German Chocolate Poke Cake

German Chocolate Cake is one of the greats. Just think about that combination of rich chocolate cake and fudgy frosting and the even richer coconut pecan frosting… yum! But dare I say, this poke cake version might be even better than the original. It has all the same components, but because it’s a poke cake, the flavors permeate every single bite. It’s oh-so-moist and it’s easy to make (no layers to deal with!), but it’s not so easy to stop eating.

 

Ingredients  :

 

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
  • 1 (3.4 oz) box chocolate fudge instant pudding
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

FOR THE GANACHE:

  • 4 oz chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

FOR THE FROSTING:

  • 1 can coconut pecan frosting

PREPARATION

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until combined and pour into prepared pan.
  3. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and poke holes all over the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  4. Pour the sweetened condensed milk all over the cake and allow to soak into the holes. Let cool.
  5. While cake is cooling, place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan until just beginning to bubble around the edges. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  6. After 5 minutes, stir until chocolate melts. Allow ganache to thicken 5 to 10 minutes before spreading over the top of the cake.
  7. Spread coconut frosting over the ganache, serve and enjoy!