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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
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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!
So the condensed milk and baileys chocolate didn’t soak in even though I poured it over the cake immediately after mixing the Bailey’s and it turned into a semi solid layer of chocolate on the cake, so I put it in the oven on warm 175 ish to get the chocolate to soak into the cake, hopefully it will still taste as good. I’ll let you know what happens
Did you use a spatula or something to spread it around and help it move into those holes?
This cake was hands down the best cake I’ve ever made. It definitely had a boozy taste to it which was so decadent! Made the cake the day before and kept it refrigerated until the next day when I added the whipped cream. So yummy
If I made again would line the cake tin. Was not able to remove the cake and couldn’t present it nicely unfortunately. Flavour is there though.
I made this cake for a housewarming, it was a massive hit! I’d like to make it again for Christmas Day, however I’d prefer to cook ahead… How long will the cake last once cooked and then kept refrigerated?
Thank you
Just wondering if this baileys poke cake can be made ahead of time and frozen
Thank you
I’ve never frozen a poke cake before. I imagine this one would be fine.
Hi Lindsay,
How can I make Baileys Irish cream from scratch without alcohol?
Gosh, I’m not sure. I’m sorry.
Yes you can I make it from scratch a non alcoholic Baileys which tastes so much better in my opinion.
Mine, Will you share your alcohol free Bailey’s recipe, please?
Aine, Will you share your alcohol free Bailey’s recipe, please?
Will you share your alcohol free Bailey’s recipe, please?
Hello Lindsay,
I have made this cake for three years now. It has become a holiday staple. Thanksgiving and Christmas my family always looks forward to their Baily’s cake.
Awesome! I’m so glad it’s a hit!
Hi Lindsay,
I made this for my own birthday and we are delighted. We do not drink, so this is our Boozy Happy Birthday cake. It was fun to make, and did not take long to prepare. The cake is incredibly moist and yummy, while the pour over is so good my husband wants to eat it by the boozy spoon full. Cheers!
Awesome! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Hello, I’d love to make this gorgeous cake for a special occasion, and have in mind my lovely 10-cup Bundt cake pan. I would serve the whipped cream separately with each serving. Just a couple questions. Does this cake handle that kind of form well? I’d poke holes with a toothpick, as I do for a baba au rhum, to not lose the Bundt shap, only I’m not sure how well the syrup would seep in, perhaps the syrup needs to be thinner?) Thank you so much for any advice!
I believe I baked the chocolate cake portion in a bundt pan once and it baked just fine. The texture is a little different though. As for the syrup, you may want to make something thinner (cook sugar and water) with just the Baileys added and use that.
I made this on Thursday night to bring into work on Friday morning. I was super easy to put together. I did have to bake it closer to an hour though. I noticed in your video that you used a dark pan. Guessing that could be a factor in the baking times. Regardless, it was so worth waiting for! Crazy moist and the Baileys was a great addition (I had considered using Kahlua). Everyone at work loved it and there wasn’t much left for me to bring home for my husband. A few people even commented that it was the best cake I’ve made so far.
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And you are correct that the baking pan can make a difference. I’m glad you were able to get the timing right!
Made this as a birthday cake for a work colleague and everyone keeps asking me when I’m going to make it again.
I’m so glad it was a hit!
I made this today for a party. It was a huge hit. Super easy to make, too. But I had to bake it longer than what the recipe called for – it was more like 60 minutes. Definitely will make again.
I’m glad it was a hit!
Can I use a box cake mix for the recipe?
Sure. But the cake in the recipe is truly worth the time.
My family and I absolutely LOVE this cake!!! I make it every St Patty Day for my corned beef and cabbage dinner!!!
Awesome! Glad you love it! 🙂