A decadent poke cake with rich, creamy peanut butter pie filling poured over a box mix chocolate cake.
JUMP TO RECIPEI somehow ended up with three jars of peanut butter in my pantry. Now, I’m a frugal shopper and don’t have a ton of space so I don’t usually pile up on reserves of stuff.
Actually, I think I might have been finally losing it because I also had three giant boxes of spaghetti. And three cartons of salt. And three cans of sweetened condensed milk.
And why did I have three of everything? Why not two? Or four?
Seeing how the universe decided I needed to have three of everything, I decided it was trying to tell me something with the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk. I think the universe wanted a peanut butter pie.
But I didn't have what I needed to make a chocolate crust and didn't feel like going to the store. What I did have was a chocolate cake mix. And then I got to thinking how thin the peanut butter pie filling is when you first mix it up and thought it’d probably be incredible on a poke cake. And it was!
NOTES ON MAKING CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE POKE CAKE
Make sure the cream cheese is completely soft before mixing. I often put the unopened block in a tall glass of warm water for a bit even after it's set at room temperature.
You must use something big like the handle of a wooden spoon to poke your holes - the holes have to be big enough for the thick filling. This isn't a poke cake that will work by using a fork to poke the holes.
Make sure you plan for the cake to rest 4-6 hours before serving so the filling has time to set-up.
UPDATE: I think they may have stopped selling 12-oz cartons of Cool Whip. Just buy a 16-oz or 2 8-oz cartons. You won't need quite all of it to top the cake.
Recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Poke Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- Eggs, oil and water for cake
- 1 8-ounce block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 12-ounce tub cool whip, divided
- Chocolate sauce (such as Hershey’s)
- 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare and bake chocolate cake mix per manufacturer’s instructions for a 13x9 cake. Cool cake completely. Using the handle of a standard-sized wooden spoon, poke 30-35 holes in cake (do not use a fork - the holes have to be big enough for the thick peanut butter pie filling).
- Whip cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Add sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter then continue mixing until completely smooth.
- Add half of the cool whip (about 3 cups) then continue mixing until mixture is well combined and smooth. You'd typically be told to "gently fold" cool whip into a recipe like this but here you're going to want to really mix it - the longer you mix it, the thinner it will become and you need it to thin out a little to spread and fill the holes.
- Spread peanut butter mixture evenly over cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 4-6 hours.
- To serve, spread remaining cool whip over peanut butter mixture. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top then sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is completely soft before mixing. I often put the unopened block in a tall glass of warm water for a bit even after it's set at room temperature.
- You must use something big like the handle of a wooden spoon to poke your holes - the holes have to be big enough for the thick filling. This isn't a poke cake that will work by using a fork to poke the holes.
- Make sure you plan for the cake to rest 4-6 hours before serving so the filling has time to set-up.
- UPDATE: I think they may have stopped selling 12-oz cartons of Cool Whip. Just buy a 16-oz or 2 8-oz cartons. You won't need quite all of it to top the cake.
Oh my! This looks delicious!! =)
ReplyDeleteChocolate and peanut butter is a definite combo hit!
ReplyDeleteI will be trying this poke cake soon, any poke cake is generally well received by family and our friends.
When it comes to sweets they are easily pleased, but they will tell me when I screwed up, good thing I stop burning my cakes! LOL!! There's only so much the frosting can hide. ;-)
Have a nice day!
Pinned!
Ha! True on all counts!
DeleteThe topping and a spoon is really all I wood need!
ReplyDeleteI've pretty-much eaten the last bit of it just that way... with a spoon right out of the pan!
DeleteTopping, Spoon. Yeah I'm good with that! If we put it on the cake, then we have to share! Actually this look AMAZING! Can't wait to try it!
DeleteThis looks to good to be true
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it soak in better if the cake was still warm?
ReplyDeleteA warm cake would melt the cool whip and make a good mess, I think.
DeleteYES, that is why she said to cool the cake completely, 1st.. :)
DeleteI'm gonna poke and pour while the cake is warm. It might help the peanut butter mixture soak into the cake more. Will frost it after it is cooled.
DeleteThat's a good question. ..has anyone made this?
ReplyDeletechunky peanut butter?
