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Easy Easter Poke Cake Recipe

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4.9 from 64 reviews

This Easy Easter Poke Cake is a festive and colorful dessert perfect for celebrating spring holidays. Featuring a moist white cake with vibrant swirls of pastel colors, it is filled with creamy vanilla pudding and topped with fluffy Cool Whip and cheerful sprinkles or candy. The fun poke technique allows the pudding to seep into the cake, making every bite moist and flavorful. Simple to make with a boxed cake mix and instant pudding, this dessert is sure to delight guests of all ages.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 15.25 ounce package of white cake mix
  • 3 large eggs (or egg whites, see notes below)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk (divided use)
  • Gel food coloring (3-4 colors such as pink, purple, and blue)

Pudding Filling

  • 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 cups milk (remaining from the 3 cups total)

Topping

  • 8 ounces Cool Whip (or frozen whipped topping, thawed)
  • Sprinkles or Easter candy for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
  2. Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat together the white cake mix, eggs (or egg whites if preferred), vegetable oil, and 1 cup of milk until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
  3. Divide Batter and Color: Evenly divide the cake batter into three separate bowls. Add gel food coloring drop by drop to each bowl to tint the batter different pastel colors, adjusting until you reach your desired shade.
  4. Drop Batter into Pan: Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop large spoonfuls of the colored batter into the prepared baking dish, alternating colors to evenly distribute them throughout.
  5. Swirl Colors: Gently use a knife to swirl the colors slightly together without over-mixing, so colors remain distinct and vibrant.
  6. Bake the Cake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake’s center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely or mostly cooled before the next step.
  8. Poke Holes: Using the round handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden dowel, poke holes all over the cake about 2/3 of the way down, spacing them about 3/4 to 1 inch apart.
  9. Prepare Pudding: In a separate bowl, whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix with the remaining 2 cups of milk for 1-2 minutes until the pudding starts to thicken.
  10. Fill the Cake: Pour the pudding mixture evenly over the cake, spreading it to cover the surface and pressing down slightly to fill the poked holes.
  11. Chill Cake: Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes to allow the pudding to set firmly.
  12. Add Topping and Garnish: Once chilled, spread the Cool Whip evenly over the top and decorate with sprinkles or Easter candy as desired before serving.

Notes

  • You can use just egg whites instead of whole eggs for a lighter cake.
  • Use gel food coloring as it provides more vibrant colors without thinning the batter.
  • Do not over swirl the batter to keep colors bright and distinct.
  • The poking step is crucial to allow the pudding to soak into the cake for maximum moisture and flavor.
  • Chill the cake well so the pudding layer sets before adding the topping.
  • Feel free to customize the cake colors and decorations to match your festive theme.

Keywords: Easter cake, poke cake, colorful cake, vanilla pudding cake, holiday dessert, easy cake recipe

Find it online: https://frommamamaya.com/easy-easter-poke-cake-recipe/