Enjoying a cozy fall weekend at home, celebrating a birthday or heading to a potluck? This decadent and retro Black Forest Poke Cake recipe is the perfect way to evoke those summer memories of backyard BBQs and family reunions, which were never complete without a poke cake! With a rich, tender chocolate cake featuring HERSHEY’S Cocoa, its hollowed-out holes are filled with sweet and tangy cherry filling, then topped with a fluffy whipped topping. The heavenly chocolaty flavor and the tartness of the cherry filling will tantalize your tastebuds and have you (and everyone!) coming back for more.
Poke cakes are perfect for infusing flavor into your desserts. Try our Chilled Chocolate Glazed Cake and Chocolate Poke Cake for your next treat adventure.
Make Cherry Filling - Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake pan and set aside.
Stir sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in the boiling water (the batter will be thin). Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Using the end of a wooden spoon or a dowel rod, poke holes in the cake. Ensure you don’t poke all the way through the cake.
Spread the cherry filling over the cake, pressing cherries in the holes.
Spread sweetened whipped cream (directions below) over the cherry filling.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.
Sweetened Whipped Cream: Using a mixer on high speed, beat the cream and vanilla in a medium bowl until it looks foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.