ReplyDeleteI make my peanut butter pie with chunky, so I don't see why it wouldn't work here, might need to add a little more though?
DeleteNo Cool Whip! Heavy whipping cream acceptable?
ReplyDeleteI made this,but the peanut butter and cream cheese with condensed milk was thick. I saw no reason for punching the holes in the cake. Any thoughts?
DeleteJim, you can whip your own cream if you prefer but it won't hold as long as cool whip. If you plan on eating it all within a day or so, you'll be alright.
DeleteAnony, as you can see from the photo, the mixture is thin enough to seep into the holes as it sets but I'm sure preparing it the way you did is delicious too!
Am wondering also, is the consistency of the cream cheese, peanut butter ,Cool whip & milk thin enough to go through the holes? sounds delicious but wondered.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see from the photo, the mixture is thin enough to seep into the holes as it sets.
DeleteMade it this weekend, the topping mixture is very thick and would not seep down into the cake. Still tasted good as just a topping
ReplyDeleteHas any one ever tried a different flavor of cake mix like Strawberry or White,? My family is not big into chocolate so I would like to try another version.
DeleteI love chocolate cake but all I have is a butter cake. I wonder if that would be ok? I hope so because this looks amazing! :)
DeleteI have used a yellow cake and then poured banana pudding in holes and over cake.. Banana Poke Cake. =) It was great!!
DeleteSharon, you can just add cocoa powder to the cake mix!
DeleteHey Mandy! Just made this for an office birthday party. It came out exactly like the photo! It's delicious and everyone likes it. It is a real eye-catching dessert, too. The topping has to be thick so it won't over-moisten the cake. Thank you for posting!
ReplyDeleteThank you! And THANK YOU!
DeleteMade this today and it's FAB. I didn't use SCM, but 3/4 cup powdered sugar and along with the cream cheese, pb, and Cool Whip. Still came out really wonderful! I made it in two single-layer cakes and put one in the freezer to take to my son's. SO GOOD!! Thankyou!
ReplyDeleteI just literally got done putting this in my fridge to "set" for tonight :) I had to make the second layer twice, since my kids ate the WHOLE bowl of the PB mixture while I had to answer the phone. I got a little taste of it and boy, was it awesome!! Can't wait to try this tonight. Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteAH! Hahahahaha!! Sounds like my crew!
DeleteI make something similar to this. I poke holes with a fork when the cake comes out of the oven. Spead 1 can of eagle brand condensed milk and smucker's caramel sauce over the cake. Take a spoon and keep spreading the mixture until the holes keep soaking it up. Let it cool and top with cool whip. Garnish with shaved chocolate or add skor chocolate bar pieces.
ReplyDeleteI made this over the weekend for a birthday party - topping was too thick to seep down to the bottom of the holes, but I heard no complaints - pan was completely, and I mean completely, empty by the end of the evening.
ReplyDeleteA definite hit, although next time I'll experiment to try to get the peanut butter mixture thinner so the finished product looks as good as it tastes.
Put the filling in a plastic bag and snip the corner and roll the top down and use it like a cake icing decorator that way you know the holes are full
DeleteHere's an alternative pudding and topping:
ReplyDeletePeanut Butter Pudding:
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. white sugar
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
5 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix milk,sugars, peanut butter and cornstarch together in a saucepan and cook stirring until it begins to boil. Add a little of the hot pudding to the egg yolks and stir, then add to the mixture and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add the butter and vanilla.
When the cake is baked poke holes in the top with a wooden spoon about 1 1/2 inches apart. Pour the pudding over the warm cake and spread over the top. Bump the pan, a little, so the pudding settles in the holes. Chill the cake for a few hours or overnight.
Whip 1 pint of cream until stiff with 6 T. powdered sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding mix. This will stabilize the cream. I always keep some vanilla instant pudding on hand for my whipped cream. It will stay stable for days when added to whipped cream. Add some grated chocolate to the top or some finely chopped chocolate chips.
just put into the fridge--I admit I cheated---I used a pastry bag to push the pb mixture into the cake---worked like a dream! Then hit a dilemma as the cake was too high for the cover and I need to take it to work in the morning.....so I covered the pb layer with choc jimmies (sprinkles)......wow! thanks much for the recipe, this will be my go to for crazy great carry in desserts!
