This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake uses my best chocolate cake recipe as a base and is topped with Baileys whipped cream! The chocolate cake is soaked in even more chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream. You won’t be able to stop eating this one!
Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake
This is a cake that I will definitely need to make again. As with everything else you are seeing pop up on the blog since the twins were born, this recipe was created while I was pregnant. While I did take a little taste (naturally, I have to know just how good it is), because of the alcohol I wasn’t able to indulge as I would’ve liked. And believe me, I really wanted to indulge!
Not only is this cake full of chocolate, it’s full of one of my other favorite things – Baileys! You may have noticed that I’ve shared quite a few Baileys desserts over the years like this Baileys chocolate mousse cake, caramel Baileys pound cake, Baileys chocolate cupcakes, Baileys fudge brownies, cake and mini Baileys chocolate cheesecakes. It’s a love affair, I must say. So to not be able to eat even one full piece was a bummer because it’s SO SO good! Not only is there Baileys baked into the cake, it’s also soaked with more Baileys and then topped with it. Go big or go home, right? 😉
How to Make Chocolate Poke Cake
So to make this cake, you start with a chocolate cake from scratch. I used my very favorite chocolate cake, modified to include Baileys. If you’ve ever had that chocolate cake, you know how amazing and moist it is. If you haven’t made it, don’t be alarmed by the thin batter and lower baking temperature. It’s all normal and makes one amazing cake.
Once the cake is baked, it’s poked with holes (hence a “poke” cake) and covered with a mixture of melted chocolate, Baileys and sweetened condensed milk. Are you drooling yet?!
The mixture should soak into the holes of the cake, but be sure that the cake is still warm and that the Baileys and chocolate mixture is still warm. The mixture will thicken as it cools, making it harder to soak into the holes. I also would recommend Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk in this cake. I’ve tried a few others and some are thicker than others. Eagle Brand is thinner, which is ideal for soaking into the cake. If you use another brand or have trouble, just add some additional milk (or Baileys) to thin it out a bit. You may still have a thin layer of the mixture on top of the cake, but that’s fine.
The final step is the delicious Baileys chocolate whipped cream. With such a rich cake, the light whipped cream topping is the perfect way to finish it off! The whole combination is pure heaven and a cake I’ll definitely be making again and again – when I can drink alcohol again. 🙂
Watch How To Make It
Print
Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake uses my best chocolate cake recipe as a base and is topped with Baileys whipped cream! The chocolate cake is soaked in even more chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream. You won’t be able to stop eating this one!
Ingredients
BAILEYS CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240ml) Baileys Irish Cream, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
- 1 cup (240ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup (127g) semi sweet chocolate chips
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
- 2 cups (480) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (29g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp (30ml) Baileys Irish Cream, optional
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
ADDITIONAL
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate sauce
Instructions
1. Prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan by greasing the sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
2. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and combine.
3. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of Irish cream and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Slowly pour the water into the batter, mixing well and being careful of splashing.
5. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over. I use a knife sharpening rod, but you could also use a straw.
7. While the cake is still warm, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
8. Add the sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1/2 cup of Irish cream to a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat heat the milk and cream until they begin to boil, then pour over the chocolate chips.
9. Whisk the chocolate until smooth, then immediately pour over the cake, spreading it into the holes. Don’t let the mixture sit before pouring it over the cake or it’ll start to thicken and not soak in the holes as well.
10. Set the cake in the fridge to cool and soak.
11. When the cake has cooled, add the ingredients for the whipped cream topping to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
12. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake. Top the cake with mini chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 634
- Sugar: 54.3 g
- Sodium: 233.1 mg
- Fat: 35.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 72 g
- Protein: 8.8 g
- Cholesterol: 76.6 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
Can I sub guiness for milk or another ingredient?
You want to add Guinness along with the Baileys? You could try to swap it, but Guinness is carbonated so it could affect the way the cake bakes.
Yeah, I actually thought that might happen so we decided to go with a different recipe for Guinness chocolate cake with Bailey’s Buttercream made withKerrygold Butter. Your recipe sounds amazing but we thought it might be too boozy for the kids, haha.
Yea, probably not kid friendly. 🙂 I hope you get to try it another time!
How long does this last in fridge
It should be good for at least 4 to 5 days. There’s plenty of moisture in it so it certainly shouldn’t dry out. I would just keep it well covered.
This is an absolute favourite in my household, have baked this cake 5x in 1 month… and I have so many of them requesting for more. May I use hersheys special dark cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa powder
So glad it’s a hit! The Hersheys special dark cocoa has changed in recent years. It’s used to work well, but I’m not 100% sure if it does now.
So yummy! Can this be made in advance and frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I’m guessing it would be fine.
Absolutely delicious! I’m not a baker and have no place in the kitchen really but the first time I made this, it was inhaled! The second time I made them into cupcakes and had people asking me for the recipe. I am making my third batch tonight. Thank you for sharing!
I want to try a double layer. How long should I cook the halves in the oven?
I’m not sure since I haven’t done that. You could also bake it all as one cake and then cut it into two layers.
Thank you so much for this recipe, it is absolutely delicious. It is an easy recipe (even when you mess it up), and is always the first dessert to be requested and eaten by friends.
Thanks again, Kaz
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just put the batter in the oven. I messed up and put 1 cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream in the batter so I only used 1/4 c of boiling water. I’ll let you know who it comes out.
I would think it should be fine. I hope you enjoy it!
I am making this for the first time tomorrow, for dinner on Saturday. Thinking it would taste better if it sat for 24 hours? Also, have you used other Irish cream besides Bailey’s? Thank you!
Sorry for the delay. It probably doesn’t need to sit for a full 24 hours, but overnight wouldn’t hurt. I have not used other Irish Creams.
How can I get this recipe sent to my email address or how can I send it to my email address? Thank you!!!
There isn’t an option within the recipe card for emailing it, that I know of. I’m not sure what your ultimate goal is, but you can click on the print button and it’ll bring it up in a new window in the recipe card and you could copy that URL and send it to your email.
Advice whether oven temp is fan forced or standard would have assisted. In the absence of advice I took the cautious approach and baked convection heat. At 150c this took 1hr 10 min. Apart from that an excellent cake!
I love making this cake! Always a hit!! Today I am making it into a trifle with strawberries that have been marinating in vodka and sugar all night!
How fun!
Looking to make this for my husband’s birthday this week! Question: how strong is the alcohol once finished? Wondering if I should have a second cake for the younger crowd.
If I were having children, I would make them a different cake.
This is a new family favorite!!!! Decadent but refreshing. Absolutely amazing. A recipe crafted with heart.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this recipe many times now, and it’s always a hit! It’s so easy to make but it tastes like it took all day. Love this cake!
So glad to hear that!
Can you freeze this?
I imagine that would be fine.
Yes, you can freeze. Love taking out frozen pieces as I need them. Delishhh
Can this cake be made the day before?
Yes