Powered by Mom’s Death by Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
This delicious Death by Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe has is super moist with the homemade chocolate pudding. I then topped it with a whipped cream and cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache AND chocolate chips. I figured if I was going to call it a Death by Chocolate Poke Cake that meant there was no such thing as too much chocolate. Chocolate lovers this one is for you!
The Best Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
This Death by Chocolate Poke Cake came together as my husband and daughter requested something chocolate. I’ve been doing a lot of chocolate and coconut recipes because I love chocolate and coconut. However hubby and my daughter wanted something all chocolate and I’ve been wanting to try my hand at another poke cake. I decided I would just use a store bought chocolate cake mix but you’re welcome to do it from scratch.
My pan is a bit of a weird size so the cake was a little too high but that didn’t stop me. I do suggest using a standard 9×13 baking pan and try it first with one cake mix for this recipe. You can add another half a box if you want more cake than topping. I tend to gather bits that I like from recipes and put it together with what I like. That’s how this decadent dessert was born!
Does This Chocolate Poke Cake Use Instant Pudding Mix?
I thought about using an instant chocolate pudding but it’s so easy to make your own. All you need is some milk, cocoa, sugar, and a bit of cornstarch and you can make your own chocolate pudding. I used the microwave to make the pudding so it didn’t take very long at all. My husband and daughter were chomping at the bit waiting for cake to be finished.
What Should I Use to Poke the Holes in My Poke Cake?
My daughter loved doing the part of poking the holes in the Death by Chocolate Poke Cake. We did it with the end of a wooden spoon so that the chocolate pudding could seep down into the cake. I’ve seen some of these poke cakes with sweetened condensed milk, those would be good too we loved it with the chocolate pudding.
This is easy to do with the handle of a wooden spoon, a metal straw, or even a cleaned dowel. Of course, you can use a skewer and wiggle it a bit to make the holes larger if desired.
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Chocolate Cake Recipe Tip #1
If you have a large enough measuring cup, make the pudding in that and microwave it. It’s so much easier to pour from the measuring cup once the pudding is thick enough. Don’t worry if some of the pudding is still on top of the chocolate poke cake. It will set and you’re going to be putting a whole bunch of goodness on top of that anyway.
How Do I Make a Chocolate Poke Cake?
Time for the full recipe instructions. Are you ready? Bookmark or print the recipe below!
Death by Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
Death by Chocolate Poke Cake with chocolate pudding, whipped cream & cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache & chocolate chips. What a way to go.
Ingredients
For Chocolate Cake
- 1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix (follow instructions - most require eggs & oil)
Chocolate Pudding
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup Cocoa
- 2 1/4 cups milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Whipped Cream & Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8oz) package cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 3 tbsps cocoa
Chocolate Ganache
- 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Optional Chocolate Chips for the final topping
- 3 cups
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
- Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
- Poke cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon.
Chocolate Pudding
- In medium bowl, mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Gradually stir in milk.
- Microwave on high for 7-10 mins or until the mixture comes to a full boil. Stir every 2-3 minutes
- Once the pudding is thickened add in butter and vanilla.
- Let it cool a bit before pouring over the cake
- Make sure the cake and pudding is completely cooled before frosting
Whipped Cream & Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.
- Frost the cake. You can stop here if you want. The chocolate ganache is not required but oh boy does it add this Death by Chocolate Poke Cake
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the cream in a medium sized microwaveable bowl.Bring to a boil where it's just starting to form bubbles.
- Add chocolate chips and stir until they are melted and thoroughly mixed
- Let it cool so it's slightly warm not hot but still pours easily. Pour over frosting.
- You can do the reverse and add the ganache before the frosting. I did it last so the chocolate chips would adhere to it.
- Store cake in fridge
- Enjoy your Death by Chocolate Poke Cake
Can you see the pudding in the cake below?
Super moist and super rich that’s what this Death by Chocolate Poke Cake is all about!
What are the Layers in This Poke Cake Recipe?
You start with your base cake layer, then add the homemade pudding layer. It’s two layers, even if it only feels like one since they blend together.
I then did two layers of whipped cream and cream cheese frosting, making one more dark chocolate than the other. You can see the difference in colours above. You don’t have to and again the chocolate ganache and chocolate chips are optional BUT it is a Death by Chocolate Poke cake so go for it. The cake will be super moist and it might be messy but oh what a way to go. I had fun creating this cake and thinking of all the ways I could add more chocolate. My husband and daughter LOVED it but it is super rich.
If you love it as much as we do, let us know by leaving a comment if you’ve tried our Death by Chocolate Poke Cake or are going to. You can also PIN this for later!
Chocolate Cake Recipe Tip #2
Remember you don’t have to add all the toppings that we did but if we didn’t go over the top it wouldn’t be a Death by Chocolate Poke Cake now would it. Besides there’s no such thing as too much chocolate in our opinion.
Get creative and top with shaved chocolate, mini chocolate chips, or crumbled chocolate candies. You can even reserve some cake and crumble to sprinkle over the top if you like the rustic look.
Don’t forget to check out some of our other delicious recipes like our Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe!
These look delicious! I’m definitely going to try the Death by Chocolate Poke Cake.
