Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake is the ultimate EASY reese’s cake! Start with a yellow cake mix and add peanut butter to make an easy peanut butter cake. Poke holes all over the cake and drizzle with chocolate ganache. Top the cake with peanut butter chocolate frosting and chopped reese’s cups.

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Caution! Only serious peanut butter chocolate lover’s should scroll down!

I think I am in need of a glass of milk before I even describe what’s all in this recipe!

Ready?

• Peanut butter cake
• chocolate ganache drizzled over the cake
• peanut butter cream cheese frosting mixed with chocolate frosting
• all topped with chopped reese’s cups

This is what chocolate peanut butter dreams are made of!

I’m excited to be able to celebrate Julianne from Beyond Frosting and her baby boy coming in May! It’s certainly a special DELLivery, as Julianne’s last name is Dell! I thought this reese’s poke cake would be the perfect dessert to share for Julianne’s virtual baby shower! Julianne is a cake fanatic, just like me, so there is no better recipe to share as we celebrate her!

More dishes for Julianne’s virtual baby shower:
Banana Fritters from Grandbaby Cakes
Mama’s Best Banana Pudding from The Novice Chef
Snowy Mountain Baby Shower Cake from Life, Love and Sugar
Fruity Pebbles Muffins from Crazy for Crust
Mountain Baby Shower Cookies from Glorious Treats
Instant Pot Cheesecake from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
No Bake Turtle Dream Bars from 365 Days of Baking and More
Churro Cupcakes from Spoonful of Flavor
Classic Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust from A Classic Twist
Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake from A Dash of Sanity
Potato Chip and Pecan Sandies from Simple Joy

How to Turn Yellow Cake Mix into Peanut Butter Cake

The base of the recipe begins with a box of yellow cake mix. Did you know you can turn yellow cake into peanut butter cake? Simply add half a cup of creamy peanut butter to the cake batter when mixing and voila, peanut butter poke cake from a cake mix.

What is a Poke Cake?

A poke cake is really easy to make. It starts with a baked cake, you could use a box cake mix, homemade cake mix, or a doctored up cake mix.

Once the cake is cool, use a fork or straw to poke holes all over the cake.

Next you add the filling mixture. This could be jello powder mixed with water, instant pudding, fruit puree, or in this case chocolate ganache. Pour or spread the filling over the cake and let it seep into the holes!

Then you’ll frost the top of the cake – with whipped cream, cream cheese whipped cream, buttercream, etc, there are so many options.

Add any garnishes you’d like and PRESTO! It’s done. And so good.

How to Make Reese’s Poke Cake

This chocolate peanut butter poke cake has 4 components: peanut butter cake, chocolate ganache, peanut butter cream cheese frosting and chocolate frosting.

1. Combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl and mix using an electric mixer. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Before the cake cools, poke holes all over the cake.
2. Heat the heavy cream just before boiling. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips, allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes. Stir the mixture together until combined. Pour the ganache all over the cake.
3. In separate mixing bowls, make each frosting.
4. Spread the peanut butter frosting on top of the chocolate ganache. Then add dollops of chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting, swirling them together. Top the cake with chopped peanut butter cup pieces.

What to use to Poke Holes for a Poke Cake

I recommend using a wooden spoon handle or a straw to poke holes all over the cake.

Can I Make Poke Cake Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the cake portion of the recipe 2 days in advance, wrap it well and store in the fridge (without frosting). OR You can make the cake portion and frost the cake 1 day in advance, again, covering it tightly and storing on the counter for up to 48 hours.

Should I refrigerate this Peanut Butter Poke Cake?

This poke cake doesn’t have to be refrigerated. If you are serving it within 48 hours, I would recommend keeping it on the counter. Longer than that, I would store in the fridge.

Tips for Making a Poke Cake

• Be sure to poke holes all over the cake! You can also poke holes near the edges of the cake. The more holes you poke, the more goodness you’ll have seeping into the cake!
• After you pour the filling over the cake (chocolate ganache in this case) use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake, making sure it seeps into the holes.
• To create nice, clean cake slices wipe the knife clean between each cut.

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Desserts

• Reese’s Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
• Mini Cheesecakes with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bottom
• Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies
• Reese’s Magic Bars

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

By: Beth

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 servings

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake is the ultimate EASY reese’s cake! Start with a yellow cake mix and add peanut butter to make an easy peanut butter cake. Poke holes all over the cake and drizzle with chocolate ganache. Top the cake with peanut butter chocolate frosting and chopped reese’s cups.

Equipment

• Glass Mixing Bowl
• KitchenAid 9-Speed Mixer
• My favorite spatula!

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cake

• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups milk, I used skim, whatever you have is good
• ▢ ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 box yellow cake mix

Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp milk or heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Frosting

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1 to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Topping

• ▢ Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped

Instructions 

Peanut Butter Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. 
• In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk, creamy peanut butter, vegetable oil and yellow cake mix. Beat with an electric mixer until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center  comes out with moist crumbs.
• Before the cake cools, use a straw or wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake.

Chocolate Ganache

• Place chocolate chips in a medium sized heat-proof bowl. In a small pot over low heat, heat the heavy whipping cream until just before boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Allow the mixture to stand for 1-2 minutes. Use a spatula to stir the mixture until smooth. Pour the ganache evenly over the cake, allowing the ganache to seep into the holes in the cake.

Frosting

• In a small mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk / heavy cream until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• In a separate small mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• Spread the peanut butter frosting on top of the chocolate ganache. Then add dollops of chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting, swirling them together. Top the cake with chopped peanut butter cup pieces.

Notes

You can substitute the 4 oz of cream cheese in the peanut butter cream cheese frosting for 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter if you’d prefer a buttercream frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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