Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake – Major crowd-pleasing cake filled with vanilla pudding and sweetened condensed milk and topped with a homemade chocolate frosting!!
Y’all this little Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake is one of the best desserts I’ve made in quite a while! I’ve made it twice in the last month, and I plan to make it again next month for a Bible study meeting with my ACTS sisters. I think it has become my new go-to dessert recipe! In fact, my “I’m not much of a sweet eater” husband finished off the first pan I made as you can see from this Instagram picture!
Gosh! I love it when that happens!
Even since childhood, I’ve always loved a good yellow cake with chocolate frosting. It is a true classic winning combo. I used a box cake mix because I’m not all that picky about that sort of stuff, but you could totally use your own homemade yellow cake mix if that is your thing. I figure box mixes are my friend when I add all the other good stuff to the cake anyway.
In the end, you finish it off with a fabulous homemade chocolate icing that is spoon-licking good. Just ask me and my kids!! Chocolate icing is dangerous around these parts!! Like I need to hurry up and put the bowl under water so I don’t keep eating every last morsel of it kind of dangerous!!
I certainly hope you try it for any of your family and friend gatherings. It is such a crowd-pleaser!.
- 1 box yellow cake mix plus ingredients to make cake
- 1 3.5 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ sticks butter, softened
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- Bake cake according to box mix directions in a 13 x 9 pan.
- While cake is in the oven, mix pudding mix with 2 cups of milk. Whisk until combined and let sit for 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk again for a few seconds.
- Whisk in sweetened condensed milk. MIXTURE WILL BE THINNER THAN PUDDING. THIS IS OKAY SINCE YOU WILL LET IT SET UP IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
- Remove cake from oven and poke several holes with the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Pour pudding mixture all over cake filling all the holes and letting it completely cover the cake. Let it sit until cooled (about 1 hour).
- Make frosting by adding softened butter to a large mixing bowl. Add cocoa powder. Carefully pour in boiling water. Add vanilla and beat for about 1 minute or until combined.
- Gradually add in powdered sugar beating after every few cups added. Beat until smooth.
- Frost cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. BEST REFRIGERATED OVERNIGHT.
**The frosting quantity on this recipe has been reduced from what was previously posted.
Looking for other great crowd-pleasing desserts?
Tonia from TheGunnySack says
June 12, 2015 at 9:07 amPoke cake’s remind me of my childhood but my mom never made one like this! I can’t wait to try it!
Jaren says
June 12, 2015 at 12:02 pmThanks Tonia!
Connie Garrett says
September 7, 2017 at 9:05 amIf you want super thick filling do this.Gently stir 1 cup of real whipped cream after mixing 1 lg box pudding instant mix and can sweet condensed milk 2 cups of milk the filling is good and thick
Sara @ Bitz & Giggles says
June 12, 2015 at 10:01 amThis poke cake is calling my name! I spotted it this morning and had to share it on FB right away. YUM!!!
Jaren says
June 12, 2015 at 11:58 amAww! Thanks so much Sara!!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
June 12, 2015 at 2:22 pmI’ve actually never made a poke cake, but that definitely needs to change! This looks delicious!
Jaren says
June 12, 2015 at 9:36 pmWell Stacey this one is a great one to start with for sure! They are fun to make and very fun to eat!
Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me says
June 12, 2015 at 2:36 pmWhat a gorgeous cake, I have never had poke cake, but boy I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Jaren says
June 12, 2015 at 9:37 pmThanks Amy! I love poke cakes! They are always fun to make!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
June 12, 2015 at 8:50 pmHow deliciously easy does this look? Love that you combined the great taste of this classic pie into cake!
Jaren says
June 12, 2015 at 9:37 pmThanks Melanie!
Becky | The Cookie Rookie says
June 12, 2015 at 9:46 pmThis is SO genius! Looks to die for! My husband will be so excited if (WHEN) I make this!
Phil says
June 14, 2015 at 2:02 pmDoes the recipe use regular or instant pudding mix? Thanks.
Jaren says
June 14, 2015 at 2:11 pmHi Phil! Use instant pudding mix, and I’ll update the recipe too! Thanks for visiting!
Mariah @ Mariah's Pleasing Plates says
June 14, 2015 at 3:35 pmThis cake looks amazingggg. I would finish off the whole pan too 😉
Jaren says
June 24, 2015 at 9:25 pmThanks Mariah!
Laurie I. says
July 14, 2015 at 7:01 pmThe proportions in the filling are incorrect. I made it today and the pudding will not thicken because it has three cups of liquid in it. You need to add only one cup of cold milk and then the sweetened condensed milk. I also halved the frosting recipe and had plenty to frost the 13 x 9 inch cake about a 1/4 inch thick. The flavor is good, but without these changes, you’ll have a cake floating in a puddle of liquid pudding.
