This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Everything you love about Boston cream donuts and pies, in the form of a cool and creamy pudding poke cake!
For more yummy cakes try Root Beer Float Ice Cream Cake, Mississippi Mud Cake, or Caramel Cake.
Boston Cream Cake
This Boston Cream Poke Cake recipe was actually suggested by my husband, whose favorite donut happens to be a Boston Cream donut (it’s my favorite too!).
The Boston Cream donut was actually created after the famous Boston cream pie, which isn’t a pie at all, but a cake! The rich, classic dessert consists of a vanilla custard sandwiched between two yellow cake layers, and topped with a chocolate ganache or frosting.
If you’re a fan of either the Boston Cream Pie or donut, I promise you will like this recipe. It has all the same components: yellow cake, vanilla cream (pudding in this case), and a chocolate topping (also pudding in this recipe).
And the best part is that it only requires 3 box mixes, plus the few ingredients needed for the mixes. Talk about simple!! The hardest part is patiently waiting for the poke cake to refrigerate for 30 minutes, you know what I mean? 😉
How to make Boston Cream Poke Cake
CAKE. Make cake as directed in a 9×13 pan. While the cake is still slightly warm, use the end of a large wooden spoon and poke several holes into the cake.
VANILLA PUDDING. Make French Vanilla pudding as directed. Wait a minute for it to thicken up a little more and pour over cake, making sure it fills all the holes.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING. Make Chocolate pudding as directed. Pour over the cake and the layer of vanilla pudding, using it as a frosting or ganache.
Tip. This step may be easier if you refrigerate the cake for a little while after pouring the first layer of pudding.
ENJOY! Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let all the pudding set, and serve cold. ENJOY!
It really is that simple! And like I said, it tastes just like a Boston Cream donut, but in the form of a moist, creamy cake. Poking the holes in the cake allows the pudding to seep into the cake and give it a really nice consistency. That’s what makes poke cakes SO delicious!
Poke CAke Variations + SToring Info
- Oreo Pudding Poke Cake – chocolate cake, Oreo pudding, and crushed Oreos
- Grasshopper Poke Cake – devil’s food cake, hot fudge, peppermint frosting, and chopped Andes mints
STORE this cake covered in the fridge for 3-5 days. Serve cold to avoid the cream melting.
FREEZE the cake for 3-4 months after it has been wrapped in plastic wrap twice and a layer of foil. If need be you can make this cake about a day ahead of time. This will give the pudding time to soak into the cake. If you make it any further in advance you risk the cake becoming too moist.
For more chocolate cake recipes, check out:
- Mississippi Mud Cake
- Fudgy Buttermilk Cake
- Better than Anything Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Best Chocolate Sheet Cake
Boston Cream Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 box french vanilla pudding (5.9 oz)
- 1 box chocolate pudding (5.9 oz)
- 4 cups milk
Instructions
- Make cake as directed in a 9×13 pan.
- Poke holes into cake using the end of a large wooden spoon while cake is still semi-warm.
- Make French Vanilla pudding as directed. Wait a minute for it to thicken up a little more and pour over cake, making sure it fills the holes.
- Make Chocolate pudding as directed. Pour over cake as well.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and serve cold.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pictures for this recipe were re-taken by Alicia of The Baker Upstairs.
Boston cream poke cake was a big hit
Yay!! This is one of my favorites!! Thank you for letting me know!
Do you think you could use the chocolate panache from your Boston creme pie recipe as frosting for this like cake?
You definitely could! Hope you like it!
Hi,
On the Boston Cream Poke Cake are you using Instant pudding or cooked pudding. This sounds like a wonderful cake.
Rio Reng
I use instant 🙂
You are adorable and I love your recipes. You are appreciated, thank you.
Awe, thank you so much!! I appreciate you for checking my recipes out 🙂
The puddings used are “instant” not “cook and serve” right? Will the pudding seep into the holes like gelatin or will it need some “help”? Have you ever used just chocolate frosting or a different topping for this cake? Let me know what you would recommend other than choco pudding. Thanks and love ALL your recipes!
I use instant 🙂 And, yes, it does seep in. I have not tried a different topping, though I like to experiment, so I will have to see what else would work. Thank you so much!
I pinned this a couple weeks ago and just went to make it…the recipe is no longer showing. Help!!
did you use instant or cooked pudding?
can this be done with regular vanilla pudding?