5.0 from 3 votes
King Cake Poke Cake Recipe
Celebrate Mardi Gras with this easy poke cake! Start with a box of yellow cake mix, and decorate for a colorful dessert.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 362 kcal
Course:
Dessert , Cake
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (1 box) -- Duncan Hines brand recommended
- 1 cup water
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
For the Pudding
- 3.4 ounces vanilla pudding mix (1 box)
- 2½ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Glaze
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
- Decorating sugar green, gold, and purple, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with a nonstick spray.
- Mix and bake the cake mix according to the directions on the box and allow it to cool.
- Using the top of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake, so the whole cake is covered in holes.
- Combine the pudding mix, milk, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl just until it's combined. Pour the pudding all over the cake.
- Cover the cake and place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Hide a plastic baby in the cooled cake, if desired.
- Whisk together the sugar and half of the milk in a large mixing bowl until it's smooth; if it's too thick, you can add in a little bit of the milk at a time. You want it to be thin enough to pour the glaze but not too thin that it just runs right off the cake.
- Pour the glaze over the cake in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the decorating sugars over the top of the glaze.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Storage: Store king cake poke cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can use white or chocolate cake mix instead, if you prefer!
- You can swap the pudding mix for a different flavor, such as chocolate, cheesecake, or pistachio.
- If you can't find decorating sugar, you can use colored sprinkles instead.
- The ingredients listed for the cake are specific to Duncan Hines brand; if using a different brand, use the ingredients and quantities specified on the box.
- It's a king cake tradition to bake a plastic baby figurine into the cake; feel free to do this if you like!
- Do not poke the holes all the way through or the filling will seep out when the cake is cut.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1slice
Calories
362kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
66g
(22%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Trans Fat
0.1g
Cholesterol
54mg
(18%)
Sodium
225mg
(9%)
Potassium
122mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
56g
(112%)
Vitamin A
168IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
0.02mg
(0%)
Calcium
128mg
(13%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 362kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 66g | 22% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 225mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 122mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 56g | 112% |
| Vitamin A | 168IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 0.02mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 128mg | 13% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.