Jaren says
July 14, 2015 at 9:08 pmHi Laurie! Yes, this pudding mixture is not intended to be a thick mixture. I wanted it to be thinner to really soak into the cake. I have found that it does get thicker as the cake absorbs the liquid overnight. I’m sorry, but I did not share in your experience where it was floating in a puddle of liquid any of the times I made it. Thanks for your feedback though! Have a great day!
Jaren says
July 25, 2015 at 8:22 amI updated the frosting on this recipe. I reduced the quantity down a little to not have so much leftover.
pamela wilmott says
February 17, 2016 at 4:30 ami have not done this yet but i will be doneing soon
Jaren says
February 17, 2016 at 4:34 amAwesome Pamela! Thanks for visiting!
Romana Silmiya Rafeeque says
May 4, 2016 at 10:59 pmIam not much into the taste of cocoa, but I would definitely try to bake one……this cake looks soo alluring and exquisite in its presentation, colour and texture!! I appreciate that…. \m/
Keep doing….Express your self….and Be Enthusiastic !! 🙂
Jaren says
May 5, 2016 at 9:06 pmThanks Romana!!
Jen says
June 19, 2016 at 11:27 pmHello. I made this cake for our Father’s Day get together and it was a huge hit! My father in law ate three pieces, maybe more. Your recipe and instructions were spot on. I will definitely make this cake again and again. Thank you!!
Jaren says
June 20, 2016 at 10:44 amHi Jen! I’m so glad you all liked it! It has definitely become my “go-to” dessert! Thanks for letting me know!!
Darlene says
July 30, 2016 at 11:55 amCould you substitute a white cake mix for a yellow one? I can’t find a yellow one at our little grocery store here.
Jaren says
July 31, 2016 at 9:05 pmHi Darlene! Yes, although I don’t find a box white cake mix has as much flavor as the yellow one. And if you have time, you could always make a homemade yellow cake too. Here is a link to one on another site: http://iambaker.net/homemade-yellow-cake-mix/
Thanks for visiting!
Rachelle East says
September 8, 2016 at 11:46 amI made this for a birthday party and it was a huge hit! Thank you so much! Didn’t have any left over!
Jaren says
September 8, 2016 at 8:45 pmHi Rachelle! So glad to hear it was a hit! We love this dessert!! Thanks for letting me know!
Meghan P. says
December 15, 2016 at 6:44 amOh my goodness, this cake has been open in my Firefox tab for about a week now because I just NEED to make this cake! It looks so delectable, and absolutely makes my mouth water just looking at it! I finally have everything to make it tonight, and I’m very excited (so is my husband haha). I have a question though, I have a Bundt cake pan, as well as a square cake pan – although the square isn’t the same size as the one recommended on here. Your square cake pan calls for a 13 x 9 pan, while mine is 7.9 x 7.9. Would the cake work the same in the Bundt? Or should I just use my 7.9 x 7.9 twice?
Jaren says
December 15, 2016 at 9:10 pmHi Meghan! I’m not sure if you’ve made the recipe or not yet. I would probably go with the two 7.9 pans, since this is a poke cake. Hope this helps!!
Meghan P. says
December 16, 2016 at 8:35 amThanks for the reply! I ended up going with one 7.9 pan and made cupcakes with the rest of the cake mix! Everything came out amazing, better than I imagined it would be!. Thank you so much for the great recipe. 🙂 Bless.
Jo Ann says
March 29, 2017 at 6:10 pmThis is delicious. I followed the directions exactly as shown.
Thank you
Jaren says
March 29, 2017 at 10:13 pmSo glad to hear you liked it Jo Ann! It’s one of my favorites!
Shelley holzemer says
June 22, 2017 at 6:15 pmLove this recipe, so easy to follow. And it tastes just like a Boston cream cake. Thanks
Jaren says
June 23, 2017 at 7:58 amHi Shelley!! Thanks so much for letting me know! I make this cake almost every time I need to bring a dessert somewhere. Have a great day!
Nanette says
January 16, 2018 at 11:15 amCan I use store-bought frosting?
Jaren says
January 16, 2018 at 12:36 pmHi Nanette! Yes, you sure can!
Mary says
March 22, 2019 at 9:59 pmI love the recipe but I’ve tried this cake twice and the frosting doesn’t come out with the same consistency as your picture shows. Any tips?
Jaren says
March 31, 2019 at 7:11 amHi Mary! Was your frosting too thin or too thick?