Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
**Colorful Easter Poke Cake** is perfect for spring. I’ve made this dozens of times. The trick is to let the cake cool completely before adding the pudding. The creamy filling makes it irresistible. Try my **Easy 2 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Flatbread Recipe** for a side. Jump to Recipe If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy 2 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Flatbread Recipe and Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe.
Why This Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding Is Pure Comfort
- Bright and festive for Easter
- Creamy vanilla pudding filling
- Easy to make and customize
- Perfect for family gatherings
What You'll Need for Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 2 (18.25 oz) boxes yellow cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles for decoration
- Optional: Chocolate Easter eggs
- Optional: Fondant shapes
- Optional: Candy eyes
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Yellow cake mix: Use boxed mix for convenience, or make your own using flour, sugar, and baking powder.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: Always check the package for the right amount of milk needed to make the pudding.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Non-stick cake pans — Prevents sticking and ensures even baking → See on Amazon
- Offset spatula — Helps spread frosting smoothly and evenly → See on Amazon
How to Make Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
- Prep the pans: Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix the batter: In a large bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Bake the cakes: Pour batter into pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make the pudding: In a bowl, mix pudding mix and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until thick.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a board. Poke holes with a fork. Spread pudding over the top. Repeat with second layer. Frost the outside.
- Decorate: Add sprinkles, candy eyes, and chocolate eggs. Serve immediately.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
- Baking: Let the cakes cool completely before adding the pudding to prevent sogginess.
- Common mistake and fix: If the pudding is too runny, add more pudding mix or refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Decoration: Use edible glitter or sanding sugar for extra sparkle on the cake.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Storing & Reheating Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 3 days Make-ahead tip: Make cake layers up to 3 days in advance
Freezing Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
1 month
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: 300°F for 10 minutes Microwave: 10 seconds on high
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a richer flavor, use whole milk in the pudding.
- Best substitution: Replace buttermilk with 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Make-ahead: Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Scaling: Double the recipe for a 12-inch cake or 3 layers.
- Troubleshooting: If cake layers are too dry, brush with a little milk before adding pudding.
Want to level up this recipe?
Dowel for cake layers — Helps keep layers stable and prevents collapsing → Check price on Amazon
Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 (18.25 oz) boxes yellow cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
Seasonings
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles for decoration
Optional Toppings
- Chocolate Easter eggs
- Fondant shapes
- Candy eyes
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix the batter: In a large bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Bake the cakes: Pour batter into pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make the pudding: In a bowl, mix pudding mix and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until thick.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a board. Poke holes with a fork. Spread pudding over the top. Repeat with second layer. Frost the outside.
- Decorate: Add sprinkles, candy eyes, and chocolate eggs. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a richer flavor, use whole milk in the pudding.
- Best substitution: Replace buttermilk with 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Make-ahead: Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Scaling: Double the recipe for a 12-inch cake or 3 layers.
- Troubleshooting: If cake layers are too dry, brush with a little milk before adding pudding.
Storage
- Fridge: 3 days
- Freezer: 1 month
- Oven reheat: 300°F for 10 minutes
- Microwave reheat: 10 seconds on high
- Make ahead: Make cake layers up to 3 days in advance
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 380
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbs: 55g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Cholesterol: 55mg
- Sat. Fat: 3g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding FAQs
Yes, you can make the cake layers up to 3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Dry cake often happens if it's overbaked or if the batter is too dry. Check the oven temperature and ensure the cake is fully baked but not overdone.
Yes, you can freeze the assembled cake for up to 1 month. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
You can use chocolate pudding, banana pudding, or even a homemade custard for a different flavor.
Use pastel sprinkles, candy eyes, and chocolate Easter eggs for a colorful and seasonal look.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Colorful Easter Poke Cake with Vanilla Pudding and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
