Love An Ultra-Moist Cake? Try Making One With This Vintage Method

Nobody likes a dry cake, but some of us are extra enthusiastic about an ultra-moist texture — it simply feels more decadent and indulgent. While there are many different types of juicy cake out there, one of the coolest is a blast from the past: poke cake. It's basically a standard sheet cake that you poke medium-sized holes in (hence the name) after the base is baked. Then, you pour a liquid of your choice over the cake to fill the holes, which makes it super moist and also brings additional flavor to the party. What you choose to pour over the cake often ends up being the most defining piece of the entire dessert.

Poke cake, a fairly tame representative of bizarre vintage cakes, was popularized in the '80s thanks to an ad campaign by Jell-O that first introduced the idea. The original poke cake was, therefore, filled with Jell-O, which gave it a fun, unique appearance once it was chilled and cut. The frosting was made from Cool Whip in what appeared to be a lucrative joint promotion, as both products come from the same company, Kraft Heinz. The second version of poke cake was another brainchild of Jell-O's — instead of the gelatin, though, this one featured the company's branded instant puddings in the classic chocolate and vanilla flavors. There was no frosting, as the pudding nicely sat on top of the spongy cake.

Gelatin and pudding may have been the reigning fillings of the vintage poke cake, but the modern iterations of this dessert have expanded into a much more liquid territory, where the primary function of the soaking is to provide moisture, not necessarily to look extra-aesthetic when the cake is cut. Using a sweet syrup is a common choice — we used a strawberry syrup in our strawberry champagne poke cake recipe — but if you prefer a gently tangy dessert, any citrus-based syrup would be the perfect way to add more flavor and moisture to a lemon cake.

It's fair to say that puddings are still very much used as fillings, but the flavors have grown beyond the standard chocolate and vanilla. Our pineapple coconut poke cake features coconut cream pudding, but you could easily have fun with other flavors, like pistachio or cheesecake. Another popular soaking for the poke cake is sweetened condensed milk — a great compromise if you want something thinner than pudding but creamier than syrup. You can even boost the flavor of the condensed milk by adding spices or fruit juice to it. Finally, if the poke cake you're making is for adults, give it a boozy twist and pour on the bourbon.