Chocolate Poke Cake

This decadent chocolate poke cake is rich, moist, and packed with real chocolate flavor in every bite! Made with a soft chocolate sponge, silky chocolate ganache filling, and chocolate whipped cream frosting on top, it's an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that's great for any occasion.

Best From Scratch Chocolate Poke Cake

This Chocolate poke cake is the extra version of my Chocolate sheet cake, with a few adjustments:

It starts with a rich, moist chocolate sheet cake made from scratch (you won't find a chocolate poke cake with cake mix here!). It is then filled with a smooth chocolate ganache made with extra cream, giving it a luscious consistency that seeps into every hole and keeps the cake extra soft. The light and fluffy homemade chocolate whipped cream frosting adds the finishing touch with a rich chocolate flavor and just the right balance of sweetness!

You don't need anything fancy to make this recipe. Most of the ingredients may already be in your pantry! Best of all, it's beginner-friendly, with many flavor options to get creative once you're comfortable with the base recipe!

Start with an Easy Chocolate Sponge

Before making your chocolate poke cake, let your eggs, milk, and freshly brewed coffee come to room temperature. This will help everything blend smoothly. To quickly bring your eggs to room temperature, let them sit in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.

Preheat to 180°C / 355°F (with the fan turned off). While it heats, line a 9x13-inch / 22x33 cm pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine the wet ingredients (eggs, vegetable oil, sugars, coffee, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix for about 1–2 minutes until everything is well combined.

Next, sift together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Add them to the wet mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold them together, just until combined. Don't overmix unless you're aiming for a dense, dry cake.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Don't worry if it looks very liquid!

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache Filling, Yumm!

Halfway through baking, begin making the chocolate ganache. Chop your chocolate into fine pieces and set it aside in a bowl. (Or use high-quality chocolate callets)

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan just until it begins to simmer. Then, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Stir until the mixture is well combined and smooth, then add the salt. Set aside a few tablespoons for decorating later.

As soon as the cake finishes baking, remove it from the oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the surface. Next, pour the chocolate ganache over the warm cake, filling each hole.

Now Let's Make an Easy Chocolate Whipped Cream

Note that your heavy cream and mascarpone must first be very cold to make the frosting. You can simply toss all the ingredients together and whip them until they form early stiff peaks. Or, the safer way is the following:

Add the cold heavy cream and sifted powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and whip at medium-high speed until it thickens to a texture similar to sour cream.

Then, add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and cold mascarpone. Continue whipping for 1-2 minutes, then sprinkle in the salt. 

Stop as soon as the frosting becomes light, fluffy, and pipeable (right after it reaches soft peaks). Be careful not to overwhip, or your frosting could break and become runny.

Once your filled cake has completely cooled to room temperature, spread the frosting evenly across the top. Then, drizzle the set-aside chocolate ganache over the frosting for the finishing touch! Why not also shave some chocolate on top to make it even more extra?

Leftovers? This Is How You Store It

Poke cakes have their best flavor and texture when enjoyed on the same day they are made. However, if you have leftovers or want to make your cake a couple of days in advance, you can keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.

The chocolate whipped frosting doesn't freeze well, so I don't recommend freezing a decorated cake. To freeze an undecorated cake for later use, wait until it has cooled completely to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place it in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

This is How You Can Substitute Ingredients

For a gluten-free cake, try one of these gluten-free flours as a replacement. For a vegan cake, you can try one of these egg substitutes and dairy-free options for the butter, heavy cream, mascarpone, and chocolate.

Here is a helpful guide on how to substitute oil in cakes, if you need that.

Although ingredient substitutions are possible, keep in mind that they often require adjustments to other ingredients to maintain the same taste and texture balance.

Expert Tips For Making Chocolate Poke Cake

1. For the best results, use full-fat milk with 3% fat, European-style butter with at least 82% fat, and heavy cream with 36% fat. Always use pure vanilla extract, not imitation extract or vanilla essence.
2. Choose a high-quality semi-sweet couverture chocolate, such as Callebaut or Lindt, which is a much better option than everyday semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder.
3. You can adjust the size of the holes if you prefer. For example, you can make smaller holes using a straw versus a spoon handle.
4. To make slicing easier and achieve a cleaner look, space the holes about 1.5 to 2 inches apart in straight rows.
5. The baking time can vary slightly depending on the oven model. Instead of relying solely on time, use the toothpick test to check for doneness. 
6. Once you've topped it with chocolate whipped cream frosting, make sure to refrigerate it within a couple of hours.

You Will Need the Following Equipment

Always weigh your ingredients with a digital scale for the most consistent results. Since oven temperatures can fluctuate slightly between models, a digital oven thermometer can also make a big difference.

A stand mixer (or electric hand mixer if you don't have one) will come in handy for both the batter and the frosting. When it's time to combine the dry ingredients, a rubber spatula is ideal for folding them together without overmixing the batter.

You'll need a 9x13-inch pan for baking. A piping bag makes decorating quick and easy!

Mix And Match: Try Flavor Variations

Swap out the chocolate base for my moist vanilla sponge. You can also enhance the flavor of the cake by adding a bit of ground cinnamon, chili powder, or citrus zest to the batter.

For a bit of texture in each bite, add mini chocolate chips or crushed nuts to the batter right before baking. Alternatively, add fresh fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, or cherries, for a fruity twist.

Flavor the ganache, as suggested in my chocolate ganache recipe. You can also fill your cake with white chocolate sauce, homemade caramel, or pastry cream, as in my Boston cream poke cake. Or, if you like pairing your chocolate with fruit, fill it with my blueberry filling, lemon (as in my lemon poke cake), or strawberry (as featured in my strawberry poke cake).

Instead of a chocolate whipped cream topping, try flavors like peanut buttercream, raspberry, or strawberry. Check out my roundup of frostings for cake and cupcakes for even more options for your poke cake!

Try Some Of My Other Sheet Cake Recipes

If you loved this easy chocolate poke cake recipe, make sure you try my other delicious and easy sheet cake recipes, perfect for all occasions:

• Tres Leches Cake
• Chocolate Eclair Cake
• Lemon Sheet Cake
• Carrot Cake
• Blueberry Heaven on Earth Cake
• Strawberry Lasagna

Want to take your cake to new heights with multiple layers? Try one of my Top 40 Layer Cake Recipes!

Have You Tried This Recipe?

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