Pour mixture over the holes in your cake and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Pro-Tip: Letting your cake chill with the condensed milk in it will really give it time to soak into the baked cake. You can let it chill for more than 2 hours if you’d like.
Thicken whipping cream in a chilled mixing bowl using a hand mixer on high speed. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and continue to mix. Spread frosting mixture over the top of your chilled cake.
Pro-Tip: It is important not to over mix your whipped cream topping. Using a frozen bowl with chilled heavy whipping cream will help it form stiff peaks when mixing.
Drizzle chocolate syrup and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top of the cake.
Pro-Tip: If the frosting mixture is left on the counter while serving the cake it will begin to break down. Be sure to keep it in the fridge in between servings to avoid this!
VARIATIONS / OPTIONS / ADD-INS
CAKE MIX: Any type of cake mix can be used for this recipe. I like the Betty Crocker brand, and Devil’s Food is so rich and delicious. You can use any brand you prefer and any flavor. If you don’t like your cake as rich, you could just use a regular chocolate cake mix. You can also use a homemade cake recipe if you prefer!
TOPPINGS/GARNISH : You can garnish your cake with any toppings you like. Try adding caramel drizzle or drizzling with some condensed milk. You can also use candy toppings in place of the mini chocolate chips. This will add a new and exciting flavor to your cake. Some good options would be Heath bars, Reese’s, m&m’s, or Butterfingers.
HOW TO STORE YOUR POKE CAKE
Be sure to store your leftover cake in the fridge as well as in between servings. It is ok to let it sit out for a little bit of time while serving, but the chocolate whipped topping will start to break down and melt if it’s left on the counter for too long. It is the same consistency as a store-bought whipped cream and melts just the same.
OTHER EASY POKE CAKE RECIPES
In a large mixing bowl, combine chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Stir to combine. Follow directions on the back of the Cake Mix Box and cook accordingly in a greased 9×13 cake pan.
When the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top of the cake with the end of a mixing spoon. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and two Hershey Chocolate Bars. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove from the microwave and stir. Microwave for an additional 15 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir again. Mix with a spoon until completely combined.
Pour sweetened mixture over the top of the holes on the cake. Use a rubber spatula to push sweetened mixture down into the holes and the sides of the cake. Let cool on the counter for one hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours to allow sweetened mixture time to soak into the cake.
While the cake is in the refrigerator, place a large mixing bowl in the freezer and allow to chill until ready to use for the Chocolate Whipped Cream topping.
In the large mixing bowl that has been in the freezer, add 2 cups of chilled heavy whipping cream. Use a hand mixer on a fast speed to mix until it starts to thicken.
Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Continue to mix with the hand mixer until incorporated and stiff peaks form.
Immediately spread the chocolate whipped topping over the entire top of the cake.
Drizzle chocolate syrup and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on the top of the cake.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Storage:
Be sure to store your leftover Chocolate Poke Cake in the fridge as well as in between servings. It is ok to let it sit out for a little bit of time while serving, but the chocolate whipped topping will start to break down and melt if it’s left on the counter for too long. It is the same consistency as a store bought whipped cream and melts just the same.
Important Notes:
Letting your cake chill with the condensed milk in it will really give it time to soak into the baked cake. You can let it chill for more than 2 hours if you’d like.
It is important not to over mix your whipped cream topping. Using a frozen bowl with chilled heavy whipping cream will help it form stiff peaks when mixing.
If the frosting mixture is left on the counter while serving the cake it will begin to break down. Be sure to keep it in the fridge in between servings to avoid this!