Chocolate Mint Poke Cake

a slice of cake topped with mint chocolate candies on a plate

Experience the perfect fusion of rich chocolate cake, minty whipped cream, and creamy chocolate pudding in our chocolate mint poke cake, a crowd-pleasing dessert that's simple to create and utterly delectable.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Chill/Rest Time1 30

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Mint Poke Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 368kcal

Ingredients

15.25 ounces Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (432-gram box)
1 cup of water
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (396-gram can)
3.1 ounces Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, broken into rectangular pieces (two 1.55-ounce or 43-gram bars)
1¾ cups cold whole milk
3.9 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix (111-gram box)
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed (226-gram container)
1 to 2 drops green gel food coloring
½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
¾ cup mint chocolate candy, finely chopped (I used Andes Creme De Menthe Thins but you can substitute finely chopped York Peppermint Patties)
Chocolate syrup, optional drizzle garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 (or 13x9) baking dish with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version)
Add the cake mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil to a medium-sized mixing bowl (2-3 quarts). Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients just until no dry cake mix lumps are visible. Evenly spread the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Every oven cooks differently, so begin checking the cake at the 22 to 23-minute mark.
Once the cake has come out of the oven, use the rounded end of a wooden spoon to poke holes almost to the bottom of the cake. Be sure to space the holes 1 inch apart.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and the broken Hershey bars to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, on high power, stir and microwave for an additional 15 seconds. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth.
Use either a spoon, candy drizzling spoon, or small ladle to pour the melted chocolate mixture into the holes in the top of the cake. You may have to make 2-3 passes over the holes in the cake to completely fill the holes. The warm cake will soak up the chocolate mixture. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Once the cake has cooled, add the cold milk to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix in the instant pudding mix. Continue to mix for 1-1½ minutes or until the pudding has thickened but is spreadable.
Use an offset spatula to spread the pudding over the cake. Allow the cake to chill in the refrigerator for about an hour or until the pudding is set.
Add the thawed whipped topping to a small bowl or you can leave the whipped topping in its own container. Add the green food color gel and the peppermint extract. Stir until the whipped topping is a uniform color and no green streaks are visible.
Use an offset spatula or a silicone spatula to evenly spread the tinted whipped topping over the chocolate pudding layer.
Evenly sprinkle the chopped mint chocolate over the whipped topping layer. Cut 3 slices x 4 slices. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Notes

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.
It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.
When you’re pouring the chocolate mixture into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles, and make sure the mixture fills the holes completely.

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