Cherry Chip Poke Cake Is the Fun Dessert Everyone Will Love
This Cherry Chip Poke Cake is bursting with chopped cherries, mini chocolate chips, and a sweet cherry-vanilla pudding filling.
Topped with fluffy whipped cream, more cherries, and extra chocolate chips, it’s a fun and flavorful dessert recipe that’s always a hit at gatherings.
It’s perfect for any celebration or just a sweet treat at home.
This recipe will show you how to take a simple cherry chip cake mix and turn it into something extra special.
You’ll get tips on the best fillings, how to poke it just right, and how to top it off to make it a crowd favorite.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
This poke cake recipe starts with a simple boxed mix that’s dressed up with a few easy add-ins like chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
Toss your chocolate chips in a little dry cake mix before adding them to the batter so they don’t all sink to the bottom.
Once baked, the cake gets poked and filled with a creamy cherry-vanilla pudding mixture, then topped with whipped cream and plenty of sweet garnishes.
Be sure that you don’t poke the cake until it’s fully cooled, or it may fall apart when you add the filling.
For best results, refrigerate the cake for a few hours after assembling—it helps the pudding set and the flavors come together.
Yes! A white or French vanilla mix works great, but if you can find cherry chip cake mix, that’s even better.
Nope—regular-sized chips work fine, or you can leave them out entirely if you want a fruitier flavor.
The easiest way is to use the handle of a wooden spoon—it makes evenly spaced holes that are wide enough for the filling to soak in. You can also use a smoothie straw or chopstick if you want smaller holes, just make sure they go about ¾ of the way through the cake so the filling gets deep inside without breaking the bottom.
Yes! If it’s still warm, the cake can tear or get gummy when you poke it, and the filling might not set up properly. Cooling it first helps the cake hold its shape and allows the filling to soak in evenly without making it mushy.
Farberware Nonstick Bakeware Baking Pan With Lid / Nonstick Cake Pan With Lid, Rectangle – 9 Inch x 13 Inch, Gray
HANSGO Wooden Spoons for Cooking, 12 Inch Long Handle Wooden Cooking Mixing Oval Spoons to Baking, Stir Meals, 3PCSDuncan Hines Wilderness Simply Pie Filling, Cherry, 21 Ounce (Pack of 8)Nestle Toll House Semi Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips, 10 Oz
Be sure to check out these sweet and simple ideas too—they’re just as easy and delicious!
- Cherry cake recipes are perfect for any occasion, from casual get-togethers to birthday celebrations.
- This Cherry Dump Cake Recipe comes together in minutes with just a few pantry staples—no mixing required!
- Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes combine rich chocolate and sweet cherries for a flavor match made in dessert heaven.
- Try one of these Cherry Pie Filling Desserts when you need a quick treat that’s big on flavor and short on prep.
Cherry Chip Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box of white cake mix
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup sour
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips plus more for topping
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries drained and rinsed
- 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
- 8 oz whipped topping
- cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In small bowl, coat chocolate chips in 1 tablespoon cake mix.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer combine the cake mix, water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond extract and egg whites until just combined.
- Next stir in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Using the end of a wooden spoon or smoothie straw poke holes all over the cake.
- Whisk together the vanilla pudding mix, cold mix and maraschino cherry juice.
- Pour the pudding mix into the holes and all over the cake.
- Top the cake with the whipped topping.
- Garnish with cherries and chocolate chips.