Name: Easter Poke Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 box white cake mix; 3 large eggs; 1 cup water; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1 box French vanilla pudding mix; 3 cups whole milk; 1 container of Cool Whip; pink, purple, and green food coloring; sprinkles

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This Easter Poke Cake is an easy Easter dessert that will wow your guests! It’s moist, delicious, and full of pretty pastel colors.

piece of easter poke cake on a white plate

Easter is coming up, and that means it’s time to start thinking about Easter recipes! This year, why not try something a little different from the usual lamb cake? My Easter poke cake is easy to make and you can customize it to your liking. Plus, it’s sure to impress your guests with its vivid colors and perfectly moist texture!

Easy Easter Poke Cake Recipe

Poke cakes are always a hit and they’re easy to make too, which is why they’re one of my favorites. I have recipes for Strawberry Jello Poke Cake and Banana Pudding Poke Cake, among others, but if you’re looking for the perfect Easter poke cake, then this is the recipe for you! You know how I love to make a box cake mix taste better!

This delicious dessert has a combination of white cake mix, French vanilla pudding, and whipped topping, and it’s always a favorite among family and friends. The pudding gives it a delicious flavor and moist texture that everyone loves, the whipped topping makes it extra creamy and fluffy, and the cake is marbled with festive Easter colors.

If you’d like, you can swap in cream cheese frosting or even chocolate frosting for the Cool Whip, but I like keeping it simple with a layer of whipped cream on top instead of making frosting!

Ingredients

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Boxed white cake mix
Eggs – Here’s the best way to crack an egg!
Water
Vegetable oil – Canola oil will work, too!
French vanilla pudding mix
Whole milk
Cool Whip
Pink, purple, and green food coloring
Sprinkles – Choose spring colors or pastels!

How to Make Easter Poke Cake

1. Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

2. Make the Colored Cake Batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil. Divide the batter evenly between 3 bowls and add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl to get pink, purple, and green. (Start with a single drop, stir it in, and add more as needed to get your desired shades.)

3. Assemble

Drop spoonfuls of each colored batter around the baking dish. Be sure to alternate colors throughout the dish, being careful not to mix them, which will result in muddled colors.

4. Bake

Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes.

5. Make the Pudding Mixture

While the cake is cooling, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to thicken.

6. Poke the Cake

Now it’s time for the fun part! With the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake about an inch apart. Pour the pudding onto the cake, then smooth it over the top with a spatula.

7. Finish

Spread the top of the cake with Cool Whip, then add sprinkles. Refrigerate the Easter Poke Cake until you are ready to serve it.

How to Store Easter Poke Cake

Cover the poke cake and store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days; if you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container. You can also freeze this Easter Poke Cake for up to 3 months.

FAQ

Why is it called poke cake?

It’s called a poke cake because you poke it! All poke cakes have holes made in the cake, and fillings are poured over the top to infuse those holes with flavor.

Does poke cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, this Easter Poke Cake (and most poke cakes for that matter) needs to be refrigerated because it’s made with pudding and Cool-Whip, which are not stable at room temperature.