This Grasshopper Poke Cake is super easy and over-the-top delicious. Just boxed cake mix and a few ingredients to make an incredible fudge mint cake for dessert!
Love poke cake recipes? Me too. Make sure to add this Coconut Cream Poke Cake and my favorite Lemon Poke Cake to your “to bake list” next!
Why This Cake is Best
Grasshopper Poke Cake is what happens when you look at a chocolate cake and think, “Okay, but what if there was more chocolate?”
After baking, the cake gets poked with holes and topped with creamy chocolate pudding.
- The fudgiest cake ever.
- Perfect creme de menthe flavor.
- Minty whipped topping.
- Easy to make with a boxed mix!
If you think that sounds decadent: just wait.
From there, I topped with a layer of hot fudge sauce and and mint Cool Whip, plus chocolate chips. Because, why not?
Did I mention there’s actual Andes mint chocolate in every bite? Yeah. We’re talking pure chocolate mint paradise!
If you love minty grasshopper desserts, our Grasshopper Pie recipe is perfect. No bake cheesecake filled with Oreos and mint flavor!
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate cake mix. Bake it according to package directions OR use our homemade chocolate cake recipe.
- Andes mint baking chips. Fold these morsels into the cake batter before baking.
- Chocolate pudding. A package of instant pudding mixed with milk is perfect.
- Hot fudge sauce. Any jarred fudge sauce is perfect. No need to heat it first!
- Cool whip. Adds lightness to the rich, fudgy cake. Use our homemade cool whip or whipped cream if you prefer.
- Mint extract. It’s added to the Cool Whip for mint flavor.
- Green food gel. Optional but adding a single drop gives the cake its pale “grasshopper” color.
Easy Instructions
Start by baking the Andes mint chocolate cake. While it’s baking, prepare the pudding and the Cool Whip topping.
Take the cake out of the oven and poke holes all over the top. Pour the pudding over the warm cake.
Immediately spread hot fudge sauce over the top of the cake. Add the Cool Whip topping, then sprinkle with mini chocolate morsels.
Chill the cake for 4 hours in the refrigerator. Slice and enjoy COLD!
Tips and Tricks
- How to poke holes: I use the handle of a wooden spoon or a meat thermometer. A wooden skewer or chop stick would be perfect too!
- The more holes the better. It doesn’t matter how big they are, but the entire top should be dotted with holes as much as possible. This allows the hot fudge and pudding to soak into every bite of the rich cake.
- Use a 13 x 9 pan. Boxed mixes will often have instructions for baking the cake in different shapes and sizes. Follow the guide for this size pan for best results.
- Make the night before. Prepare the cake in advance, then chill it overnight for a delicious easy dessert the next day.
Recipe FAQ
Grasshopper desserts are named after a popular after-dinner drink that uses creme de menthe as its primary flavor.
The pale green color and refreshing minty taste inspired grasshopper pie and grasshopper cakes like this one.
If you don’t want to use Cool Whip, or don’t have access to it where you live, you can make your own with this Stabilized Whipped Cream recipe. It works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute for topping poke cakes of all kinds.
No, it does not. You can add the fudge sauce right away after pouring on the pudidng.
Leftover cake is a rarity in my family! If you do end up with some remaining slices, you can store them tightly covered in the fridge for about 5 days.
More Easy Cake Recipes
- Apple Pie Poke Cake: I crave this beauty all year long! So easy and is loved by all.
- Banana Split Poke Cake: so many delicious flavors in one easy cake!
- Hummingbird Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- Yellow Cake recipe
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Grasshopper Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix with ingredients
- ¾ cup Andes creme de menthe baking chips
- 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix 3.9 ounce
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