I’ve always loved the flavors of a classic Boston cream pie, but I don’t love the fussy assembly. This Boston cream poke cake is the perfect compromise. By using a yellow cake mix for a foolproof base, I can put all my love into the silky, homemade pastry cream and rich chocolate ganache. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that delivers those flavors I love without the stress.
Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake with Cake Mix
I love a good kitchen shortcut, and I’m all about boxed cake mix in this Boston cream poke cake. It handles all the heavy lifting of getting a perfect sponge, so I can really focus in on that homemade custard and glossy chocolate ganache. These two components really elevate this semi-homemade cake into “wow” territory.
While instant pudding works in a pinch, I’ve found that nothing beats the velvety, rich texture of a real egg-yolk pastry cream to elevate this simple cake. It’s much less sugary, and it balances out the sweetness of the boxed cake. I opted for a rich and thick semisweet ganache on top, and it really tied the whole thing together.
If you love these classic flavors but want a handheld version, try my easy Boston cream cupcakes or these indulgent Boston cream donuts!
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Use Gravity to Your Advantage
If you use a larger implement to make your holes, like the back of a wooden spoon, the cream will easily spread to fill them. However, I noticed that when I use a smaller implement, like a chopstick or skewer, it’s helpful to tap the cake pan on the counter a few times to help the cream work its way into those holes.
Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (1 box)*
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- ½ cup milk room temperature
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For the Pastry Cream**
- 2¼ cup milk room temperature
- 7 large egg yolks room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste ***
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
For the Ganache
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with baking spray and set aside.
- Add all of the cake ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan.15.25 ounces yellow cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, ½ cup milk, ½ cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Bake the cake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with slightly moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before topping with pastry cream.
For the Pastry Cream
- While the cake cools, pour the milk into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat to simmer.2¼ cup milk
- While the milk is heating up, place the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well until combined and smooth.7 large egg yolks, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- Once the milk has begun to simmer, remove from the heat. Slowly stream half of the heated milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to avoid cooking the yolks.
- Once half of the milk is whisked in and smooth, stream the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, again, whisking well.
- Place the pan back over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and you see a few large bubbles pop on the surface. Boil for 30-60 seconds while whisking vigorously, then remove from heat.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and butter and whisk to combine. Set aside.1½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste, 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer to poke evenly-spaced holes into the top of the cooled cake.
- Pour the pastry cream over the surface of the cake and spread to all of the edges. Gently press the pastry cream down onto the cake so that it goes down into the holes that have been poked into the cake.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap pressed to the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Place the pan into the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before topping with ganache.
For the Ganache
- Place the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir together until a smooth, silky ganache has formed.3 cups chocolate chips, 1 cup heavy cream
Assembly
- Once the cake has chilled, uncover it. Pour the ganache onto the cake and spread to the edges. Let set for 5 minutes to allow the ganache to set up slightly. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Optionally add 1 tsp of almond extract or an extra splash of vanilla to the cake batter for extra flavor.
- Only poke holes ¾ down into the cake, and space them out evenly to prevent collapse.
- Ensure the cake is completely cold before filling. If it’s still warm, it will absorb the pudding rather than creating pockets.
- If the egg yolks cook in the pastry cream, press the mixture through a mesh sieve or blend with an immersion blender. If the egg yolks curdle and the mixture is extremely chunky, start over.
- Tap the pan firmly on the counter after pouring the cream to force air bubbles out of the holes.
- Optionally add 1 tbsp of light corn syrup or room-temperature butter to your ganache after the chocolate has melted for a high-gloss finish.
- Let the ganache cool on the counter until it is room temperature and slightly thickened (but still pourable) before adding it to the chilled cake.
- This is a very stiff/firm ganache. For a softer ganache, use 2 cups of chocolate chips instead.
How to Make Boston Cream Poke Cake Step-by-Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F, grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray or butter, and set aside. Separate the eggs from the yolks, and bring the milk, eggs, and butter to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before beginning. Don’t toss your egg whites! Use them to make my favorite homemade wedding cake!
Bake the Cake: Add 15.25 ounces (1 box) of yellow cake mix, 3 large room-temperature eggs, 1 large room-temperature egg yolk, ½ cup of room-temperature milk, ½ cup of water, and ½ cup of vegetable oil to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with slightly moist crumbs. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely while you make the pastry cream.
Sweeten the Eggs: Pour 2¼ cups of room-temperature milk into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat to simmer. While the milk is heating up, place 7 large room-temperature egg yolks, ¾ cup of granulated sugar, and 5 tablespoons of cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well until combined and smooth.
Temper the Eggs: Once the milk has begun to simmer, remove from the heat. Slowly stream half of the heated milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to avoid curdling the yolks.
Combine the Pastry Cream: Once half of the milk is whisked in and smooth, stream the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, again, whisking well.
Thicken the Pastry Cream: Place the pan back over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and you see a few large bubbles pop on the surface. Boil for 30-60 seconds while whisking vigorously, then remove from heat. Add 1½ tablespoons of vanilla bean paste and 1½ tablespoons of unsalted butter and whisk to combine. If your pastry cream has any noticeable curds, press it through a fine-mesh sieve or blend with an immersion blender to make it smooth. If it’s excessively chunky, start over.
Poke the Cake: Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a skewer to poke holes into the top of the cooled cake. Try to space the holes evenly so they don’t collapse into each other, and only poke about ¾ of the way down into the cake so the cream doesn’t seep out of the bottom.
Fill and Chill the Cake: Pour the pastry cream over the surface of the cooled cake and spread to all of the edges. Gently press the pastry cream down onto the cake so that it goes down into the holes that have been poked into the cake. If you used skewers to poke your holes, gently tap the cake pan on your counter a few times to coax the filling into them. Cover the cake with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is down on the pastry cream. This will help to prevent a skin from forming. Place the pan into the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before topping with ganache.
Make the Ganache: Once the cake has set, place 1 cup of heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over 3 cups of chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir together until a smooth, silky ganache has formed. Optionally add a tablespoon of light corn syrup of room-temperature butter to give it a nice shine.
Top the Cake: Let the ganache cool for a minute or so, then uncover the cake. Pour the ganache onto the cake and spread to the edges. Let set for 5 minutes to allow the ganache to set up slightly. Slice and serve.
How to Store
Store leftover Boston cream pie poke cake tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this cake, as the pastry cream tends to weep and the ganache loses its shine once thawed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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