This Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake recipe creates a rich chocolate cake that's baked to perfection, then poked all over so it can soak up a creamy peanut butter filling. The filling seeps into the holes, making every bite extra flavorful.
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The cake is topped with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream that adds a light, sweet finish. It's the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter—like your favorite candy in cake form!
Ingredients
To make this Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake, you'll need to make three tasty layers:
- A rich chocolate cake
- A creamy peanut butter sauce to pour into the holes
- A fluffy whipped peanut butter frosting to top it all off
Following are the ingredients you’ll need for each part of the cake:
Chocolate cake ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder - use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Sift if necessary to remove any lumps
- Eggs - use large eggs and bring to room temperature before starting the recipe
- Vegetable oil
- Cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda
- Brewed coffee - Use room temperature coffee in the cake batter. You can use water instead if you want, but coffee really helps bring out the rich chocolate flavor in the cake.
See recipe card for quantities.
Peanut butter sauce
- Sweetened condensed milk - you need one 14-ounce can for this recipe. You can usually find it in the baking aisle at the grocery store.
- Creamy peanut butter
- Whole milk
See recipe card for quantities.
Whipped peanut butter frosting
- Powdered sugar - sift through a wire sieve to remove any lumps
- Heavy whipping cream
- Creamy peanut butter - don’t use all-natural peanut butter. It’s usually too oily and might not whip up to the right texture.
- Toppings (optional) - feel free to add any toppings you like! Try chopped Reese’s cups, peanuts, chocolate ganache, torched bananas—whatever sounds good to you.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Chocolate cake
1 - Place eggs and vegetable oil in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside for later.
2 - In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda. You can use an electric mixer or just stir it by hand—either works!
3 -Add oil and eggs to the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
4 -Slowly pour brewed coffee into bowl while continuing to mix. The batter should be smooth and thin.
5 - Lightly grease a 9"x13" cake pan by spraying with baking spray or greasing with butter. Pour the cake batter into the pan.
6 - Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 40 - 45 minutes. Cake will be well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Make peanut butter sauce while the cake is baking.
Chocolate peanut butter poke cake assembly
1 - Place peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk and whole milk in a mixing bowl. Whisk well until combined. Tip: If the peanut butter isn’t blending well, microwave the mixture for 20 seconds, then whisk again.
2 - After baking, place cake on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a large straw to poke holes all over it.
3 - Slowly pour the peanut butter sauce over the cake while it is still warm, letting it seep into the holes. Gently tap the pan or jiggle it to help the sauce settle. Cool completely (about 30 minutes), then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4 - Once the cake has chilled, make the whipped peanut butter frosting. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter and powdered sugar with a whisk attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
5 - With the mixer running, slowly pour in heavy cream over a period of 2 minutes. Continue to mix until it reaches medium-stiff peaks. Take care not to overmix else the cream will look clumpy.
6 - Using an offset spatula, spread frosting evenly over top of cake. Optional - add any toppings you like. Consider chopped Reese’s cups, peanuts, chocolate ganache, torched bananas, etc...
Equipment
You need the following equipment to create this chocolate peanut butter poke cake:
- Electric Mixer
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- 9"x13" cake pan
- Silicone spatula
Storage
Store the chocolate and peanut butter poke cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It doesn’t freeze well, so it’s best to enjoy it fresh.
More chocolate peanut butter desserts
If you're a fan of the chocolate and peanut butter combo, don't miss my other recipes that use these two delicious flavors:
I hope you enjoy this chocolate peanut butter poke cake as much as my family and friends have over the years!
📋 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Food Scale optional
- 1 Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- 1 9"x13" cake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 4 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 ¼ Cup Brewed Coffee, may substitute water
Peanut Butter Sauce
- 1 Cup Creamy peanut butter (don't use natural peanut butter)
- 1 Can Sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce can
- ½ Cup Whole Milk
Peanut Butter Whipped Cream
- 1 Cup Creamy peanut butter (don't use natural peanut butter)
- ¾ Cup Powdered sugar
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
Instructions
Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃)
- Lightly grease a 9"x13" cake pan by spraying with baking spray or greasing with butter.
- Place eggs and vegetable oil in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside for later.¾ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil, 4 Large Eggs
- In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda. You can use an electric mixer or just stir it by hand—either works!¾ cup Cocoa Powder, 2 cups All Purpose Flour, 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- Add oil and eggs to the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Slowly pour brewed coffee into bowl while continuing to mix, scraping the bowl occasionally. The batter should be smooth.1 ¼ Cup Brewed Coffee, may substitute water
- Pour the cake batter into greased baking pan.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes. Cake will be well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
- Place cake on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Make peanut butter sauce during this time.
- Place peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk and whole milk in a mixing bowl. Whisk well until combined. Tip: If the peanut butter isn’t blending well, microwave the mixture for 20 seconds, then whisk again.1 Cup Creamy peanut butter, 1 Can Sweetened condensed milk, ½ Cup Whole Milk
- After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a large straw to poke holes all over it. Tip: As soon as you poke the holes, start pouring the peanut butter sauce over the cake so it soaks in better.
- Slowly pour the peanut butter sauce over the warm cake, allowing it to seep into the holes. Jiggle the pan or tap lightly on a countertop to ensure sauce seeps into the holes.
- Let cake cool completely (approximately 30 minutes) then wrap in plastic and place in fridge for 1 hour.
Peanut Butter Whipped Cream
- Place peanut butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.1 Cup Creamy peanut butter, ¾ Cup Powdered sugar
- Using a whip attachment on your mixer, mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth (approximately 2 minutes).
- Scrape down bottom and sides of mixing bowl.
- With the mixer running, slowly pour in heavy cream over a period of 2 minutes. Continue to mix until it reaches medium-stiff peaks. Take care not to overmix else the cream will look clumpy.2 Cups Heavy Cream
- Using an offset spatula, spread frosting evenly over top of cake.
- Optional - add any toppings you like. Consider chopped Reese’s cups, peanuts, chocolate ganache, torched bananas, etc...
Video
Notes
- Store the chocolate and peanut butter poke cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It doesn’t freeze well, so it’s best to enjoy it fresh.
- For best results, pour the peanut butter sauce over the cake while it's still warm—this helps the sauce soak in easily.
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