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This Chocolate Poke Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream! A decadent chocolate mixture seeps into every nook and cranny of an already supremely moist chocolate cake. The whole thing is topped with fluffy chocolate whipped cream, making it the ultimate chocolate dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
One of the great things about poke cakes is that they are so easy to make. Plus, there are so many fun ways to make them. This one is all about chocolate though and is a go-to recipe for a fabulous dessert.
- So. Much. Chocolate. From the chocolate cake to the chocolate sauce to the chocolate whipped cream topping (and the chocolate sprinkles on top of it all), this dessert is loaded with glorious, rich chocolate flavor.
- Miraculously moist. This cake is so moist! Even before you pour the chocolate mixture over it. With the chocolate mixture, though? It soaks into every bit of the cake, making it supremely ooey-gooey and fabulous.
- A recipe for any skill level. This recipe is so easy to make. The cake itself is super simple and the chocolate sauce and whipped cream topping come together in minutes. All that’s left to do is poke some holes in the cake, pour the sauce over it, and add the whipped cream topping.
What Is Poke Cake?
A poke cake is a simple sheet cake with a spin. Once the cake comes out of the oven, you pokes holes all over the top of the still-warm cake and then drizzle some sort of sweet mixture (in this case, a chocolate mixture) over the top. The sauce seeps into the holes in the cake, infusing it with extra flavor and moisture. Most poke cakes are finished with a whipped cream topping but feel free to experiment with other frosting options.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this chocolate poke cake recipe. The ingredients are pretty straightforward and easy to find. Check out the recipe card below for precise measurements.
Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour – I highly suggest using the spoon and level method or a food scale to get the proper amount of flour here. Otherwise, you’ll have a dry, dense cake.
- Sugar
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda – For the perfect rise. There’s no baking powder used here.
- Salt – Without a little salt, you’ll have a bland cake.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
- Milk – I usually use whole milk or 2%.
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Hot water – The hot water helps the cocoa powder bloom for the biggest chocolate flavor possible.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Milk chocolate chips would also be fine.
Whipped Cream Topping
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream must be cold. If it is too warm, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly.
- Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar works to sweeten the whipped cream as well as to stabilize it.
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder if you’d like an even richer chocolate flavor and darker color.
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate sprinkles – The chocolate sprinkles are optional but fun. Feel free to use chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips instead.
How To Make Chocolate Poke Cake
Here’s a brief overview of how to make the moistest chocolate poke cake ever. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prep. Grease the bottoms and sides of a 9X13-inch cake pan and preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Make the cake batter. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla, followed by the hot water.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
- Poke. Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over.
- Make the chocolate sauce. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips, microwave for about 30-60 seconds, then whisk until smooth.
- Soak the cake. Immediately spread the sauce over the cake.
- Chill. Allow the cake to cool completely in the fridge.
- Make the whipped cream topping. Whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Put it all together. Spread the whipped cream over the cake and top with chocolate shavings.
Tips & Tricks
Striving for greatness? Take a look at these pro tips from my kitchen to yours. They’ll help you achieve the best results possible.
- Measure the flour accurately. Too much flour can give you a dry, dense cake. So make sure to measure it correctly using a food scale or the spoon and level method. Check out my post on How to Measure Flour for more information
- Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the cake batter, mix just until everything is incorporated. No more. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to over-develop, giving you an overly dense cake.
- Hot water. The water used in the cake batter should be hot. The heat helps the chocolate in the cocoa powder bloom, giving you the best chocolate flavor possible.
- Work quickly. You want to pour the chocolate sauce over the cake while the cake and the sauce are still warm. If the sauce cools too much, it will thicken and won’t seep into the holes as well. Additionally, the flavors of the sauce will seep into the cake more effectively if the cake is still warm.
- Cold heavy cream. The heavy cream for the whipped cream topping must be cold. If it is too warm, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly and you’ll end up with a runny whipped cream.
- Allow the cake to cool. Before adding the whipped cream topping, allow the poke cake to cool completely. Otherwise, the chocolate whipped cream won’t sit on top of the cake properly.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator. Leave the cake in the baking dish and cover it tightly with a double layer of plastic wrap or a layer of foil. You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. Wrap the poke cake in a double layer of plastic wrap (leave it in the baking dish) and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the leftovers to thaw in the fridge before diving back in.
More Poke Cake Recipes To Try
- Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake
- Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- Red Wine Chocolate Poke Cake
- Oreo Chocolate Poke Cake
Watch How To Make It
This recipe was updated 7/16/24. For the old version, download the PDF of the recipe. The new version uses a homemade cake, rather than a cake mix.
Print
Recipe
Chocolate Poke Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 Servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chocolate Poke Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream! A decadent chocolate mixture seeps into every nook and cranny of an already supremely moist chocolate cake. The whole thing is topped with fluffy chocolate whipped cream, making it the ultimate chocolate dessert.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup (169g) 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
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolate sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan by greasing the bottom and sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and whisk together until well combined. Don’t over mix.
- Add the hot water and whisk together until well combined. Don’t over mix. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over. I use a knife sharpening rod, but you could also use a straw or the end of a wooden spatula.