Holy cow does this look amazing. I am absolutely going to make this this weekend! Thanks!
I love, love, love chocolate. Ive had Death by chocolate ice cream, so now death by chocolate cake. Can’t wait!
I just saw this on your IG and had to come check it out. I’m going to surprise my kids with it! Some death by chocolate recipes are too much but I like yours!
Oh my goodness this looks AMAZING! I have yet to attempt a poke cake, but they look fairly simple so I’m gonna start with this one! Thank you so much!
Oh my! I am going into a Diabetic coma right now looking at this masterpiece!
You had me at chocolate YUM!
Sharing
The title of this recipe fits it’s appearance. “Death by poke cake” or “Death by chocolate.”
Yum! I love poke cakes and this recipe will be made soon.
OOOH this cake! it’s late and now i’m craving cake. wow this seems good! Gotta try
HAVE to try this recipe. thanks for sharing it.
It’s great it was made completely from scratch. Love lots of chocolate
Looks easy enough, although I have to admit that I’ll be waiting until the weather cools down to try making it.
This would be a hit with my family. Looks so delicious.
HONESTLY is there anything better than chocolate whether in a bar, drink or cake, love them all. This death by chocolate poke cake looks so delicious just by looking at the photos. These types of cakes are always so much fun to eat, so much goodness inside.
This is beautiful! I love all the different textures, along with dif. types of chocolates. Mmmmm!
I love this chocoholic pleaser!
I’m not the best baker in the world, but this looks like a fun recipe for me and my daughter to try together. She of course will do the poking.
I have never made a poke cake but this looks so easy!
This looks and sound super delicious. I am going to try and make this for my wife’s birthday, thanks for sharing.
I’m thinking more like “death by chocolate”! That’s the way I want to go. We are going to give this recipe a try. Hopefully I survive after eating most of it…lol!
I love poke cakes. They are so moist and delicious.
I remember the restaurant Bennigan’s used to have a dessert called “Death By Chocolate”. Yours looks even better! The best part is the chocolate chips on top!
WHAT A WAY TO GO, I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER.
This chocolate cake sounds very delicious, will definitely try this recipe.
I could die happy eating this cake. It loos so yummy.
our family loves poke cakes I believe that the chocolate lovers in this family will love this for sure
I think I got a cavity just reading the recipe! It looks super yummy and I may try this for the next dinner party we have at the house.
Looking good love chocolate love to try this
I love poke cakes! This one looks yummmmmmmmmy!
Sounds So Freaking Yummy!
Yummy!! This cake looks so good!! Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty I hope you will join us again this week.
Looks delicious. I’ve never made a poke cake with pudding. I’ve made a version of this with a white cake and jello poked in it. I’m going to try this one. I can see lots of possible variations.
If you gotta go, that’s the way to do it. LOOKS GOOD
I love poke cakes and this one sounds & looks delicious! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Oh my, that poke cake looks wonderful. My folks would rather have chocolate anything than food most days! Great looking recipe.
I love poke cakes! Easy to maske and always come out good, this one looks delicious, thanks for sharing!
This might kill one but I would LOVE to try it!
This looks delish! It also looks very fun to make. I have never seen a “poke” cake before.
That looks mouth watering.
I know my hubby would love for me to make this for him, he just loves his chocolate. I do love that this recipe is easy and I can have my grandchildren help out making it.
OMG this looks so delicious! Love ?!
I have never had Poke Cake. I am a chocoholic and this looks amazing!
Wow this is the best poke cake recipe ever – maybe the best cake recipe. I do make my own pudding, and it is true, so easy, and so much better. I’m so excited to make this cake!!! Saved to savor!!!
Two of my favorites. Mama loves chocolate and pound cake!
This looks yummy and pretty easy too–ty!
Oh wow…a chocolate lover’s dream! I’m giving this recipe to my daughter’s best friend, who will make homemade cake with the poked and poured! This looks like something my teen and hubby will devour!
WOW, now this is a death by chocolate dessert!! It looks absolutely amazing and I cannot wait to make one! I am sure I should wait for a special occasion, but I am just going to say it is for back to school! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
My grandma used to make pudding cakes like this & they were amazing. I’m definitely giving this a try!
This looks so delicious I need to make it ty
YUM!!!!!
This looks so incredible right now! I wish I had some to try now, but I will have to make it soon!! My hubby loves all kinds of chocolate cake, so I know he’d want to try this too!
I have never made a poke cake. But this one is so scrumptious I want to make it. The next family gathering I will make it. I pinned it. Thank You for sharing such a Delicious recipe..
This looks delicious! Wonder how it would turn out with a gluten free cake mix. May be trying it soon.
I just purchased some cocoa powder to put in my daily coffee since I thought I needed more chocolate flavor in my life. Then this recipe, wow, that will take care my chocolate fix. So easy and pudding really makes a cake moist.
Oh my goodness. I love chocolate. I can’t tell you how good this sounds to me. Thank you for this great recipe. God Bless
This looks so yummy. what a fun spin on the traditional poke cakes.! I am sending this recipe to myself now, what a great cake for get together parties!
This looks good. I have always liked ‘poke’ cakes I think the flavors are more intense and so good! I know the family would like this one for sure.