Easy Heath Bar Poke Cake

I love poke cakes! And, we love this new one, Easy Heath Bar Poke Cake!

For years my family has enjoyed a poke cake that we call “The Butterfinger Cake” which is actually a Butterfinger Poke Cake.

What is a Poke Cake?

Recently, I found out that these cakes are called a “Poke cake”. It’s funny, because I didn’t know this, so for all those years we called that cake the “Butterfinger cake”.

However, in the last few years or maybe many more these cakes have been called poke cakes, because you “poke” holes in the cake to allow the sweet sauce or whatever you pour on top to soak in. YUM!

As you will see, this cake has A LOT OF HOLES poked in the top of it. My daughter, Kaitlyn, came in the kitchen about the time I was fixing to poke the holes into the cake top and she wanted to poke the holes, LOL, and she poked a bunch.

I got tickled, because I don’t poke that many holes, but she sweetly informed me that the more holes that you poke into the cake the more sweetened condensed milk or sauce will soak into the cake. So, here we are, LOL.

What supplies do I need to make a poke cake?

• baking dish or cake pan 
• electric mixer
• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon or spatula

What is in a Easy Heath Bar Poke Cake: (scroll down for printable recipe)

• Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake mix or any of your favorite chocolate cakes
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Caramel
• Whipped Topping
• Heath candy bars

Is Off Brand OK?

Remember! That it is ok to buy an off brand of any of the ingredients! Sometimes, for the blog, I’ll buy name brand, but most of the time I don’t buy name brand. Why? Because, I have found out that the off brand USUALLY tastes as good as the name brand.

So, just because a recipe calls for a certain brand, remember that you can choose to buy a different brand!  

HUGE TIPS!

1. Let the cake cool completely. This is important, because the first time that I made this cake I didn’t let it cool completely. My cake was a little warm, but I was in a hurry to make it and I did not think that it would matter. Well, I found out different, lol, because I went ahead and added the cool whip. My topping of cool whip started sliding off the cake and I hurried and place the entire cake into the refrigerator to stop my cool whip from melting, lol.
2. To crush the Heath Candy bars, add them to a Zip-loc bag and place in the freezer. Once the candy is frozen then use a rolling pin to crush the candies. This prevents the chocolate from sticking to the bag during the breaking up process.

How do I make a Heath Bar Poke Cake? (scroll down for printable recipe)

1. The first step is to have a Preheated oven.  Follow box cake mix instructions.
2. Take a mixing bowl and mix up the box cake mix
3. Pour the cake batter into a sprayed cake pan – be sure cake batter is spread evenly in the pan
4. Bake following the cake box instructions – use a toothpick to check the middle of the cake, when it comes out clean then the cake is done
5. For best results, let the cake cool completely
6. Take a straw or end of a wooden spoon and poke holes into the top of the cake
7. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake and use a spatula to spread over the holes in the cake
8. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the cake and spread into the holes in the cake
9. Add the cool whip and carefully spread around.
10. Add crushed Heath candy bars to the top of the cool whip  
11. Place cake into the refrigerator
12. For the perfect dessert serve ice cold!  YUMMY!
13. Also, a scoop of ice cream on the side is the best part AND another drizzle of caramel sauce

How Many Holes Should You Poke In A Poke Cake?

Take a straw and poke holes into the cake. In the many years that I have made “poke” cakes I have used different utensils to poke holes. I have tried the end of wooden spoons and forks, but my youngest daughter, Kaitlyn, came up with the straw idea.

She LOVES the Butterfinger Poke Cake. Every year on her birthday she will ask for this cake and usually she wants to make it, I know she wants to make her own birthday cake, LOL.

Well, she found that using a straw was the best way to poke holes into the cake. I was starting to poke the holes into this red velvet cake and she came into the kitchen and started poking the holes for me.

I was surprised, because I didn’t plan on poking as many holes as she did, LOL, she poked A LOT OF HOLES, she said that this helped the sweetened condensed milk to soak MORE into the cake. So, she was teaching me and giving me some great advice!

Can I make my own Whipped Cream?

Yes, you can make your own homemade whipped topping. The ingredients are heavy whipping cream and a little sugar. Beat with mixer until you form peaks and then spread on the cake.

Place cake into the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. Remember that this cake is best eaten cold as told again by my kiddos, lol. However, the first piece was eaten warm, because they could not wait until the cake chilled, lol.

But, later after they had eaten more chilled cake, they said they did like this cake better cold. Needless to say, I will not have any leftovers to freeze which is wonderful to me, because I love to cook for my family and I enjoy it when they eat it all. LOL

Tips:

• A straw works great to poke holes
• The more holes the better (my kids say, lol)
• Best eaten cold (my kids say, lol)
• Make sure the cake is completely cool before adding cool whip, because it will melt to the sides, LOL (I found this out, because I was in a hurry)
• You can add crushed cookies to the top of the cool whip. Crush up your favorite cookie and sprinkle on top of the cool whip
• If you have any leftovers, you can place them in the freezer.
• You can also use any cake mix, instead of the red velvet cake mix. For example, try a german chocolate cake mix or a strawberry cake mix. The options are endless with all the different cake mixes and cookies.

How do I store leftover poke cake?

• Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the top of your cake, then place into the refrigerator.
• You can also cut your cake into slices and transfer it to an airtight container.

Can I freeze cake?

Yes, you can not only refrigerate cake, but you can freeze cake.  Cake will last about 3 months in the freezer.

Try a Different Cake Mix!

• German chocolate cake
• Strawberry cake
• White cake
• Chocolate cake
• Carrot cake
• Yellow cake
• Butter pecan
• Funfetti cake
• Lemon cake
• Orange supreme cake
• Banana supreme cake
• Cherry chip cake

Be sure to check out our other dessert recipes

• Cherry Pie Poke Cake
• Lemon Poke Cake
• Red Velvet Poke Cake: 4 ingredients
• Maple Pecan Cream Pie
• Turtle Cheesecake
• Butterfinger Caramel Cake
• Lemon Pie Bars With Lemon Glaze
• Granny Eppler’s Peach Cobbler
• Easy Key Lime Pie
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Perfect Cake For Your Next Party or Event:

• New Year’s Day or New Year’s Eve
• Valentine’s Day for your sweetheart
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Thanksgiving’s Day
• Christmas
• Wedding Showers
• Baby Showers
• Bridal Showers
• Anniversary parties
• Graduation parties
• Kid’s birthday parties
• Birthday parties

Easy Heath Bar Poke Cake