I’m so incredibly in love with peppermint right now.
You may have noticed from my Peppermint Fudge and my Peppermint Bark recipes…
Well here’s another jolly recipe to add to your ever-growing baking list this season!
And as much as I love peppermint… I completely HATE candy canes.
It has nothing to do with their delightful flavor and all to do with their ability to turn a clean child into a dirt magnet.
As soon as you let them have one, it’s sure to end up stuck to the back of the chair or in their sister’s hair. Their fingers get ridiculously sticky and little finger prints end up on everything they touch.
And they touch e-v-e-r-y-thing.
I’m pretty sure my kids think it’s a contest to see who can make the biggest mess.
But to avoid being labeled a Grinch, I give in and let my kids get sticky fingers and ratty hair.
Tis the Season!
This Peppermint Poke Cake is perfect for avoiding sticky fingers and enjoying that delightful peppermint taste. It’s a rich chocolate fudge cake that is filled with chocolate peppermint pudding, then topped with whip cream and more peppermint chips. It will only leave you craving a big glass of milk, and help you forget all about “little miss sticky fingers” over there.
This is so easy it’s fail proof. You start with a box mix of Chocolate Cake and bake it according to package directions.
Then mix up some instant chocolate pudding with a little peppermint extract and a cup of Ande’s Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the warm cake and then pour the pudding mixture on top of the cake. Spread it around and push it into the little holes you created.
Refrigerate it until it’s chilled completely, top it with some cool whip and more of the peppermint chips!
The pudding filled holes make this one super moist cake. It’s infused with peppermint and chocolate, which is absolutely heavenly.
It’s a super easy cake to make and bring to a pot luck or for having a holiday party at home.
Leave the sticky fingers to the kids.
Peppermint Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- *ingredients needed to make cake mix, eggs, oil, water
- 1.4 oz package of Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- 2 cup milk, cold
- 1/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
- 2 cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, divided
- 8 oz container of Cool Whip
Instructions
- Prepare cake according to box instructions in a 9x13" pan.
- Right before cake comes out of the oven prepare the pudding by adding the chocolate pudding mix, milk, and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Whisk to combine (2 minutes). Add 1 cup of the peppermint crunch baking chips and stir together.
- After cake comes out of the oven use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake.
- Pour the pudding mix over the warm cake and use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly over the cake, making sure to get the pudding into the holes.
- Refrigerate until chilled completely (about 1 hour).
- Top evenly with Cool Whip and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of Peppermint Chips.
- Enjoy!
Hi! This looks yummy! Is there a mistake in the recipe for the amount of pudding or is this amount correct ? A small box of pudding is 3.4 oz. I would love to make this, but want to be sure. Thanks!
Is the pudding supposed to be the sugar free, fat free kind , as shown in the picture? It’s not mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks!
Barb
Either one will work fine! Enjoy!
This was AMAZING!!! Everyone loved this – will be a new annual tradition, thanks so much! I couldn’t find the peppermint andes either, but it was awesome with the andes mint baking chips. I also made the eggnog poke cake – but I think this one blew the other one away. 😉
Does it really call for a 4 oz. pkg of pudding? I can only find the 1.4 oz. pkg. which calls for 2 cups of milk. I am making it in a few minutes, so I am going to guess it is one of the smaller boxes of pudding. I did buy 4 in case i need them.
Hi Deb! You’re right, it should be the 1.4 oz package (the one that serves 4). I’ll get that fixed right now. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
Thanks for getting back so quickly. I was just deciding whether to use the one box or 3 of the 1.4 oz. boxes when I checked back with you.
As with other posters, I could not find the red Andes, just the green. I am sure it will taste just as good, but the red is prettier. Maybe they will have them next year. I even thought of using the chocolate Cool Whip, but opted for white.
Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing that delicious cake. I love, love peppermint. Going to try it over the holidays.
All I can seem to find is Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips….any substitutions?! I’ve tried all the stores in my area!!
You can crush candy canes or peppermints.
Brilliant. 🙂
Thanks Marie! 🙂
I will try this with a real cake to see how it comes out. Too many of these yummy looking desserts are made with mixes. I’d like to see more with the real thing.
Hi Donna, I understand where you’re coming from, but for me, I love simple. Cake mixes are tested and virtually fail proof, making desserts like these a breeze. Feel free to substitute your own cake for the boxed version. 🙂
I think I’m going to use a red velvet mix and white chocolate pudding so it looks more candy cane-y.
Looks so tasty, Shawn! What a great idea.
Ha! I guess I have made poke cake during the summer with fruit flavored jello, but I never thought about doing it with pudding! I bet it tastes amazing! I’m going to have to give it a try for the next time I need to make a goodie this month. We are pudding lovers over here!
Nice cake!! I know exactly what you mean about the candy canes, don’t forget that a 2 year old also might choose to throw a tantrum because his candy cane broke! (speaking from experience)
Oh yes, we can’t forget about the “broken candy cane tantrum.” Like for some reason the candy cane has lost all it’s magically tasting powers once it snaps in two. haha….kids!
This looks so amazingly good! I can’t wait to try the recipe.
Thanks Katie!
I love the name. “Poke” Cake… because you poke holes in it! I’m sure it gets ridiculously moist. I’ll have to try this one out!
Thanks Sarah! Yes, it’s a fun cake to make, and I actually have two more varieties I am going to share in the next couple weeks too. They are incredibly moist and delicious! 🙂
I’m all about peppermint right now, too! This cake is perfect! Love that you put peppermint chips in the pudding and sprinkle them on top!
Thanks Jessica, it’s the perfect balance of peppermint too. Not too much, just right! 🙂
I looooooove this cake Shawn! And sticky fingers. Oh, how I hate them! Somehow, I realized last night, my fridge door and my ENTIRE banister is sticky. SIgh.
Haha, those sticky fingers will be the death of me this Christmas!! AHHH!!!
That sounds delicious, I might have to make that for a Christmas potluck…
It is extremely delicious, and you should totally make it! 🙂