Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe

Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake is one that you are going to want to remember since it is a moist chocolate cake filled with chocolate sauce and topped with a light and fluffy topping made with instant chocolate pudding and chocolate shavings.

A slice of Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake on a plate with a bite missing

With this decadent chocolate cake having a cool whip based frosting on top of the cake it will not be too sweet, but just the right amount of sweet for a rich chocolate cake, and will be a huge hit with your family.

Plus just like all of our other poke cake recipes which are all moist cakes, this chocolate poke cake recipe is no different even without using vegetable oil!

Ingredients used to make Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake:

Top view of Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake cut into squares

Ingredients For the Cake

Super Moist Chocolate Milk ChocolateCake Mix by Betty Crocker
Unsalted butter, melted slightly or room temperature
Eggs
Water
Chocolate pudding mix
Hershey’s Hot Fudge Topping; warm
Milk; cold
Chocolate pudding mix

For the Chocolate Cool Whip

Cool whip; thawed in the refrigerator
Chocolate pudding mix
Milk
Semi-sweet chocolate, shaved

How to make Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake:

Close up of a corner of Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake with shaved chocolate on top

Instructions For the Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 9 X13-inch baking pan.
Combine the Super Moist Chocolate Milk Chocolate Cake Mix, the butter, and the eggs in the bowl of a standup mixer (or hand mixer and medium bowl) and mix on low speed until combined.
Add the water and mix on low speed until combined.
Add the chocolate pudding mix and mix until smooth (do NOT prepare the pudding according to the package directions).
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a rubber spatula or the end of a wooden spoon to smooth it into an even layer.
Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and, using a fork, poke holes throughout the cake.
Whisk together the milk and the ½ pack of chocolate pudding mix until homogeneous.
Pour the milk mixture evenly over the entire cake.
Pour the Hershey’s Hot Fudge Topping over the cake, spreading with a rubber spatula for even distribution.
And let the cake cool.

To finish

In a large mixing bowl, gently fold the remaining half (the rest is in the milk mixture, remember?) of the chocolate pudding mix into the Cool Whip until you achieve a consistent color throughout and forms stiff peaks.
Add the milk and stir gently until homogenous
Using a rubber spatula, spread the fluffy chocolate Cool Whip topping (aka chocolate frosting) evenly over the cake.
Top the cake with the shaved chocolate

Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake sliced into squares with 4 slices on plates

Cover the whole kit and caboodle with the top or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving

More ways to make this chocolate pudding poke cake a chocolate lover’s dream:

Here are some more suggestions to develop the rich chocolate flavor even more for the serious chocolate lover:

Add chocolate chips (in the cake, on top, or both)
Top the cake with cocoa powder
Drizzle more hot fudge sauce on top of the frosting (make sure it is not too hot or it’ll melt the frosting)
Drizzle chocolate sauce over top

More recipes for those with a sweet tooth:

Other slow poke cake recipes:

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Serves: 16

Hot Fudge Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Cool Time & Chill Time 4 hrs 30 mins

Total Time 5 hrs 17 mins

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 box Super Moist Chocolate Milk Chocolate Cake Mix by Betty Crocker
½ cup unsalted butter melted slightly
4 eggs
1 cup water
3.9 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix 1 box
½ jar Hershey’s Hot Fudge Topping warm
2 cups milk cold
½ box instant chocolate pudding mix (½ of a 3.9 ounce box)

Chocolate Cool Whip

8 ounces cool whip 1 container, thawed in refrigerator
½ box instant chocolate pudding mix (½ of a 3.9 ounce box)
¼ cup milk
2 ounces semi sweet chocolate shaved

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 9 X13-inch baking pan
Combine the Super Moist Chocolate Milk Chocolate Cake Mix, the butter, and the eggs in the bowl of a standup mixer and mix on low speed until combined
Add the water and mix on low speed until combined
Add the chocolate pudding mix and mix until smooth
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth into an even layer
Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
Remove the cake from the oven and, using a fork, poke holes throughout the cake
Whisk together the milk and the½ pack of chocolate pudding mix until homogeneous
Pour the milk mixture evenly over the entire cake
Pour the Hershey’s Hot Fudge Topping over the cake, spreading with a rubber spatula for even distribution
Allow the cake to cool completely

Chocolate Cool Whip

In a large bowl, gently fold the remaining half (the rest is in the milk mixture,remember?) of the chocolate pudding mix into the Cool Whip until you achieve a consistent color throughout
Add the milk and stir gently until homogenous
Using a rubber spatula, spread the chocolate Cool Whip topping evenly over the cake
Top the cake with the shaved chocolate
Cover the whole kit and caboodle and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving

Notes

When making this recipe do NOT prepare the pudding according to the package directions.

Nutrition

Calories: 293 kcal · Carbohydrates: 38 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 14 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 63 mg · Sodium: 448 mg · Potassium: 223 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 24 g · Vitamin A: 320 IU · Calcium: 110 mg · Iron: 2 mg