Peeps Marshmallow Poke Cake Recipe

Celebrate Easter with a cheerful pastel Peep Poke Cake! This light vanilla cake starts with a convenient white cake mix, is poked and filled with creamy cheesecake-flavored instant pudding, and finished with a sweet whipped topping. Colorful marshmallow Peeps and pastel M&M eggs add a playful, seasonal touch. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing Easter dessert that’s fun to make and enjoyable to serve.

Using a boxed cake mix is a useful shortcut when you want a quick, reliable dessert—especially around busy holidays. This Peep Poke Cake is one of those recipes I return to every Easter because it’s fast to assemble and always gets smiles. The white cake gives a tender, neutral base that lets the pudding filling and colorful decorations shine.

The filling is a simple cheesecake instant pudding made with milk and a touch of pink gel food coloring for a soft pastel hue. After pouring the pudding into the holes, the cake chills until the filling sets, and then a light, slightly sweet whipped topping is spread on top. I tint the topping a pale green to suggest spring grass and finish with Peeps, M&M eggs, and green sprinkles for a festive look.

Serve this dessert as a centerpiece at your Easter table, or take it to a potluck or family gathering. It’s simple to scale and easy to adapt—swap pudding flavors or change the decorations to match your party theme.

Key Ingredients

Gather these ingredients before you start:

• White cake mix: One 15.25-ounce box, prepared according to package directions. A yellow or vanilla mix will also work if preferred.
• Cheesecake instant pudding: Two 3-ounce packages (divided). Instant pudding is required—do not use cook-and-serve varieties. You can substitute vanilla or another instant pudding flavor if desired.
• Milk: About 2 3/4 cups total, divided between the pudding for filling and the pudding for the frosting.
• Whipped topping: An 8-ounce tub of thawed whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) folded into the frosting for lightness.
• Powdered sugar: A few tablespoons to sweeten and stabilize the frosting.
• Gel food coloring: Pink and green gel colors give bright, concentrated color without thinning the pudding or topping.
• Decorations: Peeps marshmallows, Easter peanut M&Ms or pastel candies, and green sprinkles to finish the cake.

How To Make an Easter Poke Cake

1. Prepare the cake: Bake the white cake in a 9×13-inch pan following the package directions. Let the cake cool completely before poking.
2. Make the holes: Use the handle of a wooden spoon or the tines of a meat fork to poke holes about every inch across the surface, inserting halfway into the cake so the pudding will settle into each well.
3. Mix the filling: In a bowl, whisk one package of cheesecake instant pudding with 2 cups of cold milk until smooth. Add a few drops of pink gel food coloring and stir until you reach a soft pastel color.
4. Fill the holes: Before the pudding thickens, pour it over the cake and allow it to sink into the holes. Use a spatula to gently smooth the top so the pudding fills the wells evenly.
5. Chill to set: Refrigerate the cake for 2–3 hours, or until the pudding is set and no longer runny.
6. Prepare the frosting: In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining pudding mix with 3/4 cup milk and the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping to keep the frosting light and fluffy. Tint the frosting with green gel food coloring to create a pale grass-like color.
7. Finish and decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the chilled cake. Garnish with green sprinkles, Peeps marshmallows, and Easter M&M eggs or other pastel candies. Chill briefly if you prefer the toppings to set, then slice and serve.

Recipe FAQs

Have fun assembling this charming Easter Peep Poke Cake. It’s a simple way to bring color and sweetness to holiday gatherings without a lot of fuss. If you try this recipe, enjoy sharing it with family and friends—it’s sure to make the celebration a little brighter. Happy baking!

Recipe

Equipment

• 9×13 inch baking pan
• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer or whisk
• Silicone spatula

Ingredients

• 1 15.25-ounce box white cake mix, plus ingredients called for on the box (water, oil, eggs)
• 2 (3-ounce) packages cheesecake instant pudding, divided
• 2 3/4 cups milk, divided
• 8 ounces whipped topping (thawed)
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Pink and green gel food coloring
• Green sprinkles
• Peeps marshmallows
• Easter peanut M&Ms or regular M&Ms

Instructions

1. Prepare and bake the white cake in a 9×13-inch pan according to package directions. Let cool completely.
2. Poke holes about every inch across the cake surface with a wooden spoon handle or fork.
3. Whisk one package of cheesecake instant pudding with 2 cups cold milk until smooth. Add pink gel food coloring to achieve a soft pastel pink.
4. Quickly pour the pudding over the cake so it fills the holes, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
5. Refrigerate 2–3 hours until the pudding is set.
6. For the frosting, whisk the remaining pudding mix with 3/4 cup milk and the powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping, then tint with green gel food coloring.
7. Spread the frosting over the chilled cake. Decorate with green sprinkles, Peeps, and M&M eggs. Slice and serve.

Notes

• Storing: Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 2–4 days. Add marshmallow and candy decorations just before serving for best appearance.

Nutrition (per slice)

Serving: 1 slice • Calories: 260 kcal • Carbohydrates: 49 g • Protein: 4 g • Fat: 6 g • Saturated Fat: 4 g • Sugar: 24 g • Sodium: 847 mg