Name: Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix; 1 (3.4 oz) box Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding; 4 large eggs; 1 cup sour cream; ¾ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup whole milk; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; ¼ tsp kosher salt; 1½ cup mini chocolate chips; 14 ounces hot fudge; 1 batch Peanut Butter Frosting

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This Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake is an easy and decadent sheet cake recipe with rich chocolate and salty peanut butter flavor!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake begins with an adapted box mix recipe. Then, it’s topped with hot fudge or Chocolate Ganache and Peanut Butter Frosting.

Close up photo of a slice of chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting on a white plate with a glass of milk in the background.

This decadent Poke Cake Recipe features the irresistible salty-sweet flavors of chocolate and peanut butter that everyone loves! It’s also super easy to make, thanks to a time-saving cake hack … shh!

To make it extra indulgent, there are chocolate chips mixed right into the cake batter. Pro Tip: You can also make a Reese’s Poke Cake by using chopped peanut butter cups, instead (sometimes, I’ll also sprinkle them on top!).

Yep, this treat is perfect for chocolate and peanut butter lovers, plus it’s the simplest Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake you’ll ever make. Whether you’re sharing it at a party, holiday, or a casual get-together, you really can’t go wrong!

Overhead photo of peanut butter chocolate sheet cake in a pan.

What Is A Poke Cake?

First thing’s first: As the name suggests, a poke cake is a sheet cake that you actually poke holes in. Usually, you use the handle of a wooden spoon to create rows of holes in the cake.

Next, something decadent is poured on top — in this case, chocolate ganache — and all that yummy goodness seeps in.

Not only are poke cakes moist and full of mouthwatering flavor, but they’re also notoriously easy to make! Just one layer (often made with a box mix, like this one) and a tasty topping, you’re good to go!

If you fall in love with this Peanut Butter and Chocolate Poke Cake recipe (and you will!) you have to try German Chocolate Poke Cake, Coconut Poke Cake, and Oreo Poke Cake, too!

Needless to say, once you start making poke cakes, you may never go back!

Slice of chocolate peanut butter cake on a small plate.

How Do You Make It?

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combined all of the cake ingredients until fully mixed and pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center of the cake.

How To Frost It:

Remove from oven and poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer. Heat up the hot fudge in the microwave to soften it, then pour it over the top of the cake and allow it to soak in while the cake cools.
Next, prepare your Peanut Butter Frosting according to the recipe instructions using butter, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Then spread it over the top of the fudge covered cake.
For an extra fun topping, add peanut butter cups where you anticipate you’ll make cake slices and top with more of the peanut butter mixture, sprinkles, and Reese’s Pieces. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge.

Step-by-step-photo collage of a chocolate cake being frosted with peanut butter frosting.

Can You Make It With Pudding?

Pudding mix is a “secret” ingredient in lots of poke cake recipes! In a lot of cases, really big holes are poked in the cake and instead of using sweetened condensed milk or hot fudge, pudding is used.

That’s not the case in this recipe, but there is pudding in the cake batter and that’s what makes it so tender and delicious!

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes!

Peanut Butter Bars – A classic no-bake dessert!
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies – Traditional cookies with a peanut butter twist!
Surprise Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes – These cupcakes are filled with a fun surprise!
Billionaire Bars – 5 layers of pure dessert bliss!
Peanut Butter Balls – Perfect for holidays!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

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