Get your mouth all set to enjoy this Boston cream poke cake! This to-die-for recipe tastes just like a classic Boston cream pie but is so much easier to make.
With a tender, buttery yellow cake, French vanilla pudding, and a shiny chocolate ganache glaze, this one-pan dessert is perfect for holidays, parties, and potluck desserts!
Table of Contents
- It's a winner and will be made many more times!
- 🗝️ Key takeaways
- 🧾 Ingredients
- 📖 Variations
- 🔪 Instructions
- 🥫 How to store leftover Boston cream poke cake
- 🍴 Equipment
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Things to know
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes
- 🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Boston Cream Poke Cake
- 💬 Comments
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Tastes like a classic Boston cream pie but SO easy!
- Make it up to 2 days ahead of time and it's easy to transport. Perfect for potlucks and picnics.
- That irresistible, shiny, chocolate ganache glaze is easy to do as long as you add one ingredient!
Boston cream poke cake is a tender, buttery yellow cake that you "poke" holes in with a dowel, end of a wooden spoon, or big straw. You fill the holes with French vanilla pudding and pour the rest over the cake.
Once that sets you top the whole thing with a rich, shiny, ganache chocolate glaze and chill. It's a delicious one-pan dessert!
It's one of my favorite poke cake recipes and the amazing combination of yellow cake, pastry cream, and chocolate topping makes it hard (impossible) to resist!
You can make this with a boxed cake mix or make it from scratch with the homemade cake and pudding recipes from the link in the recipe box below.
This easy recipe is perfect for holidays, parties, and potluck desserts! Next time try this Holy Cow Poke Cake.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- From scratch. You can use this yellow cake recipe baked in a 13x9 inch pan if you'd like to make this cake from scratch or just use your favorite yellow cake mix.
- Homemade pudding. If you'd like you can substitute this vanilla pudding for the instant pudding - or make a traditional vanilla custard.
- Chocolate. Use a chocolate cake mix with either creamy vanilla pudding or chocolate pudding. Smooth the shiny chocolate glaze over the top as directed above.
- Raspberry glaze. After the pudding is poured over the cake you can add a layer of raspberry glaze. Just heat raspberry jam in the microwave until it is runny then pour it over the pudding before you add the glaze. SO good!
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Poke holes in baked cake.
Make pudding.
Pour pudding into holes and on top of cake. Chill.
Melt chocolate in cream and spread over top of chilled cake.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
If you'd prefer not to make this with the homemade glaze you can use canned chocolate frosting and pour over the cake. Please note that the frosting will not be as shiny.
Here's how:
- Open a tub of chocolate frosting and microwave in 10-second intervals. Stir between each interval until the frosting is pourable.
- . Don't overheat the frosting and watch it very carefully. If it gets too hot it will separate and be runny. You won't be able to use it.
- Spread the frosting over the cake and refrigerate as directed in the recipe.
🥫 How to store leftover Boston cream poke cake
Since the Boston cream pie poke cake has a filling made with dairy you're going to want to keep it covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.
You can freeze the cake prior to adding the pudding and glaze. Just thaw it and poke the holes in it and you're ready to proceed with the recipe. Don't freeze it after you add the pudding - it will be mushy and gross.
🍴 Equipment
- medium bowl
- large bowl
- 13x9-inch baking pan
- electric mixer
- lipped measuring cup
Marye's Tip o' the day
You'll get the best results if your cake is warm but not hot when you add the pudding.
💭 Things to know
- Save time by grabbing an unfrosted yellow cake from the bakery. You can usually ask them if they have any that haven't been frosted yet. If you can only get a frosted cake just scape the frosting off.
- Be sure to add instant pudding and not the boxed cook and serve kind.
- If you use homemade cooked pudding make sure it's cooled a bit and started to thicken before adding it to the cake.
- I like yellow butter cake mix when using a mix.
- The end of a round wooden spoon handle works great to poke with!
- I like to add a little extra vanilla extract to a boxed mix for better flavor.
- Change it up with different flavors.
- Don't make giant big holes. The cake will be too mushy. Just push the handle of the wooden spoon straight down.
- Be sure to pour the filling into the holes in the cake before the pudding sets.
- If the pudding is too thick to pour add just a little cream to thin it out slightly.
- Boston cream poke cake will be better if you let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- You can vary the filling flavors to create a number of flavors and combinations.
- Use half vanilla pudding and half chocolate pudding so that each side has its own flavor! How cool is that?
👩🍳 FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
It's a cake that you poke holes in after baking then pour over a pudding or sauce to fill the holes before frosting. Often called "pudding cake" or "pudding poke cake".
Traditionally the filling in a Boston Cream Pie is a cooked custard but you can use instant pudding mix if you want to save time. If you use instant pudding mix I suggest using ½ cup less milk than called for on the box.
