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Mexican Chocolate Poke Cake

Mexican chocolate poke cake with a moist cocoa crumb, cinnamon heat, and a glossy chocolate drip glaze. After baking, you poke the cake so the condensed milk and chocolate syrup soak in, then finish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
rest (cooling) 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
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
Wet ingredients and glaze
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 0.5 cup chocolate syrup
Topping
  • 2 cups whipped cream
  • 1 Chocolate shavings for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the pan and batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Keep it ready so the batter goes in right away.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl until evenly colored. Visually confirm no cinnamon or cocoa streaks remain.
  3. Beat together eggs, strong brewed coffee, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture should look uniform and glossy.
  4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined. Stop when you no longer see dry flour to avoid a tough crumb.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Tap the pan lightly for a level surface before baking.
Bake and poke for the chocolate drip
  1. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Look for the center to spring back slightly when pressed.
  2. While cake is still warm, pierce all over with a fork. Make many holes across the surface so the glaze can soak down.
  3. Combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup, then pour evenly over the warm cake. The chocolate drip should pool and soak into the punctures.
Cool and finish
  1. Let the cake cool completely before topping. The glaze should set and look slightly thicker as it cools.
  2. Top with whipped cream in an even layer. Smooth it gently so the surface looks lush but not runny.
  3. Finish with chocolate shavings for topping right before serving. Use a light hand so shavings stay visible on top.

Notes

For the cleanest poke cake slices, cool the cake fully so the condensed milk and chocolate syrup set without running. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the whipped cream texture can break after thawing. If you want a no-dairy swap, use a plant-based whipped topping and replace the buttermilk with an unsweetened soy milk + vinegar alternative.