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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Felicia says
The ganache falls off while eating, has anyone had that problem?
MARY O says
I made this cake for a family gathering and it was a huge hit. I followed the directions exactly as stated. My daughter-in-law wants me to make this for a birthday party in June it was so good.
Nancy says
Why can’t you use the cook and serve vanilla pudding? It tastes so much better than the instant pudding.
Amanda Davis says
You can if you want to, but you want the pudding to get down into the holes of the cake. Pouring hot pudding onto the cake could change the texture or integrity of the cake, and letting the pudding cool off too much can allow it to thicken so much that it won’t go down in the holes. So allow it to cool a little bit first, but don’t refrigerate it before adding to the cake.
Paisley says
So delicious and super easy to make.
Susan Mikulich Gilbertson says
I doubled the recipe and made in a large sheet pan. It was so easy and delicious!
Theresa says
Uncredited to make and absolutely delicious! As I was pouring the pudding onto the cake, I kept thinking it was too much, but I was wrong. Used all pudding mixture to cover the cake and it was pure perfection. Will definitely be making this recipe again. Thank you!
Clarice says
I’m confused. Is it 8 oz (1 cup) chocolate chips or is it 1 1/3 cups (1 package) chips?
Amanda Davis says
Hi Clarice. 8 ounces of solid matter does not always equal 1 cup. That is only true with liquid measurements. If you place 1 1/3 cups of chips on a scale, it will eight 8 ounces. Hope this helps.
Katey says
How did you resist saying “Hello Clarice?”
Julie says
Boston Cream anything, takes time and this recipe was easy for my adhd brain to follow! I used gluten free yellow cake mix and added extra pudding because gluten free cake can get dry. The recipe for the chocolate glaze was perfection. Everything turned out fantastic .
Jean says
The ganache did not set up.
Lisa says
My ganache didn’t set up either. The only thing I did differently was I used milk chocolate chips…could that be it? It was like a chocolate pudding.
Steven Woodruff says
My ganache did not set up either. I poured it off the cake, warmed it up, added more chocolate chips and melted them it, and it came out perfect back on the cake.
Tracy Mendez says
Mine didn’t either and it’s not dark chocolate like picture. More of light light chocolate. .
I did use sugar-free chocolate chips but I don’t think that should matter
Pam says
Has anyone tried whit cake mix with lemon pudding. I wonder how that would taste with chocolate frosting?
Wendy Lucas says
Howabout banana pudding
Mary says
Since the recipe calls for 4 cups of “milk” and I usually have 2 % I used 3 c of 2 % and 1 c heavy cream for the custard. This recipe is so easy and so good. I’m sharing it with my friends that claim to be challenged in the cooking/baking dept.
Mary says
So I made this recipe a second time I live with my brother and neither of us need to have a 9 x 13 dessert tempting us every time we open the fridge. I also wanted to make the cake for a friend who is a single lady. So instead of using the 9 x 13 I used 2 8 ” square cake pans. Divided the batter between the 2, then the same with the custard and finally the ganache. Turned out perfect!.
Tamra L Tory says
I get requests to make this for all our gatherings. So good and easy to make.
Ann T says
Made this and we had rave reviews. Super easy and so good!
Lynn says
This is excellent and easy to make. Taste like a big eclair! I make this for my brother-in-law every year for his birthday.
Marion says
Delish!! Easy to make . A huge hit with family and friends. Making it again today.!
Marie Brown says
I served this at our coffee club. Everyone loved it.
J says
So last minute mom tells me she wants Boston Cream for her birthday dinner tomorrow…. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find one. So I came here and omg…. This cake was such a hit. Followed the recipe to a T… I was worried the semi sweet chips wouldn’t be sweet enough. It it was PERFECT. So many compliments and this is going to be one I make again and again. Thanks for such an easy, tasty, and fun recipe!! Moist, not overwhelmingly sweet, just perfect. Yum!!
Mel says
Do you think I could make this work with Mimi cupcakes?
Amanda Davis says
We have this in cupcake form here https://amandascookin.com/boston-cream-pie-cupcakes/
Kate says
Can you regular pudding ? I can’t find instant pudding just one you cook
Ces Guilas says
Made it myself and followed the recipe to a T except that I used french vanilla pudding because there’s no plain vanilla pudding at the grocery I’m at. I love this so much and it’s not too sweet which is to our liking. I’ll possibly be making this every now and then. Also, ingredients are not expensive, in this thrift era we’re in right now, ingredients in making this cake are all affordable.
Grandma's Kitchen says
This recipe turned out wonderful! Everyone loved it and I will make it again. I followed the directions just as they were written and it turned out perfect. I wonder if the people complaining about the ganache not turning it out stirred it long enough…. it seems weak and watery for quite awhile and then it turns into rich chocolate magic. (or they are complaining about the recipe because they don’t follow directions – there is NOTHING WRONG with Amanda’s recipe!)
Vicky Starbuck says
The ganache did not set up. It ran all over.
Kelly Loya says
Yes, the Ganache was thick and perfectly formed on my cake and I followed the directions for the Ganache exactly as they were written! I actually ordered a Boston Creme Cake from Publix on Thursday for my son’s birthday yesterday and after I ordered, I thought, I want to try and make one. So I found this recipe and was going to cancel my order and my husband said just do both everyone will eat them. So I served the cake from Public alongside mine (this recipe) and everyone like mine better! (The Publix cake was prettier tiered cake but taste not nearly as good! Thanks for the great recipe, Amanda! What I did do differently was use cook and serve pudding, let it cool a drop then poured it and before I poured the pudding in, I poured a can of sweetened condensed milk into the holes and all over the top of the cake. Also used milk instead of water in baking it and subbed coconut oil for the vegetable oil.