- While the cake is still warm, add the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth, then immediately pour over the cake, spreading it over and 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.
- Set the cake in the fridge to cool and soak.
- 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.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 556
- Sugar: 56.9 g
- Sodium: 379.7 mg
- Fat: 28.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Cholesterol: 52.2 mg
OMG!!!! Our family had a big spaghetti night and I took this. Even though they were already stuffed from dinner, several went back for seconds on the cake. My sister-in-law, who doesn’t like chocolate, asked for a small bite and then went back for seconds. My little 6-year old nephew told me it was an 11 out of 10. When his mom asked him if this will become his new birthday cake, he nodded.
So glad it was a hit!
If you need a chocolate fix, this is the dessert for you. Oh so good!!!
Hi,
Your cake recipe looks great. I would like to serve it on Sunday so can I make the cake part tomorrow and pour the chocolate and mild combo in the holes tomorrow, refrigerate and then make the whipped topping on Sunday?
Please let me know.
Thanks,
Sandi
You can certainly make this cake a couple days ahead. It’s quite moist.
How would you suggest I melt the chocolate chips with condensed milk if I do not have a microwave?
You could melt them over a pot of boiling water on the stove – like when using a double boiler.
Can you add this to Yummly? I see several of your recipes there, but can’t find this one.
I made this but the last two times made it with the triple chocolate cake mix o my word heavenly
This sounds so easy – I have got to try it!!
Just made this cake for my son’s 21st birthday and it was a big hit! I used Betty Crocker Devil’s food cake mix (in UK) and double cream for the topping. I felt it needed a bit more cocoa and icing sugar whisked in and then it was perfect! Thanks for posting this great recipe!
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!
Yes, in response to other comments, the condensed milk and choc chip mix is pretty thick and hardens into a sort of fudge quite quickly. I added more condensed milk and poured the sauce over the cake which had just come out of the oven. Poked it about a bit more to coax it into the holes and it was fine. Thanks Lindsay!
Hi Lindsay!
So i made this cake a couple weeks ago and it was super good! The only thing that i stumbled upon was i am not sure if i melted the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk properly? i poured it over while the cake was still warm and it still created a hardened layer rather than soaking into the holes. Did i not melt the chocolate enough? Did i not poke enough holes? HELP PLEASE!? I am making this cake again within the next week for my mother’s Halloween party and could definitely use some pointers so i can get it perfect this time. Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I would say that the majority of the chocolate should soak into the cake, but there will be some that’s left on top. That said, I use a knife sharpening rod to make my holes so that they’re fairly big for the chocolate to soak into. I’m not sure what you’re using but perhaps you need bigger holes? You could also add a little bit more liquid, so that the chocolate is thinner.
If I don’t have cocoa anything I can replace it with? I was thinking of just not substituting anything but not sure if it would be good.
It would be difficult to make the chocolate whipped cream without the cocoa powder. Anything else that you add is probably going to thin it out. But you could just have a vanilla whipped cream on top of the cake.
I would like to eat crow and admit that this cake is fabulous. I still maintain that the condensed milk ganache layer does not seep into the cake, but mostly forms a gooey second layer . However, I completely take back my comment that this cake is “not that great.” I have now made this cake twice and it has gotten rave reviews from friends, coworkers, right across the board.
There is nothing great about this cake. My main gripe – the condensed milk and melted chocolate layer does NOT seep into the cake, which would make it super moist and gooey It is way too thick, so it just sits as a second layer between the cake and the whipped cream layer on top.
I would like to eat crow and admit that this cake is fabulous. I still maintain that the condensed milk ganache layer does not seep into the cake, but mostly forms a gooey second layer . However, I completely take back my comment that this cake is “not that great.” I have now made this cake twice and it has gotten rave reviews from friends, coworkers, right across the board.
So, I googled “cake recipes to try before you die” and this was #1…and I do not regret trying it! Oh my gosh! It was absolutely incredible! Easily the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made…and indeed eaten!
Lol I love that google search and I’m so glad it brought you to my cake! Glad it met expectations!!
This cake has become a game night staple with our friends, who request it every time!! Everything about it is excellent!! If you have pinned this for later, stop what you’re doing and make it immediately!! If you haven’t pinned it yet, pin it and make it immediately!!!
Awesome! I’m so glad it’s such a hit!
I have it in the fridge right now & can’t wait much longer before I go get myself a big piece with some ice cold milk! I’ve always used the handle of a wooden spoon to make the holes in my cake. And there it was sitting right in front of me all this time with the knives…the sharpening thinnga majiggy!! It work’s better than the wooden handle because no cake stuck to it! Thanks! 🙂 The only change I made was to grate some chocolate over the cake instead of using mini chocolate chips. It’s a texture thing for me, I don’t like biting into cold hard chocolate chips! :/ Ok, that’s it…gotta go get me some!
Haha! Awesome! I’m glad the knife sharpener tip was helpful!
I have had this recipe on my pinterest board for 3 years and have made it for MANY family get togethers. It is requested often. Thanks for making a great recipe. Everyone I make it for LOVES it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake!