Why Instant Pudding Is So Ideal For Making A Pudding Poke Cake

There's nothing worse than baking a cake that comes out too dry. With a pudding poke cake, you can kiss that dryness goodbye. This clever cake gets its name because it calls for you to poke holes in it so that you can pour liquid, like condensed milk or pureed fruit, over the cake to keep it moist and seep through those holes. But, you can take your poke cake to the next level by subbing instant pudding for the liquid. Since instant pudding is thick and creamy, it gives your cake an extra layer of indulgence. While you can use homemade pudding, it takes longer to thicken and set. Instant pudding, on the other hand, can be whisked within minutes with no fuss.

With so many flavors of instant pudding at the grocery store, you can whip up many variations of pudding poke cake at home to suit your tastes. Choose from options like banana, chocolate, and vanilla, or even try a zesty lemon poke cake. While you're obviously not limited to using instant pudding to drench your poke cake in delicious flavors, it's an easy way to make your cake a guaranteed success because its prep time is a breeze — simply whisk the instant pudding with milk as you normally would. For an even easier pudding poke cake, you can use instant pudding for the requisite liquid and a cake mix for the sponge. Since instant pudding brings moisture to dry boxed cake, it should be your new go-to baking ingredient.

As opposed to dryness, when making a poke cake, you might find that it becomes soggy instead of moist. What gives? This can happen when you pour too much liquid into the holes of your cake. This can occur when the holes are less than an inch apart from each other and this is why instant pudding is such a game-changer — its thick consistency won't drench the cake sponge too quickly, resulting in a soggy mess. Instead, instant pudding contains modified cornstarch that sets in cold liquids (like milk) without requiring heat, which causes it to thicken up nicely.

If you want to garnish your pudding poke cake with additional ingredients, wait until the cake has properly cooled — this could also cause your cake to become soggy. This applies to cake frosting, crumbled cookies, or when using fruits as a topping. As long as the cake is cool, you can unleash your creativity with underrated fruits to top your cake for more texture and flavor without it becoming sodden.

Instant pudding poke cake is easy to make, but there are some tips to ensure it stays moist and delicious. After pouring the oozy instant pudding into the cake, remember to tap the cake pan on a table so that there won't be air in the sponge that prevents the pudding from getting all the way into the holes, which can cause dry spots. 

It's also good to bear some instant pudding hacks in mind to elevate the taste and texture of your instant pudding. This includes thoroughly mixing the instant pudding powder with the milk to prevent any lumps. Just make sure you stop whisking it once the pudding starts to firm up because it will become thick very quickly. 

Now you're all set! The next time you're craving cake, try making pudding poke cake with instant pudding from the store. It's a great option for a delicious, moist cake, and the pudding visible in the sponge makes it even more delightful.