Candy Corn Poke Cake
I love poke cakes because they are always moist and full of flavor. With my candy corn poke cake recipe, it is virtually impossible to mess it up, and it guarantees a beautiful and delicious dessert. The hardest part is waiting several hours for it to chill. That is why I make it the day before and let it chill overnight. This colorful cake is perfect for a Halloween party or celebration!
Table of contents
Besides Christmas, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The candy and dressing up are so much fun, and I love to cook fun decorative desserts that don’t necessarily require special baking skills or tools. So, this is a foolproof recipe. I promise!
Decorating this cake is fun, too. Poking holes in it is so satisfying and one of the best parts of the recipe, and I love letting the kids do this part. Then, I pour the melted chocolate on top and the vanilla and pumpkin spice Jell-O for extra flavor before topping it with whipped cream. The decorating is even more fun and can be done any way you like.
I really love that it can serve 12 or more people, too, so it is perfect for a party or Halloween celebration. Leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for up to three months. Being able to make it in advance also scores major points in my book.
Why you will love this recipe
- Because it is easy to make: It is almost impossible to mess up. Poking holes in a cake and pouring melted chocolate and Jell-O into them is foolproof. My recipe makes it simple with just a few steps to follow.
- It is a lot of fun too: I love making Halloween desserts and decorating them. It is fun to include the kids too. This cake is super easy to make and decorate.
- It tastes incredible: With rich white chocolate and vanilla pudding soaked into the cake, the moist tender crumb is full of incredible flavor.
- Serve a crowd with leftovers: My recipe serves a dozen people or more. If there are leftovers, they can be kept for several days in the fridge or the freezer for several months.
What you’ll need to make candy corn poke cake
Special items
- Baking pan – To make this recipe, I use a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Bowls
- Cooking utensils
Ingredients
For the cake:
- White cake mix – I choose Betty Crocker as my favorite white cake mix because of the even texture, moisture, and better flavor with the best crumb.
- Pure vanilla extract – Do not use vanilla flavoring. Always get the pure extract for the most intense fresh flavor and no bitter aftertaste.
- Food coloring – Gel food coloring is the best because it does not add any water to the mixture and has the most vibrant color. I use orange and yellow to match the colors of the candy corn.
For the filling:
- Sweetened condensed milk – Do not use evaporated milk. It does not have the sugar that is needed for this delicious creamy filling.
- White chocolate – I prefer and highly recommend Ghirardelli chocolate baking bars for the creamiest and richest chocolate. Baking wafers or chips will also work but the bars melt the best and stay melted the longest.
- Vanilla and Pumpkin spice pudding mix – Although any instant pudding will work, I only use Jell-O brand because it has the best consistency and the most vibrant and natural vanilla flavor.
- Milk – Be sure to use whole milk for this recipe. Skim or low-fat milk will give the filling a watery texture.
For the topping:
- Whipped cream – For this, I use my own homemade whipped cream. All it takes are three ingredients and a few minutes for fresh and rich whipped cream from scratch.
- Sprinkles – Orange, yellow, and white sprinkles to match the colors of the candy corn.
- Candy corn candies – To decorate the cake as desired.
How to make candy corn poke cake?
- Preheat the oven: First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make the cake: While waiting, I mix the cake mix as the package directs, adding vanilla extract. Then, I divide the batter evenly into three bowls.
- Add color: In one bowl, I combine the yellow gel coloring, and in another, I mix the orange. The third bowl stays white.
- Layer: Alternating colors, I drop heaping spoonfuls of batter into the prepared baking pan until it is all gone.
- Bake: Then, I bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Poke: After letting the cake cool for 10 minutes, I poke large holes about 1½ apart all over the cake.
- Melt: Now, I microwave the white chocolate and condensed milk in a bowl, stirring to combine every 30 seconds until it is melted.
- Top: Then, I pour it evenly over the cake, making sure it gets into the holes.
- Add pudding: The vanilla pudding goes next, filling all the holes evenly. Finally, once it comes to room temperature, I add the layer of pumpkin spice pudding, and it goes into the fridge to chill for at least six hours. I usually leave it overnight.
- Decorate and serve: When I am ready to serve it, I frost the top of the cake with whipped topping and then garnish it with sprinkles and candy corn. Then, it gets chilled for another hour to set before serving.
Expert tip
How to make the best poke cake
The way to make the best poke cake is to start with the best cake base. To me, it usually means starting with my favorite box cake because a poke cake should always be easy, in my opinion. But be sure to get a good quality cake mix. Next, get all of the ingredients and measure them carefully.
Use baking spray or parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking. Also, make sure the oven is preheated before placing the cake into the oven. After making the cake, be sure to poke the holes while the cake is still warm. Poking the holes after it cools can cause cracking or crumbling. I usually wait about 10 minutes. Then, I use the end of a wooden spoon to make the holes.
I make the holes large for this cake and keep them about 1½ inches apart, going about ¾ down into the cake. Do not go all the way to the bottom, or the pudding will leak out into the pan. When pouring the pudding, I tap the pan a bit to get rid of air bubbles and let it settle. If any of the holes need more pudding, I just add a bit more. But don’t worry. The whipped cream will cover it up anyway.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- More flavor: Instead of vanilla pudding, sometimes I use lemon and orange Jell-O to add more flavor and make the colors in the cake really pop out.
