Christmas Poke Cake
A festive Christmas Marble Poke Cake made from a white box mix—half the batter tinted red and half tinted green for a quick holiday showstopper. Baked in a 9x13 pan, soaked with sweetened condensed milk, and finished with buttercream and whipped cream for creamy, festive bites.
Equipment
- 1 9x13 baking pan
- mixing bowls
- Whisk
- wooden spoon or fork
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box white cake mix
- all the other ingredients your cake mix calls for in their respective quantities usually egg whites, oil and water, but check your box
- red and green gel food coloring
For the Filling
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Make the Red and Green Marbled Cake
- Preheat your oven according to the cake mix instructions and grease a 9×13-inch pan
- Prepare the cake batter as directed on the box. Divide it evenly into two bowls.
- Tint one bowl red and the other green with gel food coloring until you get the shades you love.
- Spoon alternating dollops of red and green batter into the pan. Once filled, swirl a butter knife through the top just once or twice to create a marbled pattern.
- Bake according to the box directions until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Poke and Add Filling
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a fork (I like fork, but to each his own with poke cakes!) to poke holes all over the cake.
- Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly on top, letting it sink into all those little holes. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set and cool completely.
Add Frosting and Whipped Cream
- In a medium bowl, beat softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat until smooth and spreadable, adding more milk if needed.
- Spread a thin, even layer (about ¼ inch thick) of buttercream over the chilled cake.
- In a clean, cold bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the buttercream layer. You can also skip this step and use Cool Whip for an easy shortcut!
- Store covered in the fridge