February 6, 2023
Review RecipeBest Crack Cake Recipe
This crack cake is ultra moist with warm hints of cinnamon and a buttery wine glaze that will have you hooked.
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This amazingly moist crack cake is beyond addictive. Topped with a delicious white wine glaze, this easy boxed cake is first poked with holes that are filled with a divine rich filling that soaks into the cake for a dessert that tops the charts with flavor.
For more irresistible treats, our applesauce cake and banana cake are both perfect choices.
What is Crack Cake?
Crack cake is a delicious, extra moist bundt cake that has been infused with pudding and topped with a rich white wine glaze.
Best Crack Cake Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need:
For the Cake
- 1 box of yellow cake mix
- 3.4-ounce box vanilla pudding mix
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sweet white wine (I used a Riesling)
For the Glaze
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup sweet white wine
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Substitutions And Additions
CAKE MIX: You could also use white or vanilla cake mix in this yummy cake recipe.
WINE: You could skip the wine altogether, but it adds a nice flavor. I used a Riesling, and it was a better match with the flavors than a Chardonnay. Pinot Grigio would also work if you don’t have Riesling on hand. I would recommend a dessert wine which tends to be on the sweeter side.
NON-ALCOHOLIC: If you would like to make this cake but skip the wine, you could replace it with white grape juice for a nice sweet flavor.
How To Make This Crack Cake Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt cake pan with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Instead of a regular cooking spray, use baking spray (like Wilton) that has flour in the spray to help keep the cake from sticking.
STEP TWO: In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together all of the cake ingredients until fully combined.
PRO TIP:
Adding sour cream to the cake batter makes it even more moist and dense. The pudding also adds these same delicious qualities.
STEP THREE: Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
STEP FOUR: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, and the edges of the cake have pulled away from the pan.
STEP FIVE: In a small saucepan, heat butter, wine and white sugar for the cake glaze. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.
STEP SIX: Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the cake bottom (still in the pan).
STEP SEVEN: Pour glaze over the top of the cake and allow it to soak up the glaze. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
PRO TIP:
When you’re pouring the mixture into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the sauce fills the holes completely.
STEP EIGHT: Once the glaze is absorbed into the cake, loosen the sides of the pan with a spatula as much as possible. Turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake serving plate.
STEP NINE: Cut and serve the cake.
How to Serve
This delicious cake would be fun to make for a special occasion but just as tasty to make just because. Serve it alone or with a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream and a homemade pumpkin spice latte.
MORE CAKE RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers of this white wine cake in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap on the countertop for 4 to 5 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Freeze this tasty cake for up to 1 month.
Can I freeze this cake?
This white wine poke cake can be frozen for up to a month stored in an airtight container.
This cake is one of the easiest cakes to make and tastes absolutely incredible. The box cake mix comes together in a flash and the wine and butter glaze is beyond sinful. You will not be able to resist this tasty treat.
Crack Cake Recipe FAQs
Could I use red wine in this recipe?
While we haven’t tried it, you could use red wine. Choose one that is on the sweeter side and keep in mind that it will change the color of your cake.
What do you use to poke holes in poke cake?
The end of a wooden spoon or a skewer make it easy to poke holes in your cake.
What does crack mean in recipes?
When the word crack is used in recipes, it means the recipe is over-the-top rich and decadent, or loaded with plenty of ingredients that make it hard to resist, almost addictive.
Can you replace water with alcohol in cake mix?
You can use alcohol in cake mix, but since the liquor tends to evaporate during baking, you may want to add a little bit of milk or water to ensure the cake comes out moist.
Why do we add wine to a cake?
Adding wine to a cake will lend its sweet and boozy flavor while also adding moisture to the cake.
What kind of wine goes in a wine cake?
We recommend using a sweeter wine in a wine cake recipe as it will enhance the sweetness of the cake.
Can you swap out the cake mix flavor?
If you would prefer, you could use white or vanilla cake mix in place of the yellow cake mix for this recipe.
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Crack Cake
This crack cake is ultra moist with warm hints of cinnamon and a buttery wine glaze that will have you hooked.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3.4 ounces vanilla pudding mix
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sweet white wine, I used a Riesling
Glaze
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup sweet white wine
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt pan with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together all of the cake ingredients. Beat mixture until fully combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, and the edges of the cake have pulled away from the pan.
- In a small saucepan, heat butter, wine and sugar for the glaze. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.
- Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the cake bottom (still in the pan).
- Pour glaze over the cake and allow it to soak up the glaze. This takes 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once the glaze is absorbed into the cake, loosen the sides of the pan with a spatula as much as possible. Turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake plate.
- Cut and serve the cake.
Notes
- Instead of a regular cooking spray, use baking spray (like Wilton) that has flour in the spray to help keep the cake from sticking.
- Adding sour cream to the cake batter makes it even more moist and dense. The pudding also adds these same delicious qualities.
- When you’re pouring the mixture into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the sauce fills the holes completely.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 486IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Gloria says
This is so rich and delicious!
Tracy Grant says
Oh it’s the best cake ever with a cup of coffee….
Ms Ladi says
I have not made this cake yet. I wanted to know, if there is a substitution for the sour cream?
Layne Kangas says
Hey, there – Greek yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. Enjoy!
Juanita Harper says
My question is what can you substitute for the wine as I’m a recovering alcoholic and also a diabetic so I just ingredients to make things zero-free
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Juanita – you can use grape juice in place of the wine. Enjoy!