This Mudslide Poke Cake is a dark chocolate cake soaked in a spiked chocolate ganache and a boozy chocolate pudding with a chocolate mousse topping. It’s rich, chocolatey, and delicious!
Boozy Chocolate Poke
I feel like we know each other well enough by now that I don’t have to tell you just how much I love a boozy dessert…and how much I love a good poke cake. And this Mudslide Poke Cake is both!
This recipe is simple to make but yields the most mouthwatering, decadent dessert. It’s similar to my triple chocolate mousse cake but with a boozy twist. You’ll find layers of both Bailey’s Irish Cream and Kahlua in the chocolate pudding filling, and the chocolate mousse on top.
Does it get better than that?
Key Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake Mix – I like to keep it simple with boxed cake mix, but you can totally whip up a homemade chocolate cake if preferred.
- Coffee – Most cake mixes call for water, but I replaced that with strong brewed coffee. This doesn’t make it taste like coffee, though. It simply enhances the chocolate flavor!
- Liquor – This cake uses both Bailey’s Irish Cream and Kahlua. If you don’t have both on hand, you could technically use one or the other.
- Cool Whip – You can also whip up a batch of homemade whipped cream if preferred.
- Optional Toppings – We’re topping our cake off with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips and hot fudge sauce.
How to Make Mudslide Poke Cake
This chocolate poke cake is so simple to make and so perfectly mouthwatering! Here’s a breakdown of the recipe:
- Bake the cake: In a bowl, combine the cake mix with oil, eggs, and coffee. Mix until combined, then pour into a 9×13″ baking pan. Bake, then cool for 20 minutes.
- Poke holes: Use the handle end of a wooden spoon or another similar object to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Add the ganache: In a bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave, stirring occasionally, until melted, then whisk in Bailey’s Irish Cream. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
- Add the filling and chill: In another bowl, combine instant pudding, milk, and Kahlua. Whisk until dissolved, then immediately pour over the top of the cake. Spread with a spatula to make sure the mixture gets into the holes. Let set in the fridge for at least an hour or until completely cooled.
- Make the mousse: In a bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix, milk, and liquor of choice. Whisk to combine, then place in the fridge to set. Once set, gently fold in the Cool Whip to combine, then spread over the top of the cake.
- Chill and serve: Chill the cake in the fridge for at least another hour, garnish as desired, then slice and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find the easiest way to poke holes is to use the handle end of a standard wooden spoon. It creates holes that are just the right size! If you don’t have a wooden spoon, try using a butter knife or fork.
We’re infusing this chocolate cake with alcohol by simply mixing the alcohol into the ganache, filling and topping, but you’ll also find some baked into the cake as well.
Tips for Success
- Cool before poking. The baked cake should cool for 20 minutes or so before you poke the holes. If you poke while it’s still hot, it will be too messy.
- Don’t let the pudding set. The pudding filling should still be liquid when you pour it over the cake or it won’t actually soak in.
- Cool completely before adding the topping. If you add the mousse while the cake is still warm, it will just melt.
- If you would prefer a non-alcoholic dessert, simply leave the Bailey’s and Kahlua out! The cake will still be delicious.
Make-Ahead and Storage
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Poke cakes are the best make-ahead dessert, because they really just get better as they sit!
A fully assembled poke cake will last covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also bake the cake ahead of time and store it at room temperature for a couple of days, then add the filling and topping when you’re ready to serve.
Mudslide Poke Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Mudslide Poke Cake is a dark chocolate cake soaked in a spiked chocolate ganache and a boozy chocolate pudding with a chocolate mousse topping. It’s rich, chocolatey, and delicious!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box (15oz) chocolate cake mix
- Ingredients on the box: oil, eggs and replace the water with a strong brewed coffee
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon Bailey’s Irish liquor.
- 1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (3.4 0z)
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Kahlua
For the Mousse:
- 1 pkg (3.4 0z) instant chocolate pudding
- 1½ cups milk
- 1/4 cup Kahlua or Bailey’s
- 1 Container Cool Whip
- Mini chocolate chips (optional)
- Hot fudge sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, egg,s and coffee and mix until the cake batter is well combined. Pour the batter into a 9″x13” pan
- Bake the cake according to the instruction on the box. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.
- Take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake.
- While your cake is cooling, prepare your ganache. In a heat-proof bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave in 30-second increments, occasionally stirring until the chocolate is melted.
