Topped with a layer of cool whip and crunchy Oreos, this Oreo Cookie Poke Cake is a chocolate cake infused with pockets of vanilla pudding, resulting in the most delicious slice of heaven!
This Strawberry Poke Cake and this Lemon poke cake recipe are both must try’s too!
Table of contents
Oreo Poke Cake with Pudding
This is a quick and easy recipe that uses both a cake mix and a pudding mix which makes it super convenient. I never need an excuse to make it but I do tend to use it as my go-to dessert for potlucks, birthday parties, and when I have company coming over.
Poke cakes, no matter the flavor, are a fun and simple dessert recipe that never disappoints. This oreo cookie version is one of my favorites because, chocolate cake, pudding, and Oreos are just a 3 for 1 deal I never pass up. It reminds me of cookies and cream ice cream!
What is a poke cake?
There are many different versions of this cake, ranging from vanilla to chocolate and everything in between. You take a baked cake and poke holes in it, creating a space to pour the pudding, in this case vanilla, or other things like chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, and even lemon pudding. The cake, in all its spongy glory, soaks up whatever you’ve added making it so incredibly moist. Then, when you’re biting into it, not only do you get a delicious soft bite of cake, you’re also getting an ooey-gooey center. Kind of like when you bite into a donut with a cream center. You know it’s coming, but it’s still a sweet surprise every time!
Why this recipe works/why we love this recipe
- Quick and easy which is great for a weeknight dessert.
- Looks fancy but super simple to make.
- Comes together easily so there’s no searching for hard-to-find ingredients.
- Made with store-bought mix and no one will know the difference.
- Always a hit at parties with both adults and kids.
- It’s delicious. Because, it’s a chocolate cake with pudding, whipped cream, and Oreos. Enough said.
Ingredients/shopping list
- Chocolate cake mix – Depending on the directions, you may need to add water, vegetable oil, and eggs.
- Instant vanilla pudding – Can also Instant white chocolate pudding.
- Cold milk – Used to mix the vanilla pudding.
- Cool whip – Thaw beforehand for easy spreading.
- Oreo cookies – You’ll need about 25 for this recipe.
How to Make this Recipe
This recipe will come together in minutes but it does need time to chill. You can leave it in the fridge overnight and give the flavors time to meld even more!
Step 1: Bake the cake according to package directions. In the meantime combine pudding mix and milk. Mix to combine.
Step 2: Remove cake from oven and poke holes all around the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the pudding over the top of the cake, guiding the pudding into the holes. Continue pouring the entire pudding mixture overtop the entire cake.
Step 3: Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour, during which time you will crush the Oreos and stir them in the carton of cool whip.
Step 4: Remove cake from the fridge and spread the cool whip topping evenly over entire cake. Place back into the fridge to chill for another 30 minutes.
Step 5: When ready to serve, remove the cake from the fridge, add additional crushed Oreos on top of the cake and garnish with chocolate syrup if desired. Slice and serve!
Variations/Substitutions
Variation 1: Use white chocolate instant pudding mix instead of vanilla. If you can find the Oreo cookie pudding mix, that is amazing too!
Variation 2: Make this in reverse. Use a vanilla cake, with chocolate pudding. Or a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding. Or a vanilla cake with vanilla pudding. You get the idea!
Tips
- Thaw the cool whip overnight for easy mixing and spreading.
- Once you get to know this recipe, you can get creative with your fillings. Try chocolate ganache with a chocolate cake, or a vanilla cake with butterscotch putting, or a family favorite, this lemon poke cake. The sky’s the limit!
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to poke the holes. It’s a perfect size. Any bigger you may end up with more pudding than cake and any smaller, you may not get the signature pudding center.
- The longer you let this cake sit, the better. Let the pudding and flavors absorb into the cake.
- If you’re not going to serve the cake right away, don’t mix the Oreo cookies into the whipped topping yet. The cookies may get soggy the longer they wait, so it’s best to wait until you’re ready to serve.
- For a sugar-free version, try using sugar-free cake mix, sugar-free pudding, and sugar-free whipped topping.
FAQ’s
Keep this cake refrigerated for up to 3 days.
You can freeze poke cake even with the pudding in it. You’ll probably want to wait to top it with whipped topping and Oreos until you’ve removed it from the freezer to thaw.
You can make poke cake even 2 days ahead! This is definitely a make ahead dessert because the longer it sits the better it gets!
Other Easy Dessert Recipes
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Oreo Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups cold milk
- 12 oz carton cool whip
- 25 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix the cake batter according to package directions.
- Pour batter into the pan
- Bake according to package directions.
- While cake is baking, mix the pudding mix and milk together.
- Remove cake from oven and poke holes all around the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the pudding over the top of the cake, guiding the pudding into the holes.
- Pour the pudding mixture over top of the entire cake and spread it evenly so that the pudding fills every poked hole.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Place 6-7 Oreo cookies in a plastic zipped bag and crush them into crumbs
- Then stir them into the carton of cool whip topping.
- Spread the cool whip topping evenly over entire cake.
- Place the cake back into the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.
- Add additional crushed Oreo cookies on top of the cake before serving.
- Garnish with a chocolate syrup if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Tiffany L
What about condensed milk instead of pudding?
Sherri
I have never that on this cake but it should be just fine. 🙂
Jeanette
Making this again in less than a month and this time with butterscotch pudding (per my husband’s request). So easy to make, new found favorite in our house
Chrissy
Can I make this a day ahead & just do cool whip day of ?
Jeanette
That’s what I did and it turned out great! Longer it sat in the fridge the better it tasted according to my husband
Ethel
Made this for a potluck and everyone loved it! They also wanted the recipe.
Talesha
I made this and it was so yummy. But my pudding didn’t really settle into the holes. Any tips or ideas on how to get it to go in the holes? I felt like the holes were the perfect size too based on your photo.
Judy Wilson
This was a Hit with my family
Jo Anne
Do you have to cool the cake before adding the pudding?
Sherri
You don’t have to but certainly could if you’d like.
Ashley
Do you have to store this in the refrigerator?
Sherri
Yes, it does need to be refrigerated 🙂
Dianna
Made this for my daughters 15 th bday
Jan 2022
I used a bunt pan (fluted pan) and Oreo pudding in place of the vanilla pudding. one of my biggest hits yet!
I wish I could attach a photo thanks for the recipe
Sherri
OH! I love that!! I’m so happy it was a hit!!
KAREN EASTERLING
FANTASTIC!!! COULD EAT EVERY DAY! MY FAMILY LOVES IT.
Jen
This sounds delicious! Do you think it would work with homemade whipped cream instead of cool whip?
McKenzie Schumpert
How do you think this would be with chocolate pudding?
Sherri
I think it would be amazing!!