My mom has made me a chocolate pudding poke cake almost every year for my birthday. Hers is made simply with a box of chocolate cake mix and a box of instant chocolate pudding. She’d poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon as soon as it came out of the oven, then pour over the pudding to seep into each hole and cover the top like frosting. I set out to recreate a scratch-made version of this recipe and after several attempts and tweaks, I finally landed my own moist, rich, and decadent chocolate pudding cake. My birthday was this past week so it felt very fitting to recreate this nostalgic cake to celebrate!

Chocolate Pudding

First I needed to create the perfect homemade chocolate pudding, similar to a chocolate pastry cream but not quite as thick. The pudding has to be just the right consistency so that it’s thin enough to pour over the cake and fill the holes but thick enough to set up like a pudding. Unlike pastry cream, I didn’t use any eggs or egg yolks and instead only relied on a little bit of cornstarch to thicken everything up. A few simple ingredients, including milk and cocoa powder, are mixed and warmed on the stove until thick. You need a little bit of patience while the pudding thickens, this can take up to 20 minutes but it’s absolutely worth the wait.

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Chocolate Cake

I wanted this chocolate cake to be super moist to mimic that classic box cake texture. I first tried a butter-based chocolate cake recipe but the cake got a little too firm and dried out after sitting in the fridge. I swapped out the butter for oil which resulted in a perfectly moist cake, even after sitting in the fridge overnight. Using oil instead of butter also allowed me to change the mixing method from the creaming method to the muffin mixing method. Essentially, dry ingredients are combined then the wet ingredients are added to the mix which makes for a simple one-bowl cake. The best part is that you don’t even need a mixer for this one!

Why You’ll Love This Cake

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• It’s rich, fudgy, and extra chocolatey
  
  
• The cake comes together in one bowl
  
  
• Easy to make pudding that’s used as the filling and frosting for the cake
  
  
• No need to frost the sides or even remove the cake from the pan!

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How to Make Chocolate Pudding Cake

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1. Make the cake. This cake is super simple it all comes together in one bowl. The dry ingredients get mixed together then the wet ingredients are added which include eggs, oil, and water. The oil helps keep the cake super moist. The cake batter is poured into a 9” x 9” square cake pan and then bakes for about 30 minutes.

2. Poke holes in the cake. Once the cake is baked and removed from the oven, you want to immediately poke holes in the top of the cake while it’s hot. I like the use of the end of a wooden spoon or a large dowel. The holes should be about ½” in diameter. I like to make even rows of holes so for a 9” x 9” cake, I did 7 rows with 7 holes in each row.
   
   
3. Make the pudding. Start the pudding after the cake is baked and the holes have been poked. Sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and instant espresso powder are combined in a small saucepan then milk is slowly whisked in. This mixture will cook on the stove over low heat until thickened, which can take about 15-20 minutes. Once the mixture starts to bubble and has thickened, you’ll mix in some vanilla and your pudding is ready for the cake.
   
   

4. Fill the cake. Once the pudding is done and still hot, immediately pour it over the warm cake. You want to fill each hole and then use the remaining pudding to cover the entire top of the cake. The pudding will start to set up as you’re pouring so you want to work fairly quickly. You can spread out the pudding on top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to even it out. Press plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
   
   
5. Chill the cake. Let the cake cool at room temp for at least 30 minutes then put it in the fridge and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once chilled, remove the plastic wrap, add sprinkles if desired then cut, serve, and enjoy!
   
   

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Chocolate Pudding Cake FAQs

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Can I make the pudding ahead of time?

I do not recommend making the pudding ahead of time. You want the pudding to be hot when you pour it over the cake so that it can fill each of the holes you made and easily spread over the top. The pudding sets up pretty quickly and would be too thick to fill the holes if it’s made ahead of time.

Can this cake be served in the cake pan?

Yes! This cake is made to be served right in the pan - that’s how my mom always made hers! I recommend greasing the bottom and sides of the pan well, so the slices come out of the pan easily when you serve the cake. If you do want to remove the whole cake from the pan once the pudding sets up, lightly grease the cake pan and line the bottom and sides with a parchment paper sling, with an overhang on all 4 sides. Use the sling to carefully lift out the finished cake before slicing.

Would this recipe work in a different pan?

I found this recipe to work best in a 9” x 9” square pan. An 8” x 8” square pan would work too if that’s what you have - you’ll just end up with a slightly taller cake.

How should I store the cake?

Chocolate Pudding Cake needs to be stored in the fridge. Store slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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More Recipes for Chocolate Lovers

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• Chocolate Espresso Truffles
  
  
• Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake Brownies
  
  
• Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
  
  
• Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
  
  
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Cake

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If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!

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