperature. You will likely need to heat it more but I would reduce the time to about 30 seconds and be sure to stir it well after each microwave session so that you don’t end up with areas that are scalded.
Boston Cream Poke Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the yellow cake mix, 1 cup half and half, eggs and the melted butter until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon or other round tool to poke holes all over the cake. You want to make sure that the holes are rather large so really make a hole with whatever you are using.
- Pour the remaining 4 cups of half and half in a bowl and then whisk in the two boxes of french vanilla pudding mix until combined.
- Pour the pudding mixture over the cake and then gently spread it out evenly on the cake. Don’t wait for the pudding to thicken before pouring it.
- Refrigerate the cake with the pudding for twenty minutes.
- To make the ganache, place the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot and almost simmering. It doesn’t need to boil but it does need to be very, very hot.
- While the cream is heating, place the dark chocolate chips in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate chips and allow it to set for about 1 minute.
- Mix together the chocolate chips and cream with a fork, until the chocolate is melted and thick, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the ganache all over the cake and spread into an even layer with a spreading spatula.
- Refrigerate the entire cake for at least 2 hours or overnight so everything can set. Serve cold.
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Boston Cream Poke Cake
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Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
- 5 cups half and half divided
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 6.8 ounce boxes instant french vanilla pudding mix 2 – (3.4 ounce) boxes
- 1 & 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 10 ounce package dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the yellow cake mix, 1 cup half and half, eggs and the melted butter until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon or other round tool to poke holes all over the cake. You want to make sure that the holes are rather large so really make a hole with whatever you are using.
- Pour the remaining 4 cups of half and half in a bowl and then whisk in the two boxes of french vanilla pudding mix until combined.
- Pour the pudding mixture over the cake and then gently spread it out evenly on the cake. Don’t wait for the pudding to thicken before pouring it.
- Refrigerate the cake with the pudding for twenty minutes.
- To make the ganache, place the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot and almost simmering. It doesn’t need to boil but it does need to be very, very hot.
- While the cream is heating, place the dark chocolate chips in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate chips and allow it to set for about 1 minute.
- Mix together the chocolate chips and cream with a fork, until the chocolate is melted and thick, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the ganache all over the cake and spread into an even layer with a spreading spatula.
- Refrigerate the entire cake for at least 2 hours or overnight so everything can set. Serve cold.
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Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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I can’t wait to try this recipe because it looks yummy!!
Turned out great and super easy. Everyone loved it!
This cake is sooooo good!! Easy to make not too sweet just right!!
This was easy to make and delicious. I will definitely make it again.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I was wondering can you use heavy cream to replace the half and half?
Yep! That will work out just fine.
This is so delicious. If you love Boston creme pie in any form you’ll love this!
I’m making this for my husband, son and grandsons that are coming here to play D&D Saturday. They all love those doughnuts so this will be a welcome treat.
Hope the D&D went well and everyone loved the cake!