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Mexican Chocolate Poke Cake

Mexican chocolate poke cake with a cinnamon-and-cayenne spiced chocolate crumb and a gooey condensed-milk chocolate glaze. After baking, the warm cake is poked, soaked, and finished with whipped cream plus chocolate shavings for a dramatic drip top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Rest time (cooling + setting) 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
Cake batter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze and topping
  • 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 0.5 cup chocolate syrup
  • 2 cups whipped cream
  • 1 chocolate shavings for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Prep and bake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan, with a clean pan surface ready for batter.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper until evenly combined and no dry clumps remain.
  3. Beat together eggs, strong brewed coffee, cooled, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
  4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined, stopping when the last streaks disappear to keep the crumb tender.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Poke and glaze
  1. While cake is still warm, pierce all over with a fork so the glaze can soak in deeply.
  2. Combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup, stirring until glossy and pourable.
  3. Pour the condensed milk mixture evenly over the warm cake so it seeps into the holes and pools slightly on top.
  4. Let cool completely for 30 minutes so the glaze sets, then top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a visible chocolate finish.

Notes

For the most even soaking, pierce the cake in a tight grid while it’s still warm, then pour the glaze slowly across the entire surface. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the whipped cream is best within that time. Freezing is not recommended because the whipped topping can weep when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat whipped cream and reduced-sugar chocolate syrup (the texture may be slightly less rich).