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Yields:
12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
There's no better party dessert than a poke cake. Why? They're easy to make, a cinch to transport, and always a crowd-pleaser! This Irish cream poke cake is guaranteed to be the star of your St. Patrick's Day celebration. The chocolaty base is made with boxed cake mix, which then gets drowned in an irresistible combination of sweetened condensed milk and Irish cream (use store-bought or this homemade Irish cream!). Finish it off with fluffy espresso whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and you've got one of the best St. Patrick's Day desserts around.
Looking for another easy sweet? Here are more desserts made with boxed cake mix to try next!
Can you make Irish cream poke cake without alcohol?
Yes! If you'd like to skip the alcohol, substitute ½ cup non-alcoholic Irish coffee creamer for the Irish cream in the soak and ½ cup heavy cream for the Irish cream in the topping.
Can you make Irish cream poke cake ahead of time?
Absolutely. This cake can be made up to 24 hours in advance, but wait to add the chocolate shavings until just before serving. Leftover cake can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the baking dish
- 3 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
- 1 box German chocolate cake mix (15.25-ounce)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14-ounce)
- 1 cup Irish cream liqueur, such as Baileys Irish Cream
- 1 box vanilla instant pudding (3.4-ounce)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with oil.
- Step 2In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the espresso powder with 1 cup water. Add the chocolate cake mix, eggs, and ½ cup vegetable oil, whisking vigorously until very well combined, about 2 minutes. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake according to the package directions.
- Step 3Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup of the Irish cream.
- Step 4Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then use the rounded handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake. Slowly pour the condensed milk mixture over the entire cake. Let the cake cool completely, about 45 minutes.
- Step 5In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup Irish cream and 2 tablespoons espresso powder until the powder is dissolved.
- Step 6In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, stir together the pudding mix, powdered sugar, and espresso-Irish cream mixture. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the heavy cream. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 7Spread the topping over the cake and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Just before serving, sprinkle the cake with chocolate shavings.
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