German Chocolate Poke Cake
This German Chocolate Poke Cake takes the classic dessert recipe to a whole new level with a tender chocolate cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk and topped with a rich chocolate ganache and sweet coconut pecan frosting!
Guys, this German Chocolate Poke Cake might be one of the sweetest things to ever come out of my kitchen! When it comes to dessert, this cake means some serious business!
If you’re a German Chocolate Cake fan, chances are you’re going to love this modern take on the classic!
A tender chocolate cake is baked in a 9×13-inch pan then soaked in sweetened condensed milk and topped with a silky smooth chocolate ganache made with German Chocolate.
It’s finished off with a super delicious Coconut Pecan Frosting which is the key to a delicious German Chocolate Cake recipe!
Where Did German Chocolate Cake Come From?
Contrary to its name, the original cake recipe originated in the United States, not Germany. In the 1850s, a man named Samuel German developed a specific type of dark chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company. The company then named the chocolate Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate in honor of him.
But it wasn’t until over 100 years later that this chocolate became famous. A Texas homemaker made the first German’s Chocolate cake with it in 1957 and sent the recipe to the local newspaper who published it. And somewhere along the trail or recipe reprints, the name lost the apostrophe and became German Chocolate Cake.
How To Make It:
This cake has a lot going on, but you don’t need to be a skilled baker to make it. You don’t need any fancy piping or anything like that, just a bit of time and unfortunately, a whole lot of dishes!
Step 1: You’ll begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and mixing up your cake batter and baking it in a 9×13-inch cake pan until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, you’ll use a wooden skewer or the handle of wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake.
Step 2: Pour a can of sweetened condensed over the cake layer and spread it out with a spoon making sure to cover the whole thing. It’s best to do this step while the cake is still warm so the milk absorbs better. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Next, you’ll prepare your ganache with the Geran’s Sweet Chocolate and heavy cream. Once the ganache has thickened up, but it still spreadable, pour it over the top of the milk-soaked cake.
Step 4: Finally, prepare and top the cake with the Coconut Pecan Frosting, spreading it evenly over the top of the cake but it doesn’t need to go all the way to the edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does It Need To Be Refrigerated?
Can German Chocolate Cake Be Frozen?
Does German Chocolate Cake Have Coconut?
Traditionally, German Chocolate Cake is topped with a Chocolate Frosting, but I opted for chocolate ganache instead because I thought it was a bit easier and a little more fitting for this poke cake recipe.
I wanted something that would soak into the holes and add extra decadence.
And trust me, this cake is definitely decadent!
This cake is destined to be a crowd favorite and it’s sheet cake nature makes it easy to transport for potlucks and family get-togethers!
More Delicious Poke Cake Recipes:
- Kahlua Poke Cake
- Irish Cream Poke Cake
- Banana Split Poke Cake
- Carrot Cake Poke Cake
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Strawberry Coconut Poke Cake
- Coconut Poke Cake
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
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German Chocolate Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 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
Filling
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Ganache
- 4 ounces German chocolate chopped
- 4 ounces heavy cream
Frosting
- 1 batch Coconut Pecan Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees 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 toothpick comes clean from center of the cake. Remove from oven and poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake and allow it to soak in while the cake cools.
- Once the cake has cooled, prepare the ganache by placing the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and then heating the heavy cream in a small saucepan just until the edges begin to boil. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and allow to set for 4 minutes, do not stir.
- After 4 minutes have passed, whisk together the chocolate and heavy cream until rich chocolate ganache forms, allow the ganache to sit and thicken for 5 to 10 minutes before spreading evenly over the top of the cake.
- Next, prepare your Coconut Pecan Frosting according to the recipe instructions here and then spread it over the top of the ganache covered cake. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge.
Video
Notes
- If German’s Baking Chocolate cannot be found, semi-sweet chocolate may be used instead.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Made it for my daughter’s 33rd birthday a year ago and she absolutely loved it so much that I’m told that I’d the cake she wants for 34th. Right now, it’s in the oven being baked;)
I’m so glad you all loved it! Hope she had a great birthday!
Do you think it would work as cupcakes?
I have never tried it myself, my only concern would be that they may become a bit messy due to the “poke” liquid and may be less stable in cupcake form.
This is one of my very favs! Think it could be made into cupcakes?
Can you substitute buttermilk?
Assuming you want to use Buttermilk instead of whole milk in the cake portion of the recipe? This should be fine!
Can a German Chocolate cake mix be used instead?
Yes, absolutely!
If the cake mix has pudding in it, would you add more or leave it out?
The best chocolate cake EVER!! 🤗
So glad you loved it!
Can this be baked in a glass 9×13?
It should be fine, but a couple of things to note:
Usually glass pans have rounded edges on the bottom which means they fit less batter and may not accommodate the full amount of batter and toppings this recipe makes.
I would also follow the baking template recommended on the box for a glass pan instead of the one in the recipe.
What a delicious cake! Made it for Mother’s Day this weekend and everybody raved about it. I did skip the ganache layer as i thought it might be just a lil too sweet for the crowd i was cooking for. Instead i added coco powder to the can of condensed milk that you pour ontop the hot cake.
It was delicious! The top was incredible and it set perfectly! Highly reccomend 😊
Absolutely delicious! Even works when you forget to add the pudding mix!
Can I make it without the ganache?
Yes, that should be just fine.
This is my sons favorite cake! He has requested it for his birthday again this year! Do you think it is possible to change the presentation? I’d like to stack two rounds?
The cake base will work to make two 9-inch round cakes. Where it gets tricky is with the poke because it could make the cake a little too soft for layering. You could try omitting the sweetened condensed milk and not poke the cake, then stack the two layers with the ganache in the middle and the Pecan frosting over the top.
I made this for my Son’s 45th Birthday. It took about 50 minutes to cook. My oven might not be as warm as others. But it certainly is a great cake for somebody with a big sweet tooth, which my son has! He also loves chocolate and I like to lick the top of the Sweetened Condensed milk can. So it was a win-win! Thankyou!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Happy Birthday to him!
Great tasting. Took longer to cook
This is the best cake!! A step above the regular German chocolate cake!!
It’s Christmas Eve and I don’t have the stuff to make gonach. Can it be made without it
Yes, it can.
This was delicious!! Just finished making it and had a piece, Yummy!
It sure does it for a sweet tooth craving!!
I’m so glad it satisfied your craving! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!
Soooooo good!!! This is my husbands favorite cake so I made this last year for his birthday. He loved it so much, I’ll be using this recipe for his birthday again tomorrow! 😊 thank you for the recipe!
I hope he has a wonderful birthday, enjoy!
Can this cake be frozen? I need to make in advance a few days and travel with it for a weekend birthday. Thx.
I have never tried to freeze it but I think it would be fine.
I am making this recipe as I type this. I am confused about when/where the sour cream, chocolate chips, vanilla and salt come into play. Unless I missed something in the instructions.
In step 2 with all of the cake ingredients.
Five stars!!! Simply delicious!!