If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert, this Boston Cream Poke Cake is always a good choice! Everyone will be raving over the delicious combination of yellow cake, vanilla pudding custard, and chocolate glaze.
Plan to take this one-pan dessert to your next gathering! It’ll certainly be a crowd favorite, just like the ever delicious Chocolate Lasagna.
Why This is One of Our Favorite Desserts
When I was a young child I was enamored with any and all desserts containing custard. I was particularly captivated by Boston Cream Pie because it wasn’t a pie at all, it was a custard filled cake. And that layer of glorious, shiny chocolate—yum!
Related: My all-time favorite chocolate cake!
I learned to bake at a young age, but mastering egg-based sweets like custard and Creamy Flan wouldn’t come until I was older. If only I had known about this Boston Cream Poke Cake, I could have eaten it anytime the fancy struck! It’s seriously that simple to cook with boxed cake mix and instant pudding.
While I am now an avid baker, I’m not above using boxed mixes and hacks. If they make life easier and taste just as yummy, I’m all for it. My cute Lemon Sandwich Cookies start with a cake mix and they fly off the plate every time.
If you have one component that’s completely from scratch, it gives the whole thing a homemade flavor (the cookies have cream cheese frosting).
With that in mind, I decided to make the chocolate glaze from scratch since I’m a bit of a chocoholic. You could certainly use canned chocolate frosting, chocolate buttercream frosting or chocolate fudge frosting if you want, but the chocolate ganache is simple enough that it doesn’t take much more than melting a few ingredients together.
Ingredients you’ll need for this cake
- You’ll use a box of yellow cake mix, but you also need the ingredients on the back of the box.
- Be sure you use instant vanilla pudding mix, not the cook and serve kind!
- You will need milk and vanilla extract to mix up the pudding.
- To make the ganache, you will need semi sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, and a small amount of corn syrup. It’s a very small amount of corn syrup, but if it bothers you, use an equal amount of butter.
ONE-PAN DESSERTS COOKBOOK!
The one-pan dessert is ideal for all occasions including potlucks, holidays, barbecues and birthdays. Several of these desserts do not require baking making them perfect for summer. See ALL my cookbooks here!
20 delicious one-pan dessert recipes plus tips for dessert success! ONLY $9.97!!
Helpful Kitchen Items:
How to Make this Amazing Cake
The rest of the Boston cream poke cake is equally quick and easy. Bake a cake according to the package instructions, then poke holes in it.
Mix up some pudding and pour it over the cake before it starts to thicken.
If you do this before the pudding has completely set, the custard can drip all the way down into the pockets.
After chilling, it all gets topped with that chocolate glaze and then sets up in the fridge. Don’t forget to let your glaze cool for 10 minutes before pouring it over the cake!
This Boston cream poke cake definitely tastes better if you let it sit overnight. I’m an impatient person, so I usually can’t wait to dig in before something is done but trust me, the flavors come together in an amazing way. Cake, pudding, and chocolate glaze magically transform into Boston Cream Pie!
More One Pan Desserts
Don’t you LOVE one-pan desserts? Always perfect for BBQ’s, potlucks, or any gathering in general. Find more favorites below!
- Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
- Eclair Cake
- Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
- Pineapple Dream Dessert
- Strawberry Icebox Cake
- No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Lemon Lush
- Cookie Skillet
- Pistachio Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake
And of course, you wouldn’t want to miss my Boston Cream Cupcakes!
Boston Cream Poke Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 16.25 ounce yellow cake mix plus ingredients to prepare
- 6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix 2 (3.4oz) boxes
- 4 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/4 cups
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup or butter if you prefer
- 1 cup heavy cream
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You’ll use a box of yellow cake mix, but you also need the ingredients on the back of the box.
- Be sure you use instant vanilla pudding mix, not the cook and serve kind!
- The ganache calls for a small amount of corn syrup. It’s a very small amount, but if it bothers you, use an equal amount of butter.
Instructions
- Prepare and bake the cake in a 13×9 pan according to the package instructions. Let cool completely before poking holes across the cake with the bottom of a wooden spoon. Be sure to poke all the way to the bottom of the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pudding, milk, and vanilla, but don't let it thicken. Pour the thin pudding over cake in an even layer, poking down into the holes if necessary.
