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Mint Chocolate Poke Cake is an easy chocolate mint dessert that starts with a doctored-up chocolate cake mix, filled with chocolate pudding, and topped with a fluffy and cool mint whipped cream. Decorate the cake with mint cookies and mini chocolate chips for an easy dessert.
Easy Mint Chocolate Poke Cake (Grasshopper Poke Cake)
This mint chocolate poke cake is the ultimate dessert for anyone who loves the combination of rich chocolate and cool, refreshing mint.
It starts with a chocolate cake mix with a few added ingredients to make it taste homemade! No one will ever know, promise. Holes are poked into the cake and then filled with a creamy chocolate pudding mixture. The final layer is a homemade mint whipped cream and of course topped with mint chocolate cookies (Grasshopper Keebler cookies).
Whether you’re making it for St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday gathering, a birthday, family dessert, or simply because you’re craving something minty and chocolatey – this easy mint chocolate poke cake is always a favorite. Best of all, it can be made ahead of time, making it a convenient dessert for gatherings and get togethers.
Why You’ll Love This Mint Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe
- ❤ Easy To Make : This easy desert recipe starts with a boxed cake mix, so there’s no need to make a cake from scratch.
- ❤ Rich and Chocolatey : Chocolate cake and chocolate pudding make every bite deliciously decadent.
- ❤ Cool Mint Flavor : The homemade mint whipped cream gives the cake its refreshing texture and flavor.
- ❤ Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert : The cake needs time to chill for the best flavor and texture, making it ideal for preparing the day before.
- ❤ Great For Holidays : The pretty green color makes it especially fun for St. Patrick’s Day, while the cool mint flavor makes it festive for Christmastime.
Ingredients Needed
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix : A 15.25 ounce box of Devil’s Food chocolate cake mix is what the recipe calls for. A chocolate fudge cake mix also works well.
- Whole Milk
- Vegetable Oil
- Sour Cream : Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Pudding Filling Ingredients
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- Half and Half : No substitutes! You need the extra fat to help the poke filling set and thicken properly.
Mint Whipped Cream & Garnish Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Mint Extract
- Green Gel Food Coloring
- Crushed Mint Chocolate Cookies : I use the Keebler Fudge Mint Delights cookies.
- Mini Chocolate Chips : Another optional garnish you can use.
How To Make Mint Chocolate Poke Cake (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Chocolate Cake : In a large mixing bowl, add all the chocolate cake ingredients and use an electric mixer to beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium, and continue beating for 2 minutes; scraping the bowl as needed to everything mixes evenly.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center springs back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Chocolate Poke Filling : Use the handle of a wooden spoon, or a large smoothie straw, to poke holes all over the cake, spacing the holes about 1-inch apart. Poke the holes in a grid pattern with rows and columns rather than just random.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the instant chocolate pudding mix and half and half for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken.
Pipe or spoon the chocolate pudding into each poked hole. Then spread the remaining pudding evenly over the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently guide the pudding into each hole before it fully sets.
Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Mint Whipped Cream : Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, mint extract, and green gel food coloring to a large mixing bowl.
Beat the whipped cream mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should look fluffy and hold its shape, and still spread easily.
Evenly spread the mint whipped cream over the chilled cake. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, so the layers can chill together and the flavors can blend.
When ready to serve, remove the cake from the fridge and add the crushed mint cookies and mini chocolate chips on top. Cut into slices and serve the cake cold. Enjoy!
How To Store Mint Chocolate Poke Cake
The cake should be served cold from the fridge for the best texture. As the cake sits out at room temperature, the whipped cream topping will soften. Don’t leave the cake out at room temperature for longer than 1 hour.
Store the poke cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 to 4 days. The cake gets softer as it sits, and the cookies on top will soften too, but the flavor stays delicious.
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- My favorite way to make poke cakes is to make the cake and poke and fill the holes the night before. I then cover the cake and refrigerate it overnight. This allows time for everything to chill, the pudding to set, and the flavors get better and better. I add the whipped cream topping the next day and let it chill for a few hours before serving it. Add garnishes right before serving for the best results.
- The whipped cream needs to chill for at least 2 hours once you add it on top of the cake; however, it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 6-8 hours once ‘frosted’ before you serve it.
- Don’t poke the holes too close together. About 1″-inch apart gives you plenty of holes without weakening the cake. Poke the holes in an even grid pattern all over the cake, don’t just randomly poke the holes, but rather poke even rows and columns of holes.
