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Chocolate Poke Cake

This Chocolate Poke Cake is ultra-moist, intensely chocolatey, and filled with warm homemade pudding. It’s finished with a glossy chocolate frosting that sinks into every bite. Decadent doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 5 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • cups flour
  • cups sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup brewed coffee cooled
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Pudding:

  • cup sugar
  • cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • cups milk
  • 1 tbsp butter

Poured Frosting:

  • cup milk
  • cup butter
  • cups sugar
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
  • Combine milk + lemon juice and let sit 5 min (to make buttermilk).
  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.
  • Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30–40 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pudding:

  • In a saucepan, whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Add cold milk.
  • Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until it boils.
  • Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in butter.
  • Let cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble:

  • Poke holes all over warm cake with the end of a wooden spoon.
  • Pour warm pudding over cake, spreading to fill holes.
  • Chill 30 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:

  • In saucepan, combine milk, butter, and sugar. Boil 45 seconds.
  • Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.
  • Immediately pour over cake.
  • Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Notes

  • Don’t skip the coffee — it enhances chocolate flavor but doesn’t taste like coffee.
  • Use whole milk for richer pudding.
  • Let cake chill overnight for best texture and flavor.