- Whisk in 2 tablespoons of Bailey’s Irish Cream. Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cake.
- In a separate bowl, combine the instant chocolate pudding, milk, and Kahlua together. Whisk until the powder is dissolved. Before the pudding sets, while it is still pourable, pour the pudding over top of the cake and spread with a spatula if necessary.
- Allow the pudding and cake to set in the fridge for at least an hour and the cake is completely cooled. In the meantime, you can prepare your mousse
- For the mousse: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix with the milk and liquor of your choice. Whisk together until combined. Place the pudding in the fridge until it is completely set, 10-15 minutes.
- Once the pudding is set, fold in the Cool Whip and stir until well combined. Spread the mousse over the cooled cake and return to the refrigerator for at least one hour, the longer the better.
- Garnish the cake with mini chocolate chips and drizzle it with hot fudge sauce
Notes
If you don’t have both Baileys and Kahlua, then just use one or the other
looks so good i will make it for a birthday coming up
I bought Kahlua mudslide, is this ok to use in the cake?
I think so? I have not tried it myself.
I’m not a coffee drinker and have no coffee in my house. What would you suggest I use in its place?
Milk the the best alternative
WOW, this looks fantastic! I was just wondering though, how long is a house in a refrigerator? I don’t want to make a mistake!
Hi Bryan, I don’t understand your question, can you please clarify?
Is there anything I can substitute for the Bailey’s and Kahlula?
Hi Dianne- At that point it would just be a chocolate cake- I recommend making my Triple Chocolate Poke Cake
Can you make without liquor ? I don’t have any . Thanks
If you’re not using liquor, then I’d recommend my triple chocolate poke cake instead, which you can make using a cake mix or the from-scratch recipe
can this recipe be frozen? I was going to make it in two round tins, and freeze them when completed.
I definetly have to make this cake! Looks Delish-Thanks!
Can you use home made whipped cream instead of cool whip?
Absolutely. I find that 1 1/2 C of Heavy whipping cream with about 3/4 C powdered sugar is equivalent to 16oz of Cool Whip
Hi Linda,
I would like to make this cake then cut into a horse shape while on the serving platter (single layer). Will it hold up or crack up due to pokes?
Hi Ann, I would not recommend cutting this into a horse shape in fear that it would fall apart.
This Mud Slide Poke Cake looks like the bomb and I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for sharing it!! Do you use an 8 oz or 12 oz Cool Whip?
Hi Linda- You should you an 8oz Cool Whip!
Thank you so much for the great Mudslide Poke Cake! This will surely be a new favorite at Church Socials, Special Dinners & other Parties & Get Togethers. I’m always looking for a New Recipe & I can’t wait to make this one!
Is it possible to do a version of this in round tins? I was planning on making the cake in the round pans cooling and removing from the pan and moving to a cookie sheet then doing e poke step.. After refrigerating moving one to a serving plater with a spatula frosting then the next and continue frosting. I’m making it for a birthday so I wanted a pretty to layer cake. Is the cake going to just break up when I try to move it?
Hi Katey- thanks for stopping by. If you were going to try and do a round version of this cake, I have a few suggestions! If you soak the cake and then try to move it, I think it is going to be very tough to hold it together. What I would suggest doing is building your layer cake with a Baily’s Irish Cream Whipped Cream (see my “Mocha Irish Cream Cupcakes for Two Post”) And then doing a Baily’s ganache drizzle over the top. I think that you probably will have trouble using the pudding in a layer cake, even with a stuff buttercream, I don’t think the pudding would hold up in the middle. Good luck and if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
I wish I had a slice of this right now with my morning coffee! Looks so amazing and EASY. (Best part, lol!) Thank you for sharing at Marvelous Mondays this week! 🙂
Thanks Carrie! I am happy to be a part of it!
Oh how I wish I had seen this last week!! Such a delicious variation on the traditional poke cake!!
Thank you! I think it’s pretty fun!
This cake is making me so happy right now. It looks beyond delish!
Thanks Lady. I love a good poke cake!
AMAZING! Looks and sounds out-of-this-world!
You are too kind!
O…M…G Minnie Christmas those look fantastic! I am having quite a craving all of a sudden. At first I read that the coffee gave the cake more “awareness”. I thought, “oh, that must be baker’s lingo”, hahahaha
Hahahha oh Debbie!