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Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

11 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min. + chilling

Makes

20 servings

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
When my family is planning a get-together, I can count on three or four people to ask if I'm bringing this dessert. If you don't have a chocolate cake mix, use a white or yellow one and stir in 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
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Ingredients

  • 1 package chocolate cake mix (regular size)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • Dash salt
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • Topping: Chopped peanut butter-filled sandwich cookies, peanut butter cups or a combination of both

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, adding 1 teaspoon vanilla and salt before mixing batter. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake and cool completely as package directs.
  2. Whisk peanut butter and milk until blended. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, poke holes in cake 2 in. apart. Slowly pour 2 cups peanut butter mixture over cake, filling each hole. Refrigerate cake and remaining peanut butter mixture, covered, until cake is cold, 2-3 hours.
  3. Combine remaining vanilla and remaining peanut butter mixture; gradually beat in enough confectioners' sugar to reach a spreading consistency. Spread over cake. Add toppings as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • Try using nutella in place of the peanut butter and adding a Tb of hazelnut liquor to the milk mixture. Top with chopped toasted hazelnuts!
  • This is incredibly rich and decadent—our staff couldn't keep their hands off it! If you want to lighten it up a bit, though, you can halve the glaze ingredients and use a thinner layer on top.

    • Nutrition Facts

    1 piece: 360 calories, 16g fat (4g saturated fat), 41mg cholesterol, 312mg sodium, 49g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.