Description
German Chocolate Poke Cake Recipe — a rich, caramel-and-condensed-milk-soaked chocolate sheet cake topped with coconut, pecans, and dual frosting drizzle. Perfect for breakfast entertaining and make-ahead brunch. Makes 12 slices in 55 minutes with 10 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
To make this delicious European Chocolate Poke Cake For this recipe, you’ll need:
- 1-box of German chocolaty cake mix (plus ingredients to make the mix)
- 1 Cup sweetened condensed milk 1 cup sweetened condensed
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped coconut
- Half Cup chopped pecans
- Half a Cup of chocolate frosting
- 1 Cup caramel frosting
- To make an non-nut version remove the pecans, and instead add chopped coconut.
- If you want an dairy-free substitute make use of coconut milk as an alternative to sweetened condensed milk and select chocolate chips that are dairy-free.
Instructions
How to Make German Chocolate Poke Cake
Take these simple steps and make your very own tasty chocolate cake from Germany.:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degF (175degC) then grease an 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Mix cakes mix in accordance with the directions on the packaging. The batter should be poured into the baking dish that you have prepared and bake it according to the recipe.
- After the cake has been baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool down a bit.
- Utilizing the handle on a wooden spoon make holes throughout the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the condensed sweetened milk all over the cake, then followed by caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips with coconut shreds, and chopped pecans on the cake’s top.
- Make the frostings warm just a little in the microwave until they’re pourable then drizzle them on the cake.
- Allow the cake to remain for at minimum 30 minutes so that all flavors to blend.
Notes
- Refrigerator Storage: Cover the assembled poke cake tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator at or below 40°F for up to 4 days. The caramel and sweetened condensed milk filling actually improves overnight as flavors meld deeper into the cake crumb. Always keep this dessert chilled because the dairy-based filling requires cold temperatures per FDA food safety guidelines to prevent bacterial growth.
- Freezer Storage: Wrap individual slices in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place wrapped slices into a labeled freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze at 0°F for up to 2 months. For best texture, squeeze excess air from the bag before sealing. Frozen slices retain their moisture beautifully because the sweetened condensed milk acts as a natural humectant that resists ice-crystal formation inside the crumb.
- Oven Reheat: Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place a refrigerated or thawed slice on a parchment-lined baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes until the caramel sauce becomes slightly fluid and the frosting softens. Cover loosely with foil for the first 6 minutes to trap steam and prevent the coconut topping from over-browning. Oven reheating produces the most evenly warmed result of any method.
- Microwave Reheat: Place a single slice on a microwave-safe plate and heat at 50% power for 30 seconds. Check the center—if still cold, continue in 15-second bursts until the caramel filling is warm but not bubbling. Avoid full power, which can cause the chocolate chips to scorch and the cake edges to turn rubbery. This method is fastest for a single-serving breakfast reheating scenario.
- Air Fryer Reheat: Preheat the air fryer to 280°F. Place a chilled slice in the basket lined with a small parchment square to catch any caramel drips. Heat for 3 minutes, then check. The circulating hot air gently warms the interior while lightly crisping the toasted coconut and pecan topping, recreating a just-baked texture that neither the microwave nor conventional oven can fully replicate.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Breakfast
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slices
- Calories: 387 calories
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 328mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 42mg