The first time I made Boston Cream Poke Cake, the entire house filled with the comforting scent of warm vanilla and buttery cake. I was looking for a dessert that felt special but didn’t require a pastry chef’s patience, and this recipe was the perfect discovery. It’s my go-to when I need a showstopper that comes together with a smile. Every time I pull it from the fridge, I’m rewarded with a perfect slice of creamy, chocolatey nostalgia that never fails to make everyone at the table light up.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (plus the eggs, oil, and water it calls for)
- 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 cups cold whole milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Optional garnish: A handful of sliced almonds or a sprinkle of sea salt
I know using a box mix might feel like a shortcut, but trust me, for this cake, it’s the perfect stable base to soak up all that creamy goodness. The instant pudding is non-negotiable—cook-and-serve pudding will not set correctly here. For the chocolate glaze, I’ve tried both milk and dark chocolate chips, and semi-sweet is the ideal balance of sweet and rich against the sweet vanilla layers. Using whole milk for the pudding makes it luxuriously thick and creamy; I tried it with 2% once and the texture just wasn’t the same.
Equipment Needed
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Medium mixing bowl and whisk
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- A fork or the handle of a wooden spoon for poking
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
The 9×13 pan is perfect because it gives you plenty of surface area for poking and topping. Don’t try to use a deeper dish. I’ve learned the hard way that a whisk is essential for getting the pudding completely lump-free—a spoon just doesn’t cut it. And for poking, the handle of a wooden spoon is my secret weapon; it creates holes that are just the right size to let the pudding seep deep into the cake without making it collapse. A fork can work in a pinch, but the round handle is gentler.
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