Easy Chocolate Mint Poke Cake

Chocolate Mint Poke Cake is layered with hot fudge, pudding, frosting, and Andes mint candies. Soft, gooey, fluffy, and creamy textures combine into one incredible bite. It’s a refreshing spin on a classic chocolate dessert and perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration!

Chocolate Mint Poke Cake

I have so many delicious desserts featuring a mint and chocolate flavor combination — think frosted brownies, candy bark, homemade fudge, and cookie dough bars — but nothing quite beats this Andes mint poke cake!

Gooey, fudgy chocolate cake is topped with a fluffy, whipped cream frosting that’s bursting with mint flavor. And the whole dessert is dotted with tiny pieces of Andes mints. YUM!!

For a holiday showstopper, an Oreo cookie dessert trifle is just what you need.

Layers of creamy pudding, crushed cookies, and flavored whipped cream look gorgeous in a single dish or individual serving glasses.

Or, enjoy all the same flavors on this mint chocolate poke cake in layer cake form!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Chocolate Cake Mix – Use your favorite (I’m partial to Betty Crocker) and be sure to grab whatever ingredients are listed on the back of the box — usually eggs, oil, and water.
  
  You can try out different flavors too. Classic chocolate, Devil’s food, or dark chocolate would all be delicious.
  
  I’d stay away from any “triple chocolate fudge” type mixes that include pudding, though, since you’ll be adding your own pudding layer!
  
• Hot Fudge – This seeps into all of the holes poked in the cake, making it extra gooey and delicious!
  
  If you prefer to make it from scratch (or can’t find an 8-ounce jar), you’ll need about ¾ cup total.
  
• Andes Mint Baking Chips – These are basically teeny tiny chopped Andes candies, so if you can’t find them at your store, just chop up the real thing yourself.
  
• Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix – Pay close attention to the package! It needs to be the quick-set kind, not the one you cook on the stove.
  
• Whole Milk & Heavy Cream – Combine the whole milk with the pudding mix for the pudding layer, then whip the heavy cream for the frosting.
  
  Both need to be super cold, straight out of the fridge, for this recipe.
  
• Sugar – For sweetness and to help stabilize the whipped cream!
  
• Mint Extract – Specifically mint — not peppermint — or your frosting will taste like toothpaste.
  
• Green Food Coloring – While optional, I really like the look of green frosting on mint poke cake instead of white.
  
  Gel food coloring will give you a nice, vibrant hue without affecting the texture.
  
• Andes Mint Candies – For garnish! Chop them up and scatter them over the frosting to really put this dessert over the top. Or, simply use another bag of Andes baking chips.

Tips and Tricks to Make a Perfect Andes Mint Poke Cake

• Don’t rush the process.

Every step needs to be done properly for the whole dessert to come together! Bake the cake just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Then, poke the holes while the cake is still warm, keeping them as evenly spaced as possible. This way, you get the perfect amount of fudge and pudding soaked into each bite.

Add the fudge right away, but wait until the mint chocolate poke cake has cooled to add the pudding.

Finally, chill the cake layer for at least an hour before topping with whipped frosting and candies!

• Poke large enough holes in the cake.

You want them large enough to absorb the filling, but not so large that they affect the overall structure.

The rounded end of a wooden spoon works perfectly, but a large straw (like the kind for boba tea) will work too.

• Whip the cream to soft peaks before adding sugar and extract.

It helps to use a metal bowl, and pop it into the freezer with the whisk attachment for a few minutes first. The colder everything is, the faster it will whip!

You’ll know you have soft peaks when the cream has thickened but still droops when you hold the whisk attachment upside down.

After adding the sugar and extract, continue whipping until the frosting holds its shape!

Prep Ahead

• Chop mint candies
• Bake and chill cake before frosting

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

• 9×13 Baking Dish – This set is one of my favorites! It comes with a lid for easy storage and is great for casseroles too.
• Stand Mixer or large mixing bowl with Hand Mixer to make the pudding layer and frosting for this Andes mint chocolate poke cake.
• A Sturdy Wooden Spoon – Preferably one with a rounded handle. It creates properly sized holes for grabbing that gooey filling!

Storing and Freezing Mint Poke Cake

Once frosted, this dessert will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, though it’s best eaten within 3-4 days.

Cover Andes mint poke cake tightly with plastic wrap or a lid so it doesn’t dry out.

I wouldn’t freeze it fully assembled, but the soaked cake layer should be fine for 2 to 3 months if wrapped tightly in plastic. 

Thaw mint poke cake in the refrigerator before adding the whipped cream and candies.

Mint Chocolate Poke Cake FAQ

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Originally published February 2021, updated and republished February 2025

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