This chocolate Oreo Poke Cake recipe is such an easy recipe and uses my favorite shortcuts with an easy-to-make cake mix hack.
A simple sheet cake is quickly baked from a box of rich, fudge-flavored chocolate cake, poked and infused with pockets of cookies ‘n creme pudding, then covered with a whipped white fluffy frosting, and sprinkled with crushed Oreo cookies.
Cookies and Cream Poke Cake
Oreo Pudding Poke Cake recipe can be made in a matter of minutes using only 5 basic ingredients (plus what’s needed to make the cake) and no fancy equipment or tools needed.
Once baked, this easy Oreo cookie cake is poked and filled with creamy pudding that sinks into each hole and makes the moistest and most flavorful combination; it tastes like my favorite packaged sandwich cookie but is prepared in a pan at home and served as a square slice.
Unlike a traditional poke cake that’s prepared with a sweetened condensed milk filling, this Oreo chocolate cake recipe uses a cookies ‘n creme instant pudding mix to perfectly capture the essence of the classic cookie.
It’s always fun to see the pockets of pudding surrounded by the soft cake, and when it’s topped with the fluffy frosting and crunchy cookie crumbles, it becomes the ultimate Oreo poke cake!
Looking for more easy ways to upgrade a boring box of cake mix? Check out my 8 delicious poke cake recipes that turn basic into the best!
Why We Love This Oreo Cookie Pudding Cake Recipe
- Quick and easy to make using a box cake mix base.
- Only uses 5 basic ingredients (plus what’s listed on the box).
- Moist chocolate cake, creamy filling, fluffy topping, and cookie crunch in every delicious bite.
- Poke cake filling keeps the cake super moist.
- Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until serving.
- Delicious dessert can be customized with your favorite flavors of cake mix and filling.
- Perfect for potlucks, parties, and barbecues, or any holiday get-together.
Ingredients
- Chocolate fudge cake mix (plus the ingredients needed to make cake, usually eggs, oil, and water)
- Oreo cookies ‘n creme instant pudding mix
- Whole milk: Pudding sets best using whole milk, but 2% would work too.
- Whipped fluffy white frosting
- Oreo cookies
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Substitutions and Additions
- Choose Your Chocolate Cake: You can substitute any chocolate cake for the fudge cake mix. While I love the flavor of the chocolate fudge, you can try milk chocolate or German chocolate too. I do NOT recommend using devils food because there the colors between the cake, pudding, and the cookies in the pudding mix had a red tint and did not look like an Oreo cookie.
- Pick Your Pudding: If you cannot find Oreo cookies ‘n creme pudding, you can also use instant vanilla pudding or instant white chocolate pudding. I do not recommend using the French Vanilla instant pudding flavor, because it is tinted yellow and will not look like an Oreo filling.
- Cut The Carbs: For a sugar free version, try using sugar-free cake mix, sugar-free pudding, and sugar-free whipped cream.
- Favorite Frosting: You can substitute 2 smaller containers of white frosting for the whipped frosting if you can’t find the 14-ounce container. Heat in the microwave for 10 seconds to help with spreading the frosting. Or you can use Cool Whip instead of whipped frosting to cover your cake. Make sure to thaw Cool Whip overnight in the fridge and avoid microwaving it.
Recommended Tools
- Cake pan
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Whisk
- Silicone or offset spatula
How to Make Oreo Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
This Oreo cookie poke cake is so quick and easy to prepare using a box of cake mix and packet of instant pudding. If you love the classic chocolate cookies ‘n creme flavor combination, this cake is a must-make — no need to twist open your sandwich and scrape the off filling with your teeth!
- Bake The Cake: Bake the cake according to box directions and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
- Poke: Poke holes in the cake, about 1 inch apart.
- Prepare The Pudding: Whisk together the pudding mix and milk just until the pudding begins to thicken.
- Fill: Pour the pudding mixture into the holes and spread the remaining pudding on top of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Frost: Microwave the frosting for 10 seconds, stir, and spread the whipped topping over the pudding layer.
- Serve: Break the Oreo cookies in half and then half the halves. Sprinkle over the frosted cake. Slice into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Tips
- It’s best to spread the cookie pieces on top of the cake just before serving so they don’t get soggy.
- When mixing the pudding, be certain to stop mixing as soon as the pudding begins to thicken. The thicker the pudding is, the harder it will be to pour into the holes in the cake.
- It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.
- To poke holes, I recommend using a large round wooden spoon handle or other similar sized object so that the holes are fairly big and the pudding has plenty of room to seep down in between. Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.
- You can use a candy drizzling scoop to pour the pudding into the holes.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
A poke cake is a cake that you poke holes in after baking it. The holes then are filled with a liquid or filling. Popular fillings include condensed milk, pureed fruit, chocolate cream, caramel or chocolate sauce, jello, or pudding, like in this recipe.
If you can’t find Oreo flavored pudding, feel free to use vanilla pudding with some finely chopped Oreos mixed in instead.
Yes, this is the perfect Oreo chocolate cake recipe to make in advance, especially because the cake needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
I think it tastes even better as it sits, giving the pudding more time to infuse and moisten the cake.
Make sure to cover and refrigerate the cake and do not add the chopped Oreo cookies until right before you serve, or they will get soggy.
I personally like prepared whipped topping because it’s more stable and keeps well in the fridge after you’ve frosted the cake. However, you can use a homemade whipped cream but the leftovers might not hold up as long.
Check out our Homemade Whipped Cream (Stabilized Recipe)!
I haven’t tried freezing this poke cake because I find that the pudding filling in cakes doesn’t always freeze well and can separate when it’s thawed.
If you do try freezing it, be sure to chill the cake first as instructed and then tightly wrap it. Also, don’t frost the cake or add the crushed cookies until you thawed.
Other Easy Poke Cake Recipes
- Rainbow Poke Cake
- Death By Chocolate Poke Cake
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- Red White and Blue Poke Cake
- Jello Poke Cake {Use ANY Flavor!}
- Eggnog Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Poke Cake
- Raspberry Poke Cake
- Chocolate Mint Poke Cake
Oreo Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box chocolate fudge cake mix prepared as directed on box
- 4.2 ounce Oreo cookies ‘n creme instant pudding mix
- 2¼ cups cold whole milk
- 14 ounce container whipped fluffy white frosting
- 10 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Bake cake according to package directions. Once the cake has finished baking, allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
- Using the rounded handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake. Space the holes about 1 inch apart.
- Add the pudding mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the cold milk, and continue to mix just until the pudding begins to thicken.
- Quickly spoon the pudding into the individual holes until they are filled. Once the holes are filled, spread the remaining pudding on top of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Transfer the whipped frosting to a heat-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir the frosting. Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread over the pudding layer.
- Just before serving, break the Oreo cookies in half and then half the halves. Sprinkle the broken cookies over the frosted cake. Slice into squares and serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- It’s best to spread the cookie pieces on top of the cake just before serving so they don’t get soggy.
- When mixing the pudding, be certain to stop mixing as soon as the pudding begins to thicken. The thicker the pudding is, the harder it will be to pour into the holes in the cake.
- It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.
- To poke holes, I recommend using a large round wooden spoon handle or other similar sized object so that the holes are fairly big and the pudding has plenty of room to seep down in between. Be sure to poke right down to the bottom of the cake.
- You can use a candy drizzling scoop to pour the pudding into the holes.
Turned out great for my 10 years old birthday cake!
send me fast nd easy dessert ideas
I’m waiting to make the Oreo poke cake. I have to find the pudding. It sounds delicious