Colorful Spring Delight: Easter Poke Cake Recipe for Fun Baking

Sweet layers of creamy delight meet springtime celebration in this irresistible easter poke cake that promises to steal the show at any holiday gathering.

Bursting with pastel colors and rich flavors, this dessert brings a playful twist to traditional Easter treats.

Soft, moist cake layers get infused with luscious cream filling, creating a dessert that melts in your mouth.

The delicate design hints at the joy of the season, with each slice offering a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

Pastel-colored frosting adds a whimsical touch that transforms an ordinary cake into a festive masterpiece.

Every forkful delivers a delightful combination of flavors that will have everyone asking for seconds.

This cake isn’t just a dessert – it’s a celebration of spring’s vibrant spirit and the joy of sharing delicious moments with loved ones.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Calories: 200 kcal

Servings: 13

Easter Poke Cake Ingredient Guide

• White Cake Mix: Select a high-quality mix for fluffy, tender cake texture with rich vanilla undertones.
• Vanilla Extract: Elevates cake's flavor profile, adding warm, aromatic depth to the dessert.

• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Creates smooth, creamy filling that seeps into cake's pores for delightful moisture.
• Cold Milk: Activates pudding mix, ensuring perfect consistency and rich flavor.
• Gel Food Coloring: Provides vibrant, concentrated pastel shades without thinning pudding texture.

• Cool Whip: Delivers light, airy frosting layer that complements cake's soft texture.
• Easter Sprinkles: Adds festive, colorful charm and playful crunch to the dessert.
• Pastel Candy Eggs: Creates whimsical, seasonal decoration that delights both kids and adults.

Tools You’ll Need For Easter Poke Cake

• 9×13-inch baking dish: Perfect for creating a large, shareable cake.
• Wooden spoon handle: Essential for poking uniform holes in the cake.
• Mixing bowls: Needed for preparing pudding and separating colors.
• Whisk: Great for mixing pudding mix and milk smoothly.
• Measuring cups: Help ensure accurate ingredient proportions.
• Spoon: Useful for spreading pudding and Cool Whip.
• Toothpick: Helps check cake doneness.

Steps To Make Easter Poke Cake Colorful

• Create Colorful Cake Base

Warm up your oven and prepare a rectangular baking dish. Mix cake ingredients following package directions, adding a splash of vanilla for extra flavor. Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly while getting ready for the fun part.

• Transform Cake with Pudding Magic

Grab a wooden spoon handle and playfully poke holes across the entire cake surface. Whip up pudding by mixing with milk until it thickens slightly. Divide pudding into small bowls and add vibrant gel colors, creating a rainbow effect. Carefully pour colored puddings into the cake holes, letting each color peek through.

• Finish with Festive Flair

Cover the entire cake with a fluffy white topping, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle pastel candies and decorative Easter-themed sprinkles across the surface. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let all the flavors meld together. The longer it chills, the more delicious it becomes.

Tips For Perfect Easter Poke Cake Layers

• Hole-Poking Perfection: Use the end of a wooden spoon handle or a chopstick to create uniform, evenly spaced holes without tearing the cake. Aim for holes about 1 inch apart for best pudding absorption.
• Flavor Fusion: Experiment with different pudding flavors like white chocolate, banana, or lemon to create unique taste combinations that complement the Easter theme.
• Gluten-Free Option: Swap the regular cake mix for a gluten-free version and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free for those with dietary restrictions.
• Dairy-Free Delight: Replace milk with almond milk or coconut milk, and use dairy-free whipped topping to make this dessert accessible for those with dairy sensitivities.
• Decorative Flair: Get creative with toppings by using pastel-colored marshmallows, crushed cookies, or edible spring-themed sugar decorations to make the cake more festive and visually appealing.

Serving Easter Poke Cake For Any Gathering

• Pastel Paradise Plating: Arrange slices on vintage Easter-themed dessert plates with delicate pastel borders, enhancing the cake's colorful theme.
• Spring Brunch Centerpiece: Create a stunning dessert display by surrounding the cake with fresh spring flowers like tulips or daffodils, making it a beautiful table focal point.
• Kid-Friendly Decorating Station: Set out extra sprinkles, mini chocolate eggs, and marshmallow chicks so children can personalize their cake slice with playful toppings.
• Complementary Beverage Pairing: Serve alongside light, fruity drinks like strawberry lemonade or pastel-colored punch to match the cake's festive Easter color palette.

How To Store Easter Poke Cake Properly

• Cool Cake Longevity: Store the Easter poke cake in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to 4 days, keeping the dessert fresh and delicious.
• Freezing Friendly: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, storing in the freezer for maximum 2 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
• Smart Serving Strategy: Cut individual slices only when ready to enjoy, preventing moisture loss and maintaining the cake's soft texture and vibrant pudding layers.
• Temperature Tip: Always keep the cake chilled below 40°F to prevent bacterial growth and maintain the whipped topping's smooth consistency. Remove from refrigerator just 10 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

Festive Easter Poke Cake Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 22 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Scrumptious Easter poke cake delights dessert enthusiasts with layers of pastel-colored goodness. Creamy filling and festive frosting create a delectable centerpiece perfect for spring celebrations you’ll savor with each delightful bite.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 (3.4 oz/96 g) box instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 (8 oz/226 g) tub Cool Whip (or 2 cups homemade whipped cream)
• Eggs (as specified on cake mix box)
• Vegetable oil (as specified on cake mix box)
• Water (as specified on cake mix box)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring (pink, yellow, blue, or pastel colors of choice)
• 12 Easter sprinkles or pastel-colored candy eggs

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to specified temperature and lightly grease baking dish to prevent adhesion.
2. Batter Creation: Blend cake ingredients until uniformly smooth, incorporating vanilla extract, then transfer mixture into prepared pan with fluid, consistent motion.
3. Baking Process: Cook cake until achieving golden complexion and inserting testing implement results in clean removal, signaling optimal doneness within designated time frame.
4. Surface Modification: After initial cooling, craft shallow indentations across cake surface using wooden spoon handle, creating natural reservoirs for subsequent filling.
5. Pudding Development: Whisk milk and pudding powder until achieving silky, slightly thickened consistency with seamless texture.
6. Color Transformation: Partition pudding into multiple vessels, integrating pastel gel food colorings through gentle stirring to produce harmonious, blended hues.
7. Filling Integration: Distribute multicolored pudding into prepared cake indentations, strategically layering tones to generate captivating marbled aesthetic.
8. Topping Application: Spread whipped cream across entire cake surface, ensuring comprehensive and uniform coverage that resembles delicate cloud formation.
9. Decorative Finalization: Adorn cake with playful Easter-themed sprinkles and delicate pastel candy eggs, creating visually enchanting presentation.
10. Chilling Protocol: Refrigerate decorated creation, allowing flavor melding and topping stabilization, with optimal results emerging after extended cooling period.

Notes

• Gentle Cake Handling: Use a light touch when creating indentations to avoid tearing the delicate cake surface, ensuring clean, smooth pudding channels.
• Color Mixing Strategy: Add food gel colors sparingly and incrementally, enabling precise pastel shade control without overwhelming the pudding’s delicate texture.
• Chilling Technique: Refrigerate the cake uncovered initially to prevent condensation, which can dilute the whipped topping’s fluffy consistency and compromise the decorative sprinkle placement.
• Dietary Adaptation: Substitute traditional ingredients with gluten-free cake mix, dairy-free milk alternatives, and vegan whipped topping for accommodating various dietary restrictions while maintaining the dessert’s festive Easter aesthetic.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 200
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg