Poke cakes are my go-to dessert when I need something super simple, impressive looking, and easy to make ahead of time. You bake a simple cake, poke holes all over it, pour on a filling that soaks into the cake, and let the fridge do the rest. Every slice comes out perfectly moist and loaded with flavor, and the whole thing travels in the same pan you baked it in.
Here are all 17 of our easy poke cake recipes, from fruity Jell-O cakes for summer cookouts to chocolate and candy bar cakes with cozy fall flavors. First, here's our quick guide to making any poke cake, the main filling types and our best tips, and after the list you'll find how to store and freeze it plus answers to the questions we get most.
In this Article:
- What Is a Poke Cake?
- How to Make a Poke Cake
- Poke Cake Filling Types
- Tips for Poking and Chilling
- Our 17 Easy Poke Cake Recipes
- Fruity & Summer Poke Cakes
- Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe
- Jolly Rancher Watermelon Poke Cake
- Fruity Tropical Poke Cake
- Boozy Pineapple Piña Colada Poke Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake
- Summer Peach Pie Poke Cake
- Blueberry Poke Cake
- Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake
- Lemon Lime Poke Cake Recipe
- Chocolate & Candy Poke Cakes
- Heath Bar Poke Cake
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Quadruple Chocolate Poke Cake
- Chocolate Ganache Poke Cake with Berries
- Caramel Toffee Poke Cake
- Fall & Holiday Poke Cakes
- Pumpkin Poke Cake
- Apple Spice Poke Cake Recipe
- Cherry Almond Poke Cake
- Storing and Freezing Poke Cake
- Poke Cake FAQ
What Is a Poke Cake?
A poke cake is... well... exactly what it sounds like. It's a simple sheet cake that gets holes poked all over the top after baking. Then a liquid or creamy filling is poured over it, soaking down into the cake, so you get delicious ribbons of flavor running through every slice instead of just basic frosting on top. Most poke cakes are finished with a layer of whipped topping or cream cheese frosting, then chilled until you're ready to dig in.
Poke cakes took off in the 1970s, when Jell-O shared recipes for a white cake soaked with brightly colored gelatin. (You can actually see the old ads here, which is pretty neat.) The idea stuck because it's almost impossible to mess up. Even a plain boxed cake can be turned into something special.
How to Make a Poke Cake
Every recipe on this list follows the same four basic steps. Once you know them, you can easily invent your own favorite flavor combinations.
- Bake. Bake your cake in a 9"x13" baking pan. A deep glass dish like this Pyrex deep 9x13 baking dish with a lid is ideal, because you can see the filling stripes from the side and the lid makes it easy to store and transport.
- Poke. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top. The handle of a wooden spoon makes nice wide holes that hold plenty of filling. A fork or skewer makes smaller holes for thinner fillings. If you'd rather fill the cake from the inside, a cake injector works too.
- Soak. Pour or spoon the filling evenly over the cake, nudging it into the holes. Thin fillings like Jell-O and syrup soak in right away, while pudding and pie filling need a little help from a spatula.
- Chill. Refrigerate the cake until the filling sets, then spread on the topping. An offset spatula makes it easy to spread whipped topping or frosting in a smooth, even layer right to the corners of the pan.
Poke Cake Filling Types
The filling is what makes each poke cake different. These are the main types you'll see in our recipes:
- Jell-O (gelatin). The classic. Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water and pour it over a warm white cake for bright stripes of color, like our Jolly Rancher Watermelon Poke Cake, Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake and Lemon Lime Poke Cake.
- Pudding. Whisk instant pudding with milk and pour it over the cake right away, before it thickens, so it can sink into the holes. It makes a richer, creamier cake, like our Oreo Poke Cake and Quadruple Chocolate Poke Cake.
- Sweetened condensed milk. Thick, sweet and silky, it turns the cake almost tres leches moist. Our Heath Bar Poke Cake pairs it with caramel for a gooey candy bar cake.
- Ganache and caramel. Warm chocolate ganache or caramel sauce makes a decadent filling. Try the Chocolate Ganache Poke Cake with Berries or the Caramel Toffee Poke Cake.
- Fruit and pie filling. Blended pie filling or fruit syrup gives you a fresh fruit flavor, like our Summer Peach Pie Poke Cake and Blueberry Poke Cake.
Tips for Poking and Chilling
- Poke while the cake is warm, not hot. Let it cool for about 10 to 15 minutes first. A hot cake can tear, and a fully cooled cake doesn't soak up the filling as well.
- Space the holes about an inch apart and push almost to the bottom of the pan, without going through the bottom. Even spacing means every slice gets filling.
- Match the hole size to the filling. Thin fillings like gelatin and syrup work fine with fork-sized holes. Thick fillings like pudding and sweetened condensed milk need the wider holes from a wooden spoon handle.
- Chill before you top it. Let the filling set for at least an hour (gelatin cakes need about 2 to 3 hours) before adding whipped topping, so the topping doesn't slide around or turn soggy.
- Add crunchy toppings last. Candy, cookies, nuts and fresh fruit stay crisp and fresh if you add them shortly before serving.
