Ultra-moist vanilla cake soaked with silky white-chocolate pudding, rippled with fresh raspberry sauce, and crowned with a fluffy cloud of whipped topping and chocolate curls. This White Chocolate Raspberry Poke Cake slices like a dream, travels beautifully, and tastes like a bakery dessert with weeknight effort.
Why You’ll Love It
- Moist to the max: Poke-and-soak method guarantees tender, custardy crumb.
- Flavor contrast: Sweet white chocolate meets bright, tangy raspberry.
- Make-ahead friendly: Even better on Day 2 as flavors mingle.
- Party perfect: 9×13 pan serves a crowd and slices cleanly.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Shortcut: Use a white/vanilla cake mix + ingredients on box; bake in 9×13.
White-Chocolate Soak
- 1 pkg (3.3–3.9 oz / ~96–110 g) instant white chocolate pudding mix*
- 2 cups (480 ml) cold milk (whole or 2%)
*If you can’t find white-chocolate pudding, use vanilla pudding + ¼ cup (43 g) finely chopped white chocolate stirred in.
Raspberry Sauce (Quick Compote)
- 2½ cups (300 g) raspberries (fresh or frozen; no need to thaw)
- ¼–⅓ cup (50–65 g) granulated sugar (to taste)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water
Topping
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream, chilled
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4–6 oz (115–170 g) good white chocolate, shaved or curled
- Extra raspberries, for garnish (optional)
Time & Yield
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Bake: 28–32 minutes
- Chill: 3 hours (or overnight)
- Total: ~4 hours (mostly chilling)
- Yield: 12–16 servings
Instructions
1) Bake the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (2–3 min). Beat in eggs one at a time; mix in vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry.
- Spread in pan; bake 28–32 min until a tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan.
2) Poke & Soak
- Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a thick skewer, poke holes every 1 inch, almost to the bottom.
- Whisk pudding with cold milk for 2 minutes until slightly thick but pourable.
- Immediately pour/ladle pudding evenly over the warm cake, nudging into holes. Chill while you make sauce.
3) Raspberry Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon. Cook over medium until juicy (3–4 min).
- Stir cornstarch slurry into the bubbling fruit; cook 1 minute until glossy and slightly thick.
- Cool to room temp (speed this up in the fridge).
- Spoon sauce over chilled cake; gently swirl for a marbled look.
4) Whipped Topping & Finish
- Beat cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to medium-stiff peaks.
- Spread over cake. Top with white-chocolate curls and extra raspberries.
- Chill at least 2–3 hours (overnight best) before slicing.
Nutrition (Per Serving, 16 slices)
Approx. 330–380 kcal, 18 g fat, 43 g carbs, 5 g protein, 170 mg sodium (varies by brands and swaps).
Pro Tips
- Pour while warm: Adding pudding to a warm cake helps it flow through the holes.
- Thickness check: If pudding firms up, whisk in 1–2 tbsp milk to loosen.
- Clean slices: Chill well and wipe the knife between cuts.
- Chocolate curls: Warm a white-chocolate bar slightly with your hands, then use a peeler.
Variations
- Lemon-Kissed: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest to cake batter; finish with lemon zest on top.
- Almond Bakery Vibe: Swap vanilla for ½ tsp almond extract in cake and cream.
- Cheesecake Cloud: Fold 4 oz (113 g) softened cream cheese into the whipped topping.
- Raspberry Jam Swirl: No berries? Warm 1 cup seedless raspberry jam with 1–2 tbsp water and use in place of compote.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Make-ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours before serving.
- Store: Covered and refrigerated 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Cake base + pudding layer (without topping) freezes up to 2 months; thaw overnight, add sauce and cream.
Enjoy the silky-sweet white chocolate, the bright raspberry pop, and the impossibly tender crumb in every bite!