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square image of halloween graveyard chocolate poke cake in a cake pan
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Halloween Graveyard Poke Cake Recipe

Chocolate poke cake filled with creamy chocolate pudding and decorated as a spooky Halloween graveyard with Oreo dirt, Milano cookie tombstones, and ghost Peeps.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Calories 722kcal
Author Julie Kotzbach

Equipment

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

Filling

Frosting

Toppings

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13-inch cake pan, set aside.
  • Mix together 16 ounces chocolate cake mix, 3.9 ounces chocolate fudge instant pudding mix, ½ cup sour cream, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup milk, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl until fully combined. Transfer to the prepared cake pan. The batter will be thick, and you will need to use a rubber spatula to spread it out.
    chocolate cake batter in a cake pan before baking
  • Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let cool for 30 minutes and poke holes all over the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
    baked chocolate cake in a cake pan with holes poked all over the top

Filling

  • Whisk together 3.9 ounces chocolate instant pudding mix and 2 cups milk for 2 minutes, then allow to thicken slightly.
  • Spread the pudding over the top of the cake all the way to the edges.
    chocolate pudding spread over chocolate poke cake in the pan

Frosting

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together 2 cups heavy cream, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ⅓ cup chocolate instant pudding mixuntil thick and fluffy.
    chocolate whipped cream frosting in the bowl of a stand mixer
  • Spread the frosting over the top of the cake all the way to the edges.

Topping

  • Add 16 Oreo cookies to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. (Or place in a plastic Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.) Sprinkle the Oreo crumbs over the top of the cake.
    Oreo cookie crumbs sprinkled all over a chocolate poke cake to make dirt cake
  • Write R.I.P. on 9 Milano cookies with black gel icing to make tombstones and then press them into the frosting so they stand up. Press 3 ghost Peeps into the frosting so they stand up.
    • If the Peeps have a hard time standing up, use a toothpick inserted into the bottom to secure each one. Just remind guests to remove them from their slice before eating.
  • Add 12 candy pumpkins near the ghosts and tombstones. Add Halloween sprinkles, if desired. Cut into 12 slices before serving.

Notes

  • This cake should be refrigerated within 2 hours after frosting or the frosting can get really dark and dense. It will keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • The cake can be baked up to one day in advance and then frosted and decorated just before serving.
  • Shopping note: Buy 3 small boxes of instant pudding: 1 chocolate fudge, 2 chocolate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 722 kcal | Carbohydrates: 78 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 44 g | Saturated Fat: 16 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g | Trans Fat: 0.1 g | Cholesterol: 103 mg | Sodium: 1139 mg | Potassium: 336 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 43 g | Vitamin A: 794 IU | Vitamin C: 0.3 mg | Calcium: 169 mg | Iron: 4 mg