Our 17 Easy Poke Cake Recipes
We've grouped the recipes by flavor so you can find the right one fast: fruity and summer poke cakes first, then chocolate and candy poke cakes, then fall and holiday poke cakes. Every one of them can be made a day ahead too - so they are perfect for a party!
Easy Poke Cake Recipes
Fruity & Summer Poke Cakes
A boxed strawberry cake gets soaked with a creamy vanilla pudding filling blended with fresh strawberries, so every bite tastes like berries. Whipped topping, sliced strawberries and a little lemon zest finish it off.
White cake soaked with watermelon gelatin, layered with pink watermelon cream cheese and whipped topping, then sprinkled with crushed watermelon Jolly Ranchers. It's bright, sweet and made for summer cookouts.
Mango gelatin soaks into a white cake, then a tangy orange cream cheese layer and a fluffy banana pudding topping go on top. Finish it with whatever tropical fruit you love for an easy make-ahead party dessert.
This adults-only poke cake soaks a white cake with coconut cream pudding, piña colada mix and rum. It's piled high with rum-spiked whipped topping, fresh pineapple and coconut, like a beach vacation in a 9x13 pan.
Yellow cake mix bakes right over pineapple slices, then gets filled with vanilla pudding and topped with whipped topping and pineapple chunks. A sunny, old-fashioned favorite that's easy to love.
A fluffy white cake soaked with a blend of peach pie filling and heavy cream, so it tastes like peach pie in cake form. Whipped topping, fresh peach slices and a dusting of nutmeg finish it.
Blended blueberry pie filling soaks into a white cake, then whipped topping and a buttery brown sugar graham cracker crumble go on top. A handful of fresh blueberries makes it look as good as it tastes.
Orange Jell-O, French vanilla pudding and mandarin oranges turn a simple white cake into that classic creamsicle flavor. It's light, cool and perfect for barbecues and picnics.
Lemon and lime gelatin soak through a white cake, then creamy lemon pudding and whipped topping go on top with fresh citrus zest. Tart, sweet and so refreshing on a hot day.
Chocolate & Candy Poke Cakes
A from-scratch chocolate cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk and caramel, then topped with whipped cream and plenty of chopped Heath bars. Rich, gooey and crunchy all at once.
White chocolate pudding soaks into a white cake, then an Oreo cream cheese layer, Cool Whip and crushed Oreos go on top. Cookies-and-cream fans will love it, and it's even better made a day ahead.
Chocolate pudding, cocoa cream cheese frosting, chocolate whipped topping and chocolate chips make this one a chocolate lover's dream. An easy 9x13 dessert that feeds a crowd.
Warm chocolate ganache fills every hole in a fluffy white cake, then whipped ganache, whipped topping and fresh berries go on top. It looks fancy but takes just a handful of ingredients.
Caramel soaks into a white cake, then a caramel cream cheese frosting, whipped topping, toffee bits and a drizzle of caramel sauce finish it. Sweet, crunchy and always a crowd-pleaser.
Fall & Holiday Poke Cakes
A moist, from-scratch pumpkin spice cake soaked with homemade brown sugar caramel, then topped with a fluffy cream cheese layer and pecans. Our favorite make-ahead fall dessert for a crowd.
Spice cake mix gets soaked with a creamy apple pie filling and pudding mixture, then topped with whipped topping, caramel and crunchy nuts. All the cozy flavor of apple pie in an easy cake.
Cherry syrup soaks into a white cake, then an almond cream cheese layer, whipped topping, maraschino cherries and toasted almonds go on top. Its red-and-white look makes it a pretty pick for holiday dessert tables.
Storing and Freezing Poke Cake
Because poke cakes are made with dairy fillings and whipped topping, keep them covered in the refrigerator. Most will keep for 3 to 4 days, though they're at their best within the first 2 days. A pan with a fitted lid makes this easy; otherwise cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Most poke cakes also freeze well. Freeze the cake before adding fresh fruit or crunchy toppings, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then add the garnish. Pudding, sweetened condensed milk, ganache and caramel fillings freeze best; gelatin cakes and fresh fruit toppings can turn a little watery after thawing.
Poke Cake FAQ
Do poke cakes need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The fillings and toppings are usually made with milk, pudding, cream cheese, whipped topping or sweetened condensed milk, so a poke cake should be kept in the fridge and not left out at room temperature for more than about 2 hours. Chilling also helps the filling set so the cake slices cleanly.
How far ahead can you make a poke cake?
Poke cakes are one of the best make-ahead desserts. Make the cake and filling the day before so it has time to chill overnight; the flavor is even better the next day. You can make most of them up to 2 days ahead. Add any fresh fruit, candy or cookie toppings shortly before serving.
Can you use a homemade cake instead of a mix?
Absolutely. Any 9x13 sheet cake recipe works, as long as it has a sturdy, tender crumb to the cake. Our Heath Bar Poke Cake and Pumpkin Poke Cake both use from-scratch cakes. A boxed mix is quick and gives very consistent results, which is why most of our recipes start with one, but homemade is a great swap whenever you have the time.
And if you love these poke cakes, be sure to check out these other easy dessert ideas:
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