Unicorn Poke Cake (Printable version)

A whimsical confetti cake filled with colorful rainbow pudding and topped with fluffy whipped cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Base

01 - 1 box funfetti or vanilla cake mix (15.2 oz)
02 - Ingredients required for cake mix (typically eggs, vegetable oil, water)

→ Poke Filling

03 - 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 oz each)
04 - 4 cups cold milk
05 - Gel food coloring in pink, purple, blue, and yellow

→ Topping

06 - 1 tub whipped topping (8 oz), thawed
07 - Unicorn sprinkles or colorful confetti sprinkles

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
02 - Prepare cake batter according to package instructions. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
03 - Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
04 - Using the handle end of a wooden spoon, poke holes every 1–2 inches across the surface of the warm cake, pressing about halfway through.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together instant vanilla pudding mixes and cold milk until mixture begins to thicken, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Divide pudding evenly among 4 separate bowls. Add a different gel food coloring to each bowl and mix until vibrant colors are achieved.
07 - Spoon the colored puddings into the holes randomly, creating a rainbow pattern across the cake. Work quickly before pudding sets completely.
08 - Spread whipped topping evenly over the entire surface of the cake using a spatula.
09 - Sprinkle unicorn or colorful confetti sprinkles generously over the whipped topping.
10 - Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour to allow pudding to set completely. Slice into squares and serve chilled.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The rainbow puddings hidden inside turn every slice into a surprise that makes people actually gasp when they cut into it
  • It comes together with a boxed cake mix so you can focus all your energy on the fun part instead of stressing over perfect measurements
  • You get maximum visual impact with minimal baking skills which means anyone can feel like a pastry wizard
02 -
  • Warm cake accepts pudding better than completely cooled cake, so do not let it cool past that 10 minute window or you will struggle to get the filling down into the holes
  • Gel food coloring is non negotiable here because liquid coloring will water down your pudding and the colors will look sad and pastel instead of vibrant
  • The pudding thickens fast once you add the coloring, so work quickly or you will end up with four bowls of colored cement that will not spoon into anything
03 -
  • Use a chopstick instead of a wooden spoon handle if you want smaller, more delicate holes that look more professional
  • Mix your gel coloring in a separate bowl first with a drop of pudding to test the color before committing to the whole batch
  • If your whipped topping starts melting while you are spreading it, pop the whole cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm everything back up

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