You can freeze the cake before you add the pudding but you can't freeze the cake once the pudding has been added. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator, though.
📚 Related recipes
We love our sweets around here! If you are looking for easy desserts that travel well here are some of my favorites! They are perfect for potlucks!
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
- Boston cream cake trifle. Layer leftover cake pieces with whipped cream and fresh berries in a trifle dish or individual serving glasses. Repeat the layers and finish with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
- Boston cream milkshake. Blend pieces of the leftover cake with vanilla ice cream and a splash of milk to create a rich and indulgent milkshake. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
📞 The last word
Shiny chocolate glaze, vanilla pudding, and moist yellow cake? How can you resist?
This Boston cream cake is one of my favorite recipes to take to church picnics and family get-togethers.
It's a super easy potluck dessert recipe but it's also great for family game night, or just a great way to tell the people you love that they are special.
I've made Boston cream poke cake with boxed mix and boxed pudding AND I've made it from scratch - it just depends on how much time I have. I think I like the from scratch version a touch better but hey -- whatever works for you!
This moist cake is SO much easier to make than the original Boston cream pie and it transports like a dream!
The hardest part is waiting for it to set so you can cut a big piece!
Next time be sure to try my easy fresh strawberry sheet cake recipe!
📖 Recipe
Boston Cream Poke Cake
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 yellow cake, 13x9-inch in pan- leave the cake in the pan.
To Use Instant Pudding
- 7.8 ounces French vanilla instant pudding mix, two 4-serving size boxes
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
To Use Homemade Pudding
Ganache
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
Instructions
Make the Cake
- You'll need the cake mix and whatever other ingredients called for on the cake mix box. This varies from brand to brand so I didn't include them here.
- Make the cake according to directions on the box, baking it in a 13x9-inch pan.
- While the cake is still warm poke holes all over the cake at about 1 inch intervals using a dowel or glass straw about the same diameter as a pencil - maybe a little bigger.
- Poke through the cake to the bottom but not thru the bottom.
Prepare the Pudding
- Whisk pudding mix with 3 ½ cups of whole milk. OR make the homemade pudding according to instructions. Do not let it set up or it will be too thick to go into the holes in the cake.
- Pour evenly over the cake getting it into all the holes. A lipped measuring cup works great for this.
- Spread the pudding over the cake pushing it gently into the holes.
- Add the remaining pudding for a thick layer on the top of cake.
- Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the Ganache
- Heat the cream in the microwave until almost bubbling.
- Remove from the microwave and stir in the chocolate until it's melted and completely smooth.
- Stir in the butter and the corn syrup.
- Pour over chilled cake and smooth with a spatula.
- Return to the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.
To Use Canned Frosting (Instead of Homemade Ganache)
- Open a container of chocolate fudge frosting and microwave in 10 second intervals. Stir between each interval until the frosting is pourable.
- Don't overheat the frosting and watch it very carefully. If it get's too hot it will separate and be runny. You won't be able to use it.
- Pour chocolate frosting over the cake and refrigerate as directed in the recipe.
Notes
- You'll get the best results with pudding poke cakes if your cake is warm but not hot when you add the pudding.
- Save time by grabbing an unfrosted yellow cake from the bakery.
- Change it up with different flavors.
- For best results let Boston cream pie poke cake sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The texture and flavor are so much better!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published October 18, 2018. Last updated June 21, 2024, for editorial improvements.
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Boston Cream Poke Cake
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Pam A says
I've been waiting for a get together so I could give this a try. We had our first crawfish boil this Saturday and I made it. It was so easy to make and so frikin good!! It's one you just keep wanting to take another bite of!! it's a winner and will be made many more times! Thank you!!
Pam A says
OOPS! I forgot to give it 5 stars!! Should be able to give 10!
Jaunelle says
Excellent! Huge hit at a end of summer barbecue. Followed recipe exactly. Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Jaye J. Akers says
A huge hit at my church pot luck! Thank you for your wonderful recipes
Norma Decker says
I helped my granddaughter make this Boston Cream Cake for her father for his birthday and it was a hit! Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the clear instructions!!
Sharon says
Easy to follow directions!
Ruthie Sellers says
My husband and I ate this entire cake in a span of 24 hours. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is my pudding was not quite thick enough despite following the directions exactly. Obviously it did not stop us from eating it!
Marye says
Im glad you liked the cake! Sorry the pudding didn't thicken properly. I'll check it again. 🙂
Leslie says
I made this recipe last week. It is a real keeper. In case your readers wonder, leftovers freeze very well. There are only 2 of us, so we had a lot left. I cut it up into individual servings and froze them. Just take out what you want and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. It didn't take us long to polish off the rest. This was easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Marye says
Thanks for letting me know, Leslie! Since you loved it... would you consider giving it 5 stars? 🙂
Mary Beth Elderton says
This cake sounds wonderful! *pinned!