- The best thing to use is the end of the handle of a wooden spoon, because it allows large enough holes for the pudding to settle into. A straw or chopsticks would poke too small of holes so I don’t recommend using either of those. A large smoothie straw is another good item to use to poke larger holes.
- Don’t substitute the half and half in the pudding mixture! It’s thicker and creamier than milk, which helps the pudding layer thicken and set nicely into the cake.
- Measure the mint extract very carefully, as a little goes a long way, and too much can make the whipped cream taste like toothpaste rather than sweet and creamy.
- It’s best to add the crushed mint cookies and mini chocolate chips on top of the cake right before serving so they stay a little crunchy. However, they are still delicious on the leftover cake after they have softened slightly.
- I use the Keebler brand mint chocolate cookies labeled as ‘Fudge Mint Delights’. Other cookie options include the Oreo Thins in the mint or the regular Oreo cookies in mint.
More Mint Chocolate Desserts
More Poke Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- Funfetti Poke Cake
- The BEST Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake Dessert
- Peppermint Poke Cake
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Hawaiian Poke Cake
- German Chocolate Poke Cake
- Hot Chocolate Poke Cake
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake (EASY Cake Mix Dessert)
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Pumpkin Poke Cake
Mint Chocolate Poke Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz) devil's food chocolate cake mix (or chocolate fudge)
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding Poke Filling
- 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups half and half
Mint Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon mint extract
- green gel food coloring (as needed, 1 to 2 drops)
Toppings
- 1½ cups crushed/chopped Keebler Fudge Mint Delights cookies (or Oreo mint cookies)
- ¼ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Chocolate Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the chocolate cake ingredients and use an electric mixer to beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium, and continue beating for 2 minutes; scraping the bowl as needed to everything mixes evenly.1 box (15.25 oz) devil's food chocolate cake mix, 1 cup whole milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup full-fat sour cream, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center springs back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Chocolate Poke Filling
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake, spacing the holes about 1-inch apart. Poke the holes in a grid pattern with rows and columns rather than just random.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the instant chocolate pudding mix and half and half for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken.1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix, 2 cups half and half
- Pipe or spoon the chocolate pudding into each poked hole. Then spread the remaining pudding evenly over the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently guide the pudding into each hole before it fully sets.
- Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Mint Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, mint extract, and green gel food coloring to a large mixing bowl.2 cups heavy whipping cream, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon mint extract, green gel food coloring
- Beat the whipped cream mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should look fluffy and hold its shape, and still spread easily.
- Evenly spread the mint whipped cream over the chilled cake. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, so the layers can chill together and the flavors can blend.
- When ready to serve, remove the cake from the fridge and add the crushed mint cookies and mini chocolate chips on top. Cut into slices and serve the cake chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!1½ cups crushed/chopped Keebler Fudge Mint Delights cookies, ¼ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Notes
- My favorite way to make poke cakes is to make the cake and poke and fill the holes the night before. I then cover the cake and refrigerate it overnight. This allows time for everything to chill, the pudding to set, and the flavors get better and better. I add the whipped cream topping the next day and let it chill for a few hours before serving it. Add garnishes right before serving for the best results.
- The whipped cream needs to chill for at least 2 hours once you add it on top of the cake; however, it can stay in the refrigerater for up to 6-8 hours once ‘frosted’ before you serve it.
- Don’t poke the holes too close together. About 1″-inch apart gives you plenty of holes without weakening the cake. Poke the holes in an even grid pattern all over the cake, don’t just randomly poke the holes, but rather poke even rows and columns of holes.
- The best thing to use is the end of the handle of a wooden spoon, because it allows large enough holes for the pudding to settle into. A straw or chopsticks would poke too small of holes so I don’t recommend using either of those. A large smoothie straw is another good item to use to poke larger holes.
- Don’t substitute the half and half in the pudding mixture! It’s thicker and creamier than milk, which helps the pudding layer thicken and set nicely into the cake.
- Measure the mint extract very carefully, as a little goes a long way, and too much can make the whipped cream taste like toothpaste rather than sweet and creamy.
- It’s best to add the crushed mint cookies and mini chocolate chips on top of the cake right before serving so they stay a little crunchy. However, they are still delicious on the leftover cake after they have softened slightly.
- I use the Keebler brand mint chocolate cookies labeled as ‘Fudge Mint Delights’. Other cookie options include the Oreo Thins in the mint or the regular Oreo cookies in mint.
Nutrition
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