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This Hot Chocolate Poke Cake is a rich chocolate cake with hot fudge glaze and hot chocolate whipped cream. This post originally appeared on Chocolate Chocolate and More.

With the spirit of the holidays, I’ve been trying to remember those who are a bit less fortunate that me. This past week, a group of coworkers and myself volunteered at our local rescue mission to serve lunch. It was so much fun to hang out with the kitchen crew and serve a meal to those in need. While we were there, we set up for lunch, sliced pies, served a hot meal, helped clean up and even helped cut paper Christmas trees for their holiday party. It was nice to be able to get to know more about the organization, and how they help feed to community.

While I was there, I learned that they also take pre-made food donations. Not many organizations can accept this. I explained to them about my blog, and how I usually have tons of leftovers with no place to give it all out to. So this past weekend I made 4 no-bake desserts for my book, and a few different baked goods for my blog. My boyfriend and I drove to the mission yesterday and gave them all my desserts. Not only did they remember me from our volunteer day, but also they were so excited to try my desserts. I will defiantly be bringing them there more often.

Poke cakes are pretty popular around here. Whenever I bring them into work, my coworkers tell me it’s the best cake they have ever had. Sometimes I think they just forget that is what the said the last time I bought a cake to work! This Hot Chocolate Poke Cake is no exception.

It’s super simple. It starts out with a cake mix (but feel free to make your own chocolate cake from scratch), and then it is soaked in hot fudge and topped with my hot chocolate whipped cream. I swear by my hot chocolate whipped cream. Regular chocolate whipped cream just doesn’t compare. The hot chocolate powder makes this topping more thick and creamy like.

You don’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen to impress your friends. This is a really simple dessert that can be whipped together in no time. The longest you have to wait is for the cake to cool! Usually I pop it in the refrigerator to speed it up.

This weekend, we are attending my boyfriend’s family holiday party. Of course I am responsible for the desserts. I will be bringing his grandparent’s favorite cake, also known as Rachel’s Rum Cake, but I also need to figure out what else to make! I hope they don’t mind cookbook leftovers! Kidding (but totally not kidding).