Eggnog Poke Cake
Eggnog Poke Cake features a moist spice cake base infused with creamy eggnog custard, making it the perfect festive dessert for Christmas!
Ingredients
Spice Cake Base
- 15.25 oz boxed spice cake mix (1 standard box)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 stick butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup eggnog
Eggnog Custard Filling
- 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups eggnog
Topping
- 8 oz whipped topping (thawed)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the box of spice cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1 stick of softened butter, and 1 cup of eggnog. Pour batter into a 9x13" baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake cake according to package directions. Once baking is finished, allow cake to cool for 30 minutes to an hour before frosting.
- After cooling the cake, use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes every 1-2" in the cake. Make sure to get to the bottom of the pan when poking the holes.
- Whisk together 3 cups of eggnog and 5.1oz instant vanilla pudding mix. Immediately pour this mixture over the cake with holes, gently guiding the mixture into the holes with the wooden spoon. (Pour quickly; this mixture gets thick fast!)
- Allow cake to set in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Once set, frost the cake with the whipped topping and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Notes
- Boozy twist: Add 1-2 tablespoon spiced rum or ¼ cup cinnamon whiskey (like Fireball) to the batter for extra holiday flair. Rum extract works if you want the flavor without alcohol.
- Poking tips: Use a wooden spoon handle, twisting slightly as you poke to keep holes neat and open for the custard.
- Pudding trick: Mix and pour quickly - instant pudding thickens fast. If it sets up, whisk in 2–3 tablespoon cold eggnog to loosen.
- Serving size: Makes 16 generous slices or up to 20 smaller squares for a party tray.
- Chilling: Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving; 4 hours or overnight gives the best custard set.
- Storage: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Avoid freezing (the texture changes).
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 337mgPotassium: 228mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 365IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 2mg
