Peppermint Poke Cake (Printable Format)
Soft chocolate cake filled with mint pudding, chilled and crowned with whipped topping and crushed peppermints.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1 cup water
04 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
→ Pudding Filling
05 - 1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
06 - 2 cups cold milk
07 - 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
08 - 2 to 3 drops red or pink food coloring (optional)
→ Topping
09 - 1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
10 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
11 - Chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, blend cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil until batter is smooth.
03 - Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
04 - Set cake aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes after baking.
05 - With the handle of a wooden spoon, evenly poke holes across the cake surface spaced about 1 inch apart.
06 - In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk instant vanilla pudding mix, cold milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring if using, until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
07 - Immediately spread pudding over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes and smoothing the top with a spatula.
08 - Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or until fully set.
09 - Evenly spread thawed whipped topping over cake once chilled.
10 - Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies and chocolate shavings or chips on top. Slice and serve chilled.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- No one can resist the cool, minty surprise in every slice—it’s like biting into winter itself.
- It’s the perfect make-ahead treat that looks stunning with almost no effort at all.
02 -
- If the pudding sets too long before pouring, it won’t sink into the holes—so work quickly.
- I learned the hard way that overbaking dries out the cake, so check early and often after 28 minutes.
03 -
- An offset spatula makes spreading whipped topping a breeze—no torn cake layers!
- The secret to vibrant stripes is using just a few drops of food coloring in the pudding layer.