- Refrigerate the cake for one hour.
Chocolate Glaze
- Place the chocolate chips and corn syrup in a heat-proof bowl.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the cream until it simmers, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, you can microwave the cream until hot.
- Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes to melt.
- Stir until smooth. Let the glaze cool for 10 minutes. Letting the glaze cool is an important step, don't skip this part!
- Pour glaze over cake and smooth with a spatula. Chill cake for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on May 12, 2017 but has since been updated to include helpful tips and new photos.
Amanda Davis
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Cheryl P says
Fantastic! I made this at the end of September. My husband and I picked out a store bought cake for our anniversary and it was sooooo disappointing, lol! We threw most of it away. I found this recipe and it truly delivered! My husband LOVES a boston cream donut and he was so excited to have it in cake form. He said, “keep this recipe”! I froze about half the cake. I cut it into slices, put on a cookie sheet and once they froze I wrapped the slices in saran wrap and then sealed in a freezer bag. They take a solid day to thaw in the fridge but come out really well!
Lori Short says
Can I make my own cake from scratch?
Amanda Davis says
Of course. If you have a favorite go for it. If not, you can try our classic yellow cake https://amandascookin.com/my-birthday-cake-dedicated-to-the-memory-of-my-mother/
Maggi says
Where does the 1/2 t. Of vanilla go? Into the ganache?
Amanda Davis says
See step 2 of the recipe: In a large bowl, whisk together pudding, milk, and vanilla, but don’t let it thicken. Pour the thin pudding over cake in an even layer, poking down into the holes if necessary.
Tress says
Thank you for sharing. I’m waiting to see how this will come together after refrigeration through the night. Should I cover the cake while in the fridge so it won’t dry out. Should I cover with aluminum foil.
Amanda Davis says
As long as you completely cooled the cake first, yes you can cover it. I use plastic wrap but foil will work.
Danielle says
Hi, I have a question about the cake mix size. I bought
13.25 cake mix should I add 3 more oz from another cake mix because they don’t sell a 16.25 in my grocery store. Thank you,
Amanda Davis says
It should be fine, just follow the instructions on the back for a 13×9 pan
Danielle says
Thank you!
SE says
This is delicious! Everyone really liked it. The ganache is really good and I will use it on othere desserts.
Pat says
It was difficult to get the pudding in the cake before the pudding thickened. The cake was hard to cut without some pieces breaking up.
Brooke Jordan says
Hey there!!
Does this need to stay in a baking dish or can I take it out of the pan and put it on a cake board? Do you think it’ll hold up with the pudding inside?
Amanda Davis says
You could probably line the pan with several sheet of parchment (hanging over the edge as handles) before actually making the cake. That way when it’s completely cooled you should be able to lift the cake out of the pan and onto cardboard. I would most definitely have someone help you since it’s 13×9, just in case.
Jenny says
Has anyone made this the day before the event? How did the cake hold up?
Stacey says
Sadly the ganache never set up- it’s still a runny mess after overnight refrigeration:(
Amanda Davis says
Did you use heavy cream or did you substitute it with milk?
Janis Schear says
great cake! all I wanted was to print the recipe, not 17 pages of photos.
Amanda Davis says
If you click on Jump to Recipe or scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post, there is a printer friendly version down there (1-2 pages)
Grandma Kitty says
Delicious! The only change I made was to use one box of vanilla instant pudding and one box of French vanilla instant pudding, since that is what I had on hand. So easy. So good.
Mary Ann says
Just need clarification:
Place the chocolate chips and corn syrup in a heat-proof bowl.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the cream until it simmers, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, you can microwave the cream until hot.
Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes to melt. *ISN’T THE CORN SYRUP ALREADY MIXED WITH THE CHOCLATE CHIPS AS STATED IN STEP ONE?*
Thanks!
Amanda Davis says
Yes, but I’m not sure I unerstand your question. I don’t see an error. It says put the chocolate chips and corn syrup in a bowl then pour the hot cream over that.
Trix says
This sounds delicious but I don’t like the fake-ish taste of boxed puddings and want to make my own vanilla pudding instead … about how many cups of finished pudding would I need?
Thanks so much!
Amanda Davis says
About 4-5 cups