Boston Cream Poke Cake
This Boston Cream Poke Cake tastes just like the pie but in cake form! Easily made with a boxed cake mix, pudding and chocolate frosting!
AN EASIER VERSION OF THE FAMOUS PIE
This is an easy and fun cake that everyone wants the recipe for. I have made this recipe more times than I can count for friends, family and co-workers. It’s requested for birthday cakes, celebration cakes and just because! It tastes just like a Boston Cream Pie but so much easier to make!
TIPS FOR MAKING BOSTON CREAM POKE CAKE:
- You’ll need a large round wooden spoon handle or other similar sized object to poke the holes. You want fairly large-sized holes for the pudding to go into.
- Don’t let the pudding set before pouring onto cake. Whisk the pudding well for a minute or two then start pouring straight into the holes of the cake.
- When softening the frosting in the microwave (to make it pourable) make sure not to get it bubbling hot. Just microwave it for a few seconds at a time and stir after each time until it gets to a smooth, pourable consistency. The cake should be completely cooled before doing this.
- I have tons of different poke cake ideas here on the blog. You can have a lot of fun with these cakes by switching out the cake, pudding and frosting flavors! One of my most popular poke cake recipes is this Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- I do not recommend doing this as a layer cake. It just won’t hold up because of the pudding.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- yellow cake mix – you could use a butter cake mix but you will need to use the ingredients called for on the back of the box (butter instead of oil.) You could also use a vanilla cake mix or you can make a homemade yellow cake!
- eggs, oil and water – you will be following the directions on the back of the cake mix box for a 9×13-inch cake.
- instant vanilla or French vanilla pudding – it has to be instant – not cook and serve. It will never set up if you use the cook and serve.
- chocolate frosting – use your favorite brand and it can either be the creamy kind or the whipped kind.
HOW TO MAKE BOSTON CREAM POKE CAKE:
Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9×13 pan. When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object. You want the holes to be fairly big so that the pudding has plenty of room to get down in there. Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.
In a bowl, add milk to pudding mixture and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed.
Pour pudding on top of warm cake. Taking care to pour straight into the holes in the cake. Take a spoon and spread it out. I like to very gently press down to ensure that pudding goes into the holes and spread it all the way to the sides.
Put cake in fridge and allow to cool completely before adding the frosting (about 2 hours.) Remove the lid and foil covering from the tub of chocolate frosting. Pop it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Stir with a spoon. It should still be thick but pourable – not bubbly hot. Pour chocolate frosting on top of pudding.
Spread frosting to evenly cover cake. Start in the middle and gently spread to the sides.
Allow to cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put into the fridge to fully cool and set up. This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.This is one of those cakes that I think tastes better after it has sat in the fridge overnight. It really helps the pudding to settle in and blend all the flavors.
CRAVING MORE POKE CAKE RECIPES?
Originally published: March 2012
Updated & republished: June 2023
Boston Cream Poke Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake; eggs, oil and water
- 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes INSTANT vanilla or French vanilla pudding
- 4 cups milk
- 16 ounce tub chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9 x13-inch pan.
- When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object.
- You want the holes to be fairly big so that the pudding has plenty of room to get down in there. Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.
- In a bowl, prepare pudding. Whisk together instant pudding mix with 4 cups milk. Whisk for about a minute until most of the lumps are gone.
- Pour pudding over cake. Taking care to pour it right into the holes as much as possible. Spread it all out and using the back of the spoon, gently push pudding down into the holes.
- Put the cake into the refrigerator to set and cool (about 2 hours).
- After age has cooled, remove the lid and foil covering from the tub of chocolate frosting. Put it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
- Stir with a spoon. It should still be a little thick but pourable – not bubbly hot.
- Pour chocolate frosting on top of pudding layer of cooled cake. Spread frosting evenly over cake starting in the center then spreading it towards the sides.
- Allow to cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put into the refrigerator to fully cool and set up.
Video
Notes
- This cake needs to be kept refrigerated. This cake tastes even better after it has sat in the fridge overnight.
- For a more homemade cake flavor, try substituting the water in the cake mix recipe with milk.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Thanks for sharing! Gooseberry Patch posted this on Pinterest and FB. It looks delicious and easy to make.
I made this today. It is soooooo good! I love Boston Cream Pie and this version is so easy — and portable! I'm taking it to my Dad's 88th birthday party tomorrow (and yes, I did have to try a piece tonight to make sure it tasted good!) Ha ha!
Thank you for this recipe. I saved your Red Velvet Poke Cake from this Weekend's Potluck. Unlike a lot of sites, yours appears like you actually try, test, and tweak your recipes. We are poke cake fans, too. Your Coconut Poke Cake is our favorite. Please keep cooking and posting. Thanks again.
yummy! I think I will make this for my birthday, Friday! Glad I found your site.
Could you do this with cupcakes?
My boyfriend's favorite food in the entire world is a Boston cream donut– I made this for him today and he drooled! Completely in love… I found him sitting on the floor in front of our fridge with a fork, noming away. Priceless. The Frosting was thick, but didn't come out as thick and settled looking ad yours. It was firm, but didn't have the same appearance. We aren't if picky eaters, so not a problem! Thanks Brandie! Going to try banana cream PC next (:
I made this this week (after finding it on pinterest) and I just wanted to tell you how in love my friends are! I know I'm not the first to say it, but YUM! Thank you so much for an awesome summer group dessert!
This cake is great! Cheap and easy to make…but taste yummy! Made it last week everyone loves it…making it for homecoming…love that I won't be baking Sunday morn…and it will tastes even better after sitting overnite! Think I will make one tonite….off to the store I guess…
Thank you Natasha!! I appreciate you taking the time to come back & let me know how it turned out for you. So happy to hear this was a winner for ya!
I LOVE to make POKE CAKES for my Hubby….YOUR RECIPES MAKES ME HELP to FEEL like a REAL CAKE MASTER CHEF!!!!!!
THANKYOU SOOOOO VERY MUCH!!!!!!
MANY BLESSINGS ALWAYS!!!!!!
P.S. Do you have an ORANGE CRUSH POKE CAKE RECIPE???
Hi Andrea! I'm a big fan of Duncan Hines and I've been buying them for a while now. I'm not sure why they changed portion sizes but I have found the quality has been the same. Also, the recipes that I've made for years using those mixes have all still turned out alright. I hope that helps answer your question. Thank you so much for your comment & I hope you continue to love all the recipes you try! 🙂
Hi Brandi
I just adore this cake! Its so good I'm making it again…the second time in 2 weeks! But I have a question for you, its kind of a dilemma the last time I made this I had a typically sized 18.5 ounce box of Cake Mix. Now I'm finding that the boxes are 15 or 16 ounces! And these are the major food brands like Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker. Are you finding this in your area also? I am in CT. Do you think these smaller boxes create the same quality cake? I'm so curious to hear your opinion.
Thank you for all your hard work on your blog
I made this the other day and although it tasted yummy, it was "liquidy" between the pudding and the frosting. Do you know what I did wrong?
Looks great! My daughter wants it for a b-day cake, but first I'm going to bring it to the company cookout. I'm sure everyone will love it!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the sweet comments!! I am SO happy to hear y'all like this recipe. I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to leave a comment here telling me how it turned out for you!!
Hi Brandi I absolutely adore your website! I just made your Boston Cream Poke Cake today. Its the first time I've ever made a poke cake. My husband who's a very fussy eater just LOVED it. My cake was slightly mounded in the middle, not sure why that happened, maybe it beat the batter for too long? Aside from that it was just perfect. I can't wait to make make more of your recipes. Thanks so much for all of your great pictures and hard work, they are very helpful.
You have literally.made.my.day. :]-
I hope to be trying more of your goodness! Thanks for sharing..
Agree with the comment above. This is definitely better a day after chilling. Very tasty though!!
This is delicious! I recommend leaving it in the fridge over night before serving though. I tried a slice last night and one this morning and it was definitely better this morning.
Made this the other night for my hubby's birthday. Boston Cream pie is his absolute favorite dessert. This is such an easy and DELICIOUS recipe!! Hubs can't get over how much it tastes like Boston Cream and I can't get over how easy it was to make. Absolutely fabulous.
I just saw this on Pinterest, pinned by one of the people I follow. How did I miss this one? OMG I love Boston cream pie! This is heaps easier and the top layer won't fall off the bottom layer if you sneeze. 🙂
I made 6 of these last night for a church diiner & it was a HIT!!!! I did make frosting was afraid to try the canned type. I learned from the 1st cake the bigger the holes the better! will go down as one of my favorites!
Made the cake and it was so good!!! I did not make the extra frosting because I thought the canned frosting was enough chocolate.
Hi! Found you on Pinterest (bet you get that a lot haha) and tried this gorgeous looking recipe tonight to celebrate a big victory for my husband at work. We are impatiently waiting for it to chill in the fridge, and the house smells GREAT. It was so simple, thanks for the idea, photos, everything!! : ) I'm sure it will get repeat performances around here. LOL
I tried this for Easter and it was delicious, even though I microwaved the frosting just a little too long and it just ran off the pudding. Clearly, you have to get the right consistency for the frosting, but it was delicious and my husband was in love! This recipe is a keeper!
Made this boston cream poke cake, and was so glad that I made it in a 13×9 since my sister was over with her two boys! Needless to say, with four teenagers in the house and three adults….it was devoured lickety split! Delicious and super simple! My husband's only complaint was that the boys ate it all up and there wasn't a bite leftover for him to take to work. Good enough reason to make another one! 😀 Thanks for sharing the recipe!