This Boston Cream Poke Cake is so light, moist, and scrumptious. Bring a delightful twist to a classic dessert with a playful surprise tucked inside. They’re the ultimate treat to bring along to your next potluck or party, adding a touch of fun and flavor to any gathering.
Everyone will be raving over the delicious combination of yellow cake, vanilla pudding custard, and chocolate ganache glaze topping. Best part, it’s such an easy dessert recipe you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to make this sweet treat.
Favorite Dessert
Boston cream pie is one of our family’s favorite desserts. We love this no-bake Eclair dessert is easy and fantastic too; made with graham crackers, pudding, and the chocolate ganache on top. There are so many varieties of poke cake recipes, we need to add a few more new recipes like this Pineapple Poke Cake to our recipe box.
Cake Mix Recipes
Yes, this recipe is one of those easy recipes for box mixes. While I can make a delicious cake completely from scratch, sometimes, it is just fun and easy to make a cake with a mix where some of the measuring work is already done for you.
I always have a box or two of cake mixes in my pantry. These chocolate crinkle cookies are fun and delicious; made with cake mix.
Try delicious Vanilla Blueberry Bars; made with just 5 ingredients and you guessed it, there is a cake mix used here.
Simple Ingredients for This Moist Cake
- One yellow boxed cake mix. Any brand is fine. Add this to a medium bowl along with the water, eggs, and vegetable oil. Bake in a prepared baking pan.
- Instant pudding, vanilla flavor. Make sure that the box says Instant vanilla pudding mix, not the not the cook and serve kind. You can use French vanilla pudding mix.
- Milk and Vanilla extract are for the pudding mixture.
Two ingredients for the Chocolate Ganache Topping
In a small saucepan combine semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream are combined to make this delicious chocolaty ganache that is spread over the instant vanilla pudding mix. Variations. If you prefer, you can make chocolate buttercream, chocolate pudding, or melted chocolate chips for topping this delicious treat.
Recipe Tips for Success for Making this Easy Boston Cream Poke Cake with Ganache Recipe
Make the cake mix according to the package directions. If you want this cake to taste a bit more like a bakery cake, swap out half of the water with whole milk.
Poke holes in the cake. I used a chop stick to make small pokes in the cake. Another option is to use the handle end of a wooden spoon. I think that the handle of a wooden spoon works a bit better. Just space them about 1-inch apart.
Make the vanilla instant pudding according to package instructions and pour it over the cake when it starts to thicken like a vanilla custard. Spread over the cake to assure that the pudding fills in the holes. Chill to firm and set, about 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Make the smooth ganache chocolate topping. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream stirring occasionally. Make your own double boiler by placing a bowl over a saucepan with about 1 inch of water in the bottom simmering to do the cooking. This helps ensure that the chocolate will not burn.
Let cool a few minutes and pour the ganache over the top of the cake and smooth with a spatula.
Cover with plastic wrap and let the cake cool overnight, if you can, to allow the chocolate glaze to set.
Boston Cream Poke Cake
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
Cake
- 15.25 Ounces Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 Cup Water
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
Pudding
- 6.8 Ounces Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 4 Cups Milk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, add the cake mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.15.25 Ounces Yellow Cake Mix, 1 Cup Water, 3 Large Eggs, 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- Pour into a 9 X 13 cake pan that has been prepared with a light spray of oil. Bake for 23-28 minutes. Test with a toothpick. When inserted in center of cake, it should come out clean. You can also test with your finger, if the cake springs back when lightly touched in the middle it is done. Remove and let cool.
- Once completely cool, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart with a skewer or a wooden spoon. Make sure to poke all the way through to allow the pudding to fill up the whole.
Pudding
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pudding mix, milk, and vanilla. when the pudding just starts to thicken a bit, pour over the cake in an even, thin layer. Making sure that the pudding gets into the holes.6.8 Ounces Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix, 4 Cups Milk, 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Refrigerate the cake to let set up for approximately 1 hour.
Chocolate Ganache
- Cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream, in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.8 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- Let cool just a few minutes. Pour over the glaze over the cake and smooth. Chill the cake for a few hours so the chocolate has a chance to set up.
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Make Ahead Dessert
If you are going to a potluck, this is a great one-pan dessert to make the day before. Not only is it a crowd favorite, it goes together quickly. Delicious the next day. However, if your family is like mine, they barely wait for an hour. Transform cake, pudding, and chocolate magically into a Boston Cream Pie.
How to Store Leftover Boston Cream Poke Cake?
Keep refrigerated and it will stay fresh for 2-3 days. Due to the custard filling, it’s best to store Boston Cream Poke Cake in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out and absorbing any odors from the fridge.
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I hope that you liked this Boston cream pie poke cake recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other recipes that you may enjoy.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.