Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch is one of the most amazing and moist cakes you’ll ever have!
A secret ingredient brings out the chocolatey goodness in the cake while adding a rich layer of homemade pudding keeps it extra moist! It’s all topped off with a simple one minute chocolate frosting!
A Tip For Enhanced Chocolate Flavor
This is one of the most amazing chocolate cakes of all time! My son calls this his favorite cake hands down!
Making a chocolate poke cake from scratch is easier than you think and it’s so worth the extra time!
If you love a great chocolatey flavor, I have a little secret to share with you! Adding just a little bit of coffee to the batter brings out the rich chocolate flavor (but don’t worry, you don’t taste a coffee flavor). This even works in place of water if you’re making a boxed mix!
Originally I made this cake for my son’s 18th birthday…but of course when you have a house full of teenage boys and a chocolate cake, getting photos is kind of challenging. *Sigh* … so I had to make the cake AGAIN, oh the hardships, more chocolate cake! And it was just as amazing!
Pourable Poke Cake Topping
The cake itself is decadent and moist with an amazing rich chocolate flavor…even without the pudding on top, it is excellent!!
The homemade pudding is super easy and quick and takes this cake to the next level! The whole thing is topped with my absolute favorite one minute easy chocolate frosting. This “poured frosting” is quick to make and requires not spreading, just pour over the cake and tilt to spread!
Items you’ll need for this recipe:
- 9 x 13 pan
- chocolate chips
- cocoa powder
After trying this Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch, you may never want to use a boxed recipe again!
Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brewed coffee cooled
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding Layer
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 ¼ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease & flour a 9x13 inch pan.
- Combine milk & lemon juice and set aside. (The mixture will thicken slightly)
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda & baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, coffee, soured milk, oil and vanilla. Beat medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans. (Your batter may seem runny at this point but it will bake up beautifully.)
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Be sure to check the cake at 30 minutes so it doesn't over cook.
Chocolate Pudding
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt, mix well. Add in cold milk, stir until combined.
- Turn heat to medium high stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- Allow to boil for 1 minute while stirring, remove from heat and stir in butter.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Poke the cake all over with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour warm pudding over warm cake. Tap the pan allowing the pudding to seep into the cake.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (Frost after slightly cooled, about 30 minutes)
Poured Frosting
- In a saucepan, combine milk, butter, & sugar over medium high heat.
- Bring to a rolling boil and allow to boil 45 seconds.
- Remove from heat and add chocolate chips.
- Whisk until smooth and shiny and immediately pour over the cake. Refrigerate until set.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Cake adapted from allrecipes.com
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Delicious but recipe calls for a TON of sugar. I used 1/2 the sugar in the cake and pudding, and no sugar in the frosting, and it still turned out decadent and sweet!
That is great to know CJ! Thanks for letting us know it was great with less sugar!
It’s a snow day! I thought I had more coffee and all I have is pumpkin flavored coffee and espresso. Do you suggest I do a long espresso and add water to make a cup or just use the pumpkin?? Thank you!
I think either would be delicious in this recipe.
One of the better chocolate cakes I have ever made. Super moist. Easier to make than I thought it would be, especially the pudding. Did not add the frosting this time. Maybe next time. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Extra yummy. I highly recommend this cake. 4 1/2 stars.
I love your recipes. So easy to follow and they are all good. Thank you.
Hi Holly
How can I make a vanilla moist came out of this recipe. I live chocolate but my husband love a moist vanilla cake. Would love to hear from u.
Thanks
I haven’t made this recipe as a vanilla cake.
Do you store the cake in the fridge?
You can refrigerate the cake (because of the pudding layer) but leave it out about an hour or so before serving.
I love your chocolate poke cake. It’s easy, tasty and entire,y homemade. Great job.
Instead of 1 cup coffee, could you use a cup of Coca Cola?
I haven’t tried it that way but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Just finished making this cake, got it in the frig and WOW! I can’t wait to have a slice. Heading to the store for some vanilla ice for when it’s ready. I haven’t tasted the cake but did lick the spoon from the pudding and frosting, awesome! And I used all dark chocolate . Thank you for what I am sure the only chocolate cake for this house.
I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do Vicki!!
Trying this today!!!
I’d love to try this recipe, but am unsure about using cup measurements for the butter and chocolate chips in the frosting, as we would you gram measurements in the UK. Can you advise how much the weight would be in grams please?
I’m sorry, I don’t have this recipe in grams however you may be able to find a conversion chart online.
This looks really delicious – however…………I count 3 2/3 Cups of sugar – that is a TON of sugar for one cake.
This cake looks amazing! Would love to try it. Has anyone made it using gluten-free flour? If so, what kind? Thanks.
Does the cake have to stay refridgerated, after fully making it? Or can it be out?
I usually refrigerate it (because of the pudding layer) but leave it out about an hour or so before serving.
Can I substitute the lemon juice with lime juice in the cake?
The lemon juice is to sour the milk in this recipe (it doesn’t add flavor). I would suggest substituting it with white vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice or to replace the milk/lemon juice with buttermilk.
I was craving chocolate so I searched “chocolate cake” on pinterest. This was the one I had to try…and let me tell you….it is absolutely the most delicious chocolate cake in existence. Also, the way you write your recipe is so easy to follow. Thank you for this recipe!
✌️ Keli
Hi from the UK. Itching to try to make this but always get confused as to the conversion into grams and ml. Do you have a recommended link or way of working these measurements out please? Thanks in advance x
Hi Jill, I’ve found an online converter that might be able to help you!
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/531168/cups-to-grams-converter
I’m planning on serving this cake this Sunday around dinnertime. Would it be alright to make it on Friday or is that too long to let it hang out in the fridge? This looks amazing btw! Thanks!
This cake would be completely fine made 2 days before! I would refrigerate it and then about an hour before serving let it sit at room temp.
I was reading through all the comments and noticed you said in one response that you use Non-Rising all purpose flour. Does that just mean it’s regualr all purpose flour and NOT self rising flour?
Just regular all purpose flour.
Am I wrong I read chocolate caramel poke cake .What happened to the caramel? I have made one similar to this and spread the caramel on after it has been refrigerated over night and then put the frosting on . I this how you would do it with this particular recipe? The way I see it the more calories makes it tastier.
This cake doesn’t have caramel however I do have a caramel chocolate poke cake. https://www.spendwithpennies.com/caramel-chocolate-poke-cake/
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Do you use butter milk (is that the sour milk you use?) for all the parts that require milk or just for the cake portion? Thanks!
The soured milk is made in step #2 but you could certainly sub in buttermilk.