Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke (Print)

Moist chocolate cake filled with creamy peanut butter pudding and topped with whipped cream and drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix (plus required eggs, oil, and water per package instructions)

→ For the Filling

02 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
03 - 2 cups cold whole milk
04 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

→ For the Topping

05 - 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
06 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Drizzle

08 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
09 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
10 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream

→ Optional Garnish

11 - 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
12 - Mini peanut butter cups, halved

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
03 - Let cake cool for 10 minutes. Using handle of wooden spoon, poke holes all over cake at 1-inch intervals.
04 - Whisk pudding mix and cold milk in medium bowl for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in peanut butter until completely smooth and combined.
05 - Pour peanut butter pudding evenly over cake, spreading to fill all holes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream evenly over chilled cake.
07 - Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and heavy cream in small bowl for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Microwave additional 10 seconds if needed for consistency.
08 - Drizzle chocolate mixture over whipped cream. Garnish with chopped peanuts and halved peanut butter cups if desired. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The poke cake technique creates these incredible pockets of peanut butter pudding that stay creamy even after days in the fridge
  • You get that bakery style look with barely any effort since we start with a cake mix
02 -
  • Getting the timing right on cooling the cake matters, 10 minutes is perfect because the cake is still warm enough to absorb the pudding but not so hot that it makes the pudding runny
  • The cake actually gets better after sitting in the fridge overnight, so this is your make-ahead dessert dream
03 -
  • Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make your holes, not a fork which makes them too small for the pudding to really sink in
  • Let your heavy cream get ice cold in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before whipping, it makes all the difference in achieving those picture perfect stiff peaks

Go Back