ReplyDeleteI just finished putting the peanut butter topping on the cake. If you truly beat it for awhile like she said it will thin out :) I drizzled chocolate syrup over the holes before adding the peanut butter. Looks delicious! Thank you for posting :)
ReplyDeleteThe peanut butter mixture will go into the holes if you pick up the pan and tap it on the counter after you spread it on. The more I tapped it, the more air would actually pop up through the topping from the holes. My family loved it, my daughter requested it for her birthday cake. I may try chocolate cool whip on the top this time though. Carolc
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I did! This cake is so simple and the topping is delicious!
DeleteI tried this last weekend for a family gathering and it was a hit. The only thing I did different was I used a brownie mix instead of cake mix and it was delicious!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of Chocolate cake mix did you use in recipe?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it really matters. I used a devil's food cake mix and replaced the oil w/ applesauce. It was too die for!
DeleteWhatever's on sale! Any chocolate mix will do.
ReplyDeleteI am in the process of making this and it looks amazing so far! After poking the holes into the cooled cake, I used an infant medicine dropper/syringe and sucked up the pb filling then squirted the filling into the holes. Super easy! And since I am on a bit of a time crunch, I put the cake with pb filling in the freezer for about 30 minutes to speed up the setting process then transferred it into the fridge to finish. Can't wait to share this dessert later...thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteMy wildest dreams have come true. ;-}TO.DIE.FOR! Thanks so very much for sharing this amazing creation with us at Weekend Potluck. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, isn't this your recipe?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/06/reeses-peanut-butter-poke-cake.html
I have heard of them taking recipes before but this is pretty over the top.
I think this is a little different than mine but, boy, do I appreciate you looking out for me! Thank you!
DeleteYour cake sounds delicious! I love peanut butter. =)
ReplyDeletePinning to try soon!
Mandy I bake for a school every Thursday and no kind of peanuts are allowed especially in the two classes I read to. Do you think I could use marshmallow fluff instead of peanut butter or do you know of something else I could use. This sounds absolutely delicious and I will make it for my family but I need some help for my kids. Thanks Mandy.
ReplyDeleteYou could sure give it a try! Let us know how it turns out!
DeleteWow! I love the new format Mandy. Love the look and getting the sneak peak preview too! And this recipe looks great! Can't wait to try it out. Sadly, I don't have "reserves" on hand but that will soon change! ;) Thanks for some great reading and great recipes!
ReplyDeleteOh my stars this looks amazing! Instead of Cool Whip on top, do you think marshmallow fluff would work as a topping/frosting.....or how about marshmallow fluff mixed with some softened cream cheese? They of course drizzle with chocolate on top.
ReplyDeleteOMG, can't wait to try this YUMMY cake. Love peanut butter. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMOE
why can't I copy and paste this recipe?
ReplyDeleteWhy do you need to?
DeleteSounds wonderful! Can't wait to make it and take it to a crowd....can't make it just for me, or I will eat it all!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Please, straighten the picture on your wall! I can't stand crooked wall hangings!
Hi :) The picture is perfectly straight. Maybe the angle of the photo makes it look like it isn't.
DeleteI have made other poke cakes and when I punch the holes with wooden spoon cakes seems to stick to the spoon. Any suggestions? Plan on trying this one
ReplyDeleteSee if you've got something that's metal or plastic or maybe try greasing the spoon handle with a little butter!
DeleteWipe and wet the spoon. Works like a charm.
DeleteI made this for my coworkers, and boy did they eat it up! The peanut butter layer is the real star in this dessert. SO GOOD. I imagine it would make a mean peanut butter pie! Thanks for the recipe. Definitely a keeper!
ReplyDeleteI made this last weekend and the topping was amazing! But, like others, the on wouldn't seep into the nearly 1/2 inch holes despite following the directions to the letter. Maybe a difference in brands of certain ingredients? I'll still save the recipe and make it again, I just won't bother poking holes next time! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI made this for my husband's birthday. The only thing I changed was that I topped it with chopped Reeses. It was a huge hit!
ReplyDelete