This Peanut Butter Mocha Poke Cake is so decadent, so rich, and so incredibly easy! A mocha chocolate cake is flooded with peanut butter chocolate pudding before being topped with layers of mocha ganache, whipped topping and dark chocolate peanut butter cups before being dusted with espresso powder.
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I’ve mentioned before that March is birthday season in our house. Three of our four children have birthdays within 10 days of one another, my sister-in-law is the day after the last child’s birthday and my husband’s is the first day of April. So when my mother-in-law offered to make a cake on her last visit to celebrate everyone’s special day, I politely asked if we could have something other than cake. I was on cake overload!
But then what did I do? The idea for this Peanut Butter Mocha Poke Cake popped into my head and I made yet another cake! Luckily, my mother-in-law just laughed at my antics. She also happened to enjoy a slice of it as I had just made it the day before she arrived in town. Thumbs up all around!
A mocha chocolate cake is flooded with peanut butter chocolate pudding before being topped with layers of mocha ganache, whipped topping and dark chocolate peanut butter cups. As a finishing touch, this Peanut Butter Mocha Poke cake is then dusted with espresso powder. So decadent. So rich. So incredibly easy!
My love for all things mocha is very strong. Some other delicious mocha desserts that have come from my kitchen are my dreamy Homemade Oreos with Mocha Cream Filling, my no bake Mocha Coconut Frappuccino Pie and my holiday season favorites, Mocha Peppermint Crunch Cookies.
For this cake, I broke into my stash of Justin’s Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. You know, the ones I hide in an upper cabinet for fear that I might actually have to share them with someone? I love that they’re not overly sweet and they’re made from natural ingredients. The perfect addition to this cake!
I love the magical quality that a dusting of espresso powder gives the top of this Peanut Butter Mocha Poke Cake. I’d say it’s an optional step, but really, how can you skip it when it makes your cake look so pretty? For those of you non-coffee lovers, myself included, have no fear! The espresso powder simply deepens the flavor of the chocolate making it less sweet and more rich. I might need an intervention from my espresso powder sprinkling wand over here. Mocha everything, I say!
Peanut Butter Mocha Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce boxed chocolate fudge cake mix
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder divided
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4.2 ounce box chocolate fudge instant pudding
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces whipped topping
- 4.7 ounces mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups quartered
- additional instant espresso powder to garnish
Instructions
- Mix cake batter according to box directions and stir in 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder.
- Pour batter into 9x13 pan and bake cake according to box directions.
- Remove cake from oven and set aside. Poke holes all over top of cake with the end of a wooden spoon.
- Immediately whisk together milk and peanut butter until spoon. Add instant pudding and whisk until just combined. The mixture will thicken quickly, so act fast!
- Pour pudding mixture over cake, allowing it to fill all of the holes and refrigerate for four hours.
- In a microwave safe dish, microwave 2 cups dark chocolate chips, heavy cream and tablespoon of instant espresso powder for one minute. Whisk together to combine and spread evenly over cake. Refrigerate until set.
- Spread whipped topping evenly over cake and top with peanut butter cups. Garnish with additional instant espresso powder.
Nutrition
Everyone loves poke cakes because they’re so incredibly easy – myself included! My friends have also come up with these creative variations that are perfect the next time your sweet tooth strikes. This Lemon Burst Poke Cake is perfect for warmer months and this Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake is the perfect combination of two desserts. And of course, this decadent Turtle Poke Cake looks absolutely amazing!
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