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Ultimate Reeses Poke Cake: Perfect Easy Dessert

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This Ultimate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Poke Cake is a rich, moist chocolate cake filled with a creamy peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk mixture, topped with chocolate pudding, whipped topping, and chopped Reese’s cups. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker recommended)
  • Eggs, oil, and water (as called for on the cake mix box)
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (Jif or Skippy recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure preferred)
  • 1 box (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix (not cook-and-serve)
  • 2 cups cold milk (whole milk preferred, 2% works)
  • 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip or store brand)
  • 10–12 regular-sized Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped (about 1.5 cups)
  • ¼ cup chocolate syrup (optional, for drizzling)
  • ¼ cup peanut butter chips (for extra texture)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to package directions (usually combining mix with eggs, oil, and water). Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared dish and spread evenly.
  3. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cake cool in dish for about 10 minutes (warm, not hot).
  4. While cake cools, make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until completely smooth and thick but pourable. If too thick, microwave for 10-15 seconds and stir again.
  5. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Go to the bottom of the cake without poking through the dish.
  6. Slowly pour the peanut butter mixture over the warm cake, ensuring it gets into all holes. Use a spatula to spread evenly if needed. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow filling to soak in.
  7. In a separate bowl, whisk together instant chocolate pudding mix and cold milk for about 2 minutes until thickened. Let sit for 5 minutes to set completely. Spread pudding evenly over the cooled cake.
  8. Spread thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer, creating an even layer to the edges.
  9. Chop Reese’s peanut butter cups into small pieces (some larger chunks, some smaller bits). Sprinkle evenly over whipped topping. Drizzle chocolate syrup in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle peanut butter chips over everything.
  10. Cover dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Serve cold.

Notes

Do not overbake the cake; a slightly underdone cake is better than a dry one. Poke holes while the cake is warm for better absorption. Let the filling soak in fully (at least 15 minutes) before adding pudding. Use cold milk for the pudding to set properly. Chop Reese’s cups right before serving to prevent stickiness. Avoid natural peanut butter in the filling as it can separate. The cake tastes better the next day. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Reese's poke cake, peanut butter cup cake, chocolate poke cake, easy dessert, chocolate peanut butter cake, poke cake recipe

Find it online: https://evabakery.com/ultimate-reeses-poke-cake-perfect-easy-dessert/