German Chocolate Poke Cake
A German Chocolate Poke Cake is an easy and decadent chocolate cake soaked with sweet chocolate filling and topped with coconut pecan frosting!
A FUN TWIST ON A CLASSIC DESSERT
This German Chocolate Poke Cake takes a classic favorite and makes it even more fun, flavorful, and super irresistible! You know I love a good poke cake recipe and this one takes a regular cake mix and frosting and turns it into something just a bit more special! If you have any German chocolate cake lovers in your life, then this is definitely the cake you need to make for them!
This was absolutely fabulous! It was devoured within minutes by my co-workers and everyone wanted the recipe. Huge hit!
– Angie
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Obviously, this is a German chocolate cake inspired recipe so German Chocolate cake mix makes the most sense but I personally love the flavor of a Devil’s Food Cake (which I used below). You can use any flavor of chocolate you love like a classic chocolate cake mix, chocolate fudge, dark chocolate, German chocolate, Devil’s food, or use a Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix.
Well, German Chocolate Cake is known for its texture and flavor with the coconut pecan frosting. If you’re looking for a true poke cake with all the German Chocolate goodness, you’re going to want to keep the coconut pecan frosting. I don’t know of a good substitute. I suppose you could just leave out the coconut pecan frosting and use something else, but it wouldn’t be a true German Chocolate Poke Cake- that’s what really pulls this recipe together. And honestly, I know of a lot of people who don’t like coconut but will eat this cake and love it!
Many other poke cakes need to be refrigerated because they have pudding and a Cool Whip or whipped cream topping layer that typically need to be kept cold. However, this cake doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge, it can be kept at room temperature.
Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. The cake can stay at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 2 months once wrapping with plastic wrap and foil.
You can freeze this poke cake for up to 2 months. Just be sure to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then cover it with aluminum foil.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- box chocolate cake mix– obviously you can use German Chocolate cake mix but I use a Devil’s Food Cake mix – I just prefer that flavor so don’t come at me in the comments – ha! Some boxed cake mixes have gone down to 13.25 ounces – this recipe will still work with that. I try to go with brands that are still 15.25 ounces like Walmart’s Great Value or Duncan Hines.
- water
- vegetable oil
- eggs – if you have time, allow the eggs to come to room temperature if you store them in your refrigerator, this will help them mix much easier into the batter.
- sweetened condensed milk– be sure to grab sweetened condensed milk, not a can of evaporated milk. They’re usually by each other on the shelf and are similar in appearance and size, so they’re easy to confuse.
- hot fudge topping – if you don’t want that extra chocolate flavor, you can leave this out and just use the sweetened condensed milk. You could also use a caramel topping.
- coconut pecan frosting– grab a tub from the store aisle, or make some Homemade Coconut Pecan Frosting that I’ve made with other cake recipes.
- chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips – I love these as a topping but you can skip it if you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE GERMAN CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl add the cake mix, water, 1/2 cup oil, and eggs. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips on top. Transfer the batter to the baking dish.
Bake for 30-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack for 60 minutes or until completely cooled. With the end of a spoon poke holes in the cake. Set aside.
In a bowl add the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate fudge. Mix with a spoon or whisk until combined.
Transfer the chocolate sauce to the top of the cake so the sauce drips into the holes. Spread the sauce until most of the sauce goes into the holes.
Spread the frosting on top.
Cut the poke cake, serve, and enjoy.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Snickers Poke Cake
- Turtle Poke Cake
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Poke Cake
- Twinkie Poke Cake
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Poke Cake
- Almond Joy Cake
- Red Velvet Poke Cake
- Chocolate Poke Cake
- German Chocolate Brownies
- German Chocolate Muffins
- German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
- Hot Chocolate Poke Cake
German Chocolate Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (can use German Chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate or Devil's Food)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (11.75 ounce) jar hot fudge topping
- 1 tub coconut pecan frosting
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I like the kind that has flour in it.)
- In a bowl add 1 box chocolate cake mix, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 3 eggs. Mix with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish
- Bake on the middle rack for about 30-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before moving onto the next step.
- With the end of a spoon poke holes in the cake.
- In a bowl add 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk and 1 (11.75 ounce) jar hot fudge topping. Mix with a spoon or whisk until combined.
- Pour this chocolate sauce to the top of the cake, making sure the sauce goes into the holes. If necessary, spread the sauce around until most of it goes into the holes.
- Then evenly spread 1 tub coconut pecan frosting on top.
- Sprinkle 1 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips on top. Then slice and serve!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
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.
Is this better refrigerated or left out on the counter?
This cake is ammmmaaazing!!
The best German chocolate cake I’ve ever had
All we’re raving about it at party
Can I make this the day before serving?
Yes
When I make any poke cake, I have found that using a larger diameter straw works well for poking the holes.
Wow – this turned out so good!! Everyone loved it and I came home with an empty pan – ha!
This was absolutely fabulous! It was devoured within minutes by my co-workers and everyone wanted the recipe. Huge hit!
just wanted to let you know that German chocolate cake is my absolute favorite, I saw this recipe and couldn’t click any faster, I will definitely be making!! this sounds absolutely delicious, thank you for the recipe!!!