Eggnog Poke Cake

‘Tis the season for making alllll of the recipes that use eggnog. The Eggnog Poke Cake is not only one of my favorite poke cake recipes but one of my favorite holiday cake recipes too!

This Eggnog Poke Cake uses box cake mix and instant pudding for an easy poke cake recipe that’s just so delicious. Perfect for the holidays, it’ll become one of your favorite recipes that use eggnog!

Eggnog Poke Cake

We are all about keeping it real over here in the Savory Experiments kitchen and today was a perfect example of this.

I decided to bake my cake in a ceramic dish that was none of the specifications on the box of cake mix.

And then… it didn’t bake evenly so I had to lop off the top so it wasn’t a mounded poke cake! Stuff happens. If you don’t want to do the same thing, it’s probably a good idea to follow the specifications of the cake mix.

Baking blunder aside, I’ve got to say this Eggnog Poke Cake is probably my new favorite recipe that uses eggnog.

Get Noggy

I know peppermint and gingerbread are the typical flavors associated with this time of the year but I have to say I may like the flavor of eggnog even more than those two.

And since eggnog is only popular for 2 months of the year, you can bet I’m whipping up as many recipes that use eggnog as possible!

What is eggnog? For those not familiar with this traditional holiday beverage, it’s a creamy, dairy-based drink that typically contains egg, cream and some other flavors.

You can either buy it in the store like milk or make it yourself (I buy it at the store)! Alcohol, like rum, is also frequently added to eggnog, but it isn’t actually alcoholic on its own.

Pudding poke cakes have become a favorite of mine lately. They’re so much more moist, flavorful and creative than most regular cakes made with a box mix but only take a few extra steps to make.

Cake Mix

If you’ve never made a pudding poke cake before, they are typically made with a box cake mix which you poke holes in after baking and then pour pudding over them.

For this Eggnog Poke Cake recipe,  I used a regular white or yellow box cake mix prepared as normal, with the addition of some vanilla extract, and instant vanilla pudding which I turn into eggnog pudding using just two ingredients.

Then for some extra texture, I topped the entire thing with Nilla wafers.

I gotta say, this pudding poke cake will be made more than once in my house this holiday season! So easy and so good!

Tips for Making the Best Poke Cake:

• Pour pudding mixture while cake is still slightly warm.
• Pour pudding before it soft sets. If it sets, it gets too thick and won’t creep down into those holes where it belongs!
• Poke lots of holes, but not too close together, otherwise the cake won’t hold together when you cut it.

You may like these other easy holiday dessert recipes:

• Eggnog Cookies
• 5-Minute Eggnog Pudding
• Melted Snowman Cookies
• Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
• Boston Cream Poke Cake
• Eggnog Cheesecake

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Eggnog Poke Cake

4.37 from 25 votes

This Eggnog Poke Cake recipe is an easy pudding poke cake made with box cake mix and instant vanilla pudding, with delicious eggnog flavor.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 16

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Equipment

• 9×13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

Cake:

• 16.25 ounce cake mix , white or yellow
• Ingredients to make cake
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pudding Mix:

• 5.1 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups cold eggnog*
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Topping:

• 8 ounces whipped cream
• 1 1/2 cups nilla wafers , crumbled

Instructions

• Preheat oven and mix cake batter according to package directions for a 9×13 in baking pan. Add vanilla extract to cake mix.
• Bake according to package instructions.
• Remove and while cake is still hot, poke many holes in the top. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Prepare eggnog pudding by whipping eggnog into pudding mix (like it was milk). Fold in pumpkin pie spice.
• Spread pudding mix over warm cake, allowing it sink into the holes of the cake. Tap lightly on the counter to get it into all the nooks and crannies.
• Allow to cool and refrigerate.
• Frost with whipped cream and top with crumbled Nilla Wafer cookies.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!

Notes

*Most 5. ounce pudding mixes call for 3 cups of liquid, but double check and use as much eggnog as it calls for cold milk. 

Nutrition

Calories: 241 kcal, Carbohydrates: 30 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 100 mg, Sodium: 286 mg, Potassium: 180 mg, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 325 IU, Vitamin C: 0.9 mg, Calcium: 145 mg, Iron: 0.7 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 241

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: eggnog poke cake, poke cake recipes

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