- Make a smaller cake: I cut the ingredients in half, use a 9-inch pan, and bake it for the same amount of time to serve just the family (six servings).
- Other chocolate: To make this more colorful, I have used orange and yellow colored chocolate wafers as well. They still taste like white chocolate. Or just use food coloring gel to dye the chocolate.
- Yellow cake: Instead of using white cake, simply use yellow cake, dye half of the batter orange, and use the whipped topping as the white coloring. Make it layered like the colors of the candy.
- White chocolate chips: My kids love it when I add some white chocolate chips to the batter to make this cake even more moist and decadent.
- Frost it: Instead of whipped cream, I have gotten a lot of compliments on my rich and delicious cream cheese frosting too. And it only needs four ingredients.
Serving suggestions:
Here are some fun ideas for serving suggestions I have tried.
- I have served this cake will all sorts of ice cream flavors from vanilla (my favorite) to 3-ingredient Oreo ice cream (my kids’ favorite). It really goes with anything because there are so many flavors going on.
- Some of the beverages my adult friends enjoy with this cake are my thick and creamy Bailey’s s’mores milkshake and this peaches and cream martini.
- For the kids, I will usually serve my homemade hot chocolate, which is so succulent and rich, or this seasonal pumpkin smoothie.
- Since this is for Halloween, I like to serve this cake with other Halloween desserts like these bloody chocolate apples, cupcakes, witch fingers, and brownie ghost graves.
Frequently asked questions
I would say that the holes are probably too close together. The holes should not be closer than 1½ inches, or they could run together and make the whole cake one big moist mess. It will still taste good, though.
If the holes are far enough apart, it may just be that it needs to be baked longer. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake (not in one of the holes), and it should come out clean. Try putting it back in the oven for another five or 10 minutes.
Now, sometimes, there are exceptions to this rule. If the cake is small and the holes are smaller, poking them about one inch apart is perfect. But I would not go any closer than that.
The first poke cakes were made with Jell-O, and they were just poked with a fork, and then the Jell-O was poured over it. They were good but not nearly as good as poking it with a chopstick one inch apart. Try it both ways and see what you think.
There are a few reasons why a poke cake can turn out hard. One is that the holes were poked all the way to the bottom, and the Jell-O set into a crust, causing it to form a solid layer. Another reason that happens quite often is too much flour.
Using the wrong measuring technique can cause this. Be sure to use the spoon and level method. I use a spoon to gently pour sifted flour into a measuring cup and then level it with the back of a knife.
I have never had a sinking poke cake, but I have heard many people tell me about them. One of the most common reasons is using a too small pan. Having that much extra weight in the pan and not being able to support it will not help.
Plus, the cake will be too thick, so the baking time will be longer. Having the oven too low is another problem. Be sure to check the temperature of the oven with an oven thermometer.
How to store:
- Refrigerate: Cover the cake or put it in an airtight container and it can be refrigerated for up to three days.
- Freezing: I like to flash freeze mine before wrapping it to protect the topping. I just put the cake in the freezer for several hours before wrapping it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. To save it in individual slices, which I do sometimes, I slice them first and only freeze them for an hour. Then, I wrap them in plastic and put them in individual freezer bags. They will stay fresh for up to three months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
More poke cakes to try:
Recipe tips:
- The pudding may sink after a minute, so tap the pan on the counter before using it all. To top them up, spoon a little more into the holes.
- Make the holes while the cake is still warm, or it will crumble.
- Keep the holes about 1½ inches apart for the best moisture and taste.
- I made the holes using the end of a wooden spoon, but a straw or chopstick will also work.
- Do not poke the holes to the bottom of the pan. I usually go about ¾ of the way down. Otherwise, the pudding will leak out into the pan.
- Be sure to measure the flour with a spoon and use the level method.
- Use a 9×13-inch baking pan for this recipe for the best results.
Candy Corn Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 package white cake mix plus ingredients needed to prepare the cake mix
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Yellow Gel Food Coloring a few drops
- Orange Gel Food Coloring a few drops
Filling:
- 2 1/2 cups condensed milk
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 3.4 ounces package vanilla pudding mix
- 3.4 ounces package pumpkin spice pudding mix
- 4 cups milk to prepare the puddings
Topping:
- 8 ounces container whipped topping
- 1/2 cup candy corn candies
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray and set aside.
- Prepare cake mix as directed on the package, adding vanilla extract.
- Divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Stir yellow food color into one bowl, orange food color into the second, and the other stays as it is.
- Alternating colors from the three bowls, drop heaping spoonfuls of batter randomly into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Poke large holes all over the cake using the end of a wooden spoon.
Filling:
- Add condensed milk and white chocolate to a medium bowl, microwave for 1 minute, and stir to combine until melted. If needed, microwave for 30 more seconds.
- Pour the mixture evenly on top of the poked cake and into the holes.
- Prepare the pudding mixtures per package directions. Pour vanilla pudding over the cake, filling the holes.
- Next, let the cake cool to room temperature and add the pumpkin spice pudding in an even layer.
- Refrigerate it for at least 6 hours.
Topping:
- Frost cake with whipped topping. Garnish with candy corn. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.