Description
This festive Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake is a delightful layered dessert featuring a moist red velvet cake base, infused with cheesecake-flavored instant pudding, and topped with vibrant green-tinted whipped topping, mini marshmallows, and colorful red and green candies. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this easy-to-make poke cake combines rich flavors and playful decorations to impress your family and guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Red Velvet Cake:
- 15.25 ounce red velvet cake mix
- 1¼ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Cheesecake Flavored Instant Pudding Mix:
- 3¾ cups cold whole milk
- 6.8 ounce cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
Whipped Topping and Decoration:
- 16 ounce (2 tubs) whipped topping, thawed
- 10-12 drops green food color
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup red M&M’s
- ¼ cup green M&M’s
- red sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Red Velvet Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with bakers spray such as Baker’s Joy, then set it aside.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium speed to prepare the red velvet cake mix according to the box directions, combining the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs until smooth.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Poke Holes in Cake: When the cake is out of the oven but still warm, use the rounded handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes about ½ inch apart all over the surface of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Prepare Cheesecake Pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix and cold whole milk for 1 to 1 ½ minutes until the pudding starts to thicken.
- Pour Pudding Over Cake: Evenly pour the thickened pudding over the cooled cake, using a spatula to smooth it into the holes and cover the cake surface thoroughly.
- Chill Cake: Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set the pudding layer.
- Tint Whipped Topping: Stir green food coloring into the thawed whipped topping until the color is uniform and well mixed.
- Spread Whipped Topping: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and evenly spread the tinted whipped topping over the pudding layer.
- Add Decorations: Sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the whipped topping layer.
- Finish Decorating: Add the red and green M&M’s evenly over the marshmallows, then top with red sprinkles to complete the festive look.
- Serve: Cut the cake into 12 squares approximately 3 inches by 3 inches each and serve chilled.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for optimal freshness.
- You can substitute low-fat milk if desired, but whole milk yields the creamiest pudding texture.
- For a stronger color contrast, adjust the amount of green food coloring to your preference.
- Make sure to poke the holes evenly and closely spaced to allow pudding to seep nicely into the cake for best flavor.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the pudding layer to prevent melting or sogginess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 3x3 inches)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
