Rich, sugary flavors ooze out of every bite of chocolate peanut butter poke cake. It's devilishly delicious, with the perfect balance of salty peanut and sweet chocolate flavors.
Chocolate and peanut butter lovers, this cake is for you! My Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake is the stuff dreams are made of. Rich, dense brownies are filled with peanut butter, covered with a fluffy peanut butter frosting, and topped with everyone's favorite, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Table of Contents
Homemade Chocolate Desserts
Peanut butter poke cake brownies are basically a larger, richer, and cake-like version of Reese's peanut butter cups. The bottom layer is a deep rich chocolate brownie that is filled with peanut butter - you know, just like your favorite Reese's peanut butter cups.
On top of the brownies, I used a light and fluffy peanut butter Cool Whip frosting. The lighter frosting is the perfect contrast to the fudgy brownies. Of course, to put it over the top, add more Reese's peanut butter cups - the inspiration for it all!
If you're a chocolate lover, don't stop with this chocolate poke cake. These Kahlua Hot Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Pound Cake, and Chocolate Doughnuts will put you in chocolate heaven. After all, there is no such thing as too many chocolate desserts!
Why This is the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake Recipe
Chocolate & Peanut Butter - like your favorite Reese's peanut butter cups - you can never get enough of this classic flavor combo
Ultra-moist and rich - the combination of brownies and fluffy peanut butter frosting just melts in your mouth
Easy to make - you can make your own from-scratch brownies or start with a boxed mix
Ingredients
For chocolate brownies from scratch:
- Butter
- Cocoa Powder
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Vegetable oil
- All-purpose flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
Peanut butter filling:
- Peanut Butter Chips or creamy peanut butter
For the peanut butter frosting:
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Vanilla Instant Pudding
- Milk
- Powdered Sugar
- Cool Whip
For the topping:
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Making Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
There are four components in making this incredible dessert. The first is chocolate brownies. The second is creamy peanut butter frosting. The third is peanut butter filling. The final is assembling and topping the poke cake.
Here are some photos and steps to guide you through the process of each:
How to Make Brownies from Scratch
- Melt butter in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Cover with paper towel as it can splatter when hot. Mix in cocoa powder.
- Stir and let cool slightly.
- Add sugar to chocolate mixture and stir well.
- Whisk in eggs, vanilla extract and oil.
- Mix dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt, and add to chocolate mixture.
- Mix until well incorporated.
- Pour into a greased and floured square baking dish.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.
How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting for Brownies
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and the pudding mix.
- Add milk.
- Beat until smooth.
- Fold in cool whip or similar whipped topping.
To Poke, Fill, and Frost Peanut Butter Poke Cake
- Once brownies are cool, use the back side of a wooden spoon and poke holes all over.
- Melt peanut butter or peanut butter chips and drizzle into the poked holes.
- Dollop the peanut butter frosting on top of the filled brownies.
- Spread until smooth.
OK, you probably thought I was done right? Nope! Top it off with more of that decidedly wicked combo of peanut butter and chocolate - Reese's peanut butter cups! Doesn't it have you drooling just looking at it?!
These brownies with peanut butter frosting are really the perfect dessert to make for the upcoming holidays whether it's a Halloween party, guests coming in for Thanksgiving, or for Christmas get-togethers.
It's easy to make if you can get past eating all the batter and frosting before you put it together, and you can shortcut it by using a boxed brownie mix. It comes out almost as decadently yummy as this one.
How to Store
Because the peanut butter frosting is made with Cool Whip, this tasty peanut butter chocolate poke cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The cake will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
To Freeze: Place the cake in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, shaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
More Peanut Butter Recipes
- Easy Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Easy Peanut Butter Pie from Tasty Treats & Eats
- Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles
Find lots of easy and delicious dessert recipes here on 2CM!
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup flour
Peanut Butter filling
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
Peanut Butter Cool Whip Frosting
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Cool Whip
- 8-12 Garnish: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease & flour an 8x8-inch baking dish.
Brownies
- Melt butter in microwave and stir in cocoa. Let cool slightly.
- Add sugar and stir well.
- Whisk in eggs, vanilla and oil.
- Mix salt, baking powder and flour together.
- Stir dry mixture into butter-cocoa mixture until well incorporated.
- Pour into prepared baking dish.
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let cool.
- Once cool, take the rounded end of a wooden spoon and poke holes in brownies, pressing down to bottom of pan.
Peanut Butter Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, melt peanut butter chips at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring in-between, until melted.
- Pour into holes in brownies. Don't worry if some gets on the top of the brownies, all is good! Let cool.
Peanut Butter Cool Whip Frosting
- While the peanut butter is cooling, whip up the peanut butter frosting.
- In a medium bowl, beat peanut butter with pudding mix and milk until smooth.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Spread frosting on brownies.
- Decorate to your heart's content with Reese's peanut butter cups.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos, an improved recipe, and step-by-step instructions. It was first posted on October 21, 2017.
