Red Velvet Poke Cake Recipe

4.74 from 19 votes

Published on June 25, 2021

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Red velvet poke cake is luscious and delicious. The entire recipe is so simple and starts with a cake mix. Everyone will love this easy recipe.

Red velvet poke cake is the best!

I love making poke cakes. They are just so easy and always turn out moist and delicious. This red velvet poke cake turned out to be a huge success!

Each bite is really decadent and my kids loved the chocolate chips on top. The next time you are craving red velvet cake but don’t have the time to make the traditional recipe, try this simple poke cake version. It is really good!

You might also like Red Velvet Pound Cake Recipe and Red Velvet Trifle Cups.

Ingredients

Cake:

red velvet cake mix plus Ingredients needed to make cake from the cake mix: eggs, oil, water, etc.
Sweetened Condensed Milk – Try our Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

FROSTING:

Cream Cheese – softened at room temperature
unsalted butter
Powdered Sugar
Milk
Vanilla Extract
mini chocolate chips – you can also use regular size chocolate chips but the mini is our favorite.

How to make red velvet poke cake:

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

While the oven is preheating, make the cake according to the box instructions. Pour into a 9×13 cake pan. Make sure to spray it with cooking spray first.

After the cake is finished baking, let it cool for about 10 minutes. Next, poke holes all over the cake. Make sure to get all over the cake. I usually do about 1 inch intervals and a wooden spoon handle works great for this.

Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk all over the cake. You want it to soak into all of the holes that you poked. This will make the cake moist and ensure each bite is yummy.

Finally, cover the cake and refrigerate overnight.

Let’s make the frosting!

Start by beating together the cream cheese and butter until well combined.

Second, add the powdered sugar and start with 1 tablespoon milk. Add the vanilla and beat everything together until well-combined.

You can add additional milk to get the frosting to the desired consistency.

The last step is to spread the yummy frosting over the cake. I like to do this once the cake is at room temperature.

Top with mini chocolate chips and that is it!

Mix in additional milk to the desired consistency.

Spread frosting over room temperature cake and top with the mini chocolate chips. That is it. Serve and enjoy!

Can you use homemade whipped cream?

Yes, you can. We have a really easy homemade whipped cream recipe. It is so delicious on thsi cake.

You can top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream. Also, if you are short on time or just want to try something new, skip the frosting and top with whipped cream. Yum!

How to store:

If you have any leftovers, store inside an air tight container. Put in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. I like to use the baking pans that have a lid. It makes it so easy for storing in the fridge.

Tips for this recipe:

Make sure you have a good 9×13 baking pan. I love the ones with the lid for traveling and they are also great for storing. You can also use disposable pans if you are going to a potluck or dropping the cake off with someone. It is nice to not worry about getting the pan back.
Buy on sale! I try to always pick up a few cake mixes when I see them on sale. I stock my pantry and it is nice to have them on hand when I need them and I love knowing I got a great price.

Try these ideas:

Chocolate- We used mini chocolate chips but you can use regular size or even chocolate pieces. It is a great way to use up leftover chocolate bars. Just chop up and top your cake with the pieces. You can also use white chocolate. I have actually mixed both together. Not only was it so pretty but it is delicious too.
Topping- The cream cheese frosting is delicious but whipped topping is great too. Try using both or just one. It is yummy either way.
Red food coloring- If you want the cake to appear more vibrant, add red food coloring to the cake mix. It is a simple way to deepen the red color.