Chocolate Mint Poke Cake

5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Mint Poke Cake is perfect combination of moist cake, milk chocolate filling, creamy pudding, and whipped topping in every poked piece.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Chill Time and Rest Time1 30

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

15.25 ounces (or 432-gram) box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix I used Duncan Hines, but you can substitute Devil’s Food cake mix
1 cup water
3 large eggs room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
14 ounces (or 396-gram) can sweetened condensed milk
3.1 ounces (2 1.55-ounce -or- 43-gram) Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, broken into rectangular pieces
1¾ cups cold whole milk
3.9 ounces (or 111-gram) box of instant chocolate pudding mix I used Great Value, you can use your favorite brand
8 ounces (or 226-gram) container of whipped topping thawed
1-2 drops green gel food coloring I used Sunny Side Up brand leaf green
½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
¾ cup finely chopped mint chocolate candy I used Andes Creme De Menthe Thins, but you can substitute finely chopped York Peppermint Patties
Chocolate syrup optional drizzle garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 (or 13x9) baking dish with bakers spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version)
Add the cake mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil to a medium-sized mixing bowl (2-3 quarts). Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients just until no dry cake mix lumps are visible. Evenly spread the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. (Every oven cooks differently, so begin checking the cake at the 22 to 23-minute mark)
15.25 ounces (or 432-gram) box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, 1 cup water, 3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil
Once the cake has come out of the oven, use the rounded end of a wooden spoon to poke holes almost to the bottom of the cake. Be sure to space the holes 1 inch apart.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and the broken Hershey bars to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, on high power, stir and microwave for an additional 15 seconds. (Remember, the wattage of every microwave is different, so keep a close eye on the chocolate mixture.) Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth.
14 ounces (or 396-gram) can sweetened condensed milk, 3.1 ounces (2 1.55-ounce -or- 43-gram) Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, broken into rectangular pieces
Use either a spoon, candy drizzling spoon, or small ladle to pour the melted chocolate mixture into the holes in the top of the cake. (You may have to make 2-3 passes over the holes in the cake to completely fill the holes. The warm cake will soak up the chocolate mixture) Allow the cake to cool completely.
Once the cake has cooled, add the cold milk to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix in the instant pudding mix. Continue to mix for 1-1½ minutes or until the pudding has thickened but is spreadable.
1¾ cups cold whole milk, 3.9 ounces (or 111-gram) box of instant chocolate pudding mix
Use an offset spatula to spread the pudding over the cake. Allow the cake to chill in the refrigerator for about an hour or until the pudding is set.
Add the thawed whipped topping to a small bowl (or you can leave the whipped topping in its own container). Add the green food color gel and the peppermint extract. Stir until the whipped topping is a uniform color and no green streaks are visible.
8 ounces (or 226-gram) container of whipped topping, 1-2 drops green gel food coloring, ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
Use an offset spatula or a silicone spatula to evenly spread the tinted whipped topping over the chocolate pudding layer.
Evenly sprinkle the chopped mint chocolate over the whipped topping layer. Cut 3 slices x 4 slices. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
¾ cup finely chopped mint chocolate candy

Notes

Storage:

To Store: This poke cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days.
To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this cake as the pudding does not freeze and thaw well.

Tips:

I used Duncan Hines brand Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix. I followed the directions on the box for mixing and baking. Using a different brand of cake mix may call for slightly different ingredients or proportions, so you just need to follow the directions according to the box brand you are using.
You will know your cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted comes away clean and the top bounces back when gently tapped. Every oven cooks differently, so begin checking the cake at the 22 to 23-minute mark.
When poking the holes into the warm cake, be sure that you poke many large holes all over the cake. You don’t necessarily want to poke all the way to the bottom of the cake, but you do want big, deep holes so that the melted chocolate mixture has plenty of areas to seep into the cake.
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 chocolate has plenty of room to seep down in between.
Refrigerating before serving allows the flavors to meld together and the pudding layer to set, making the cake easier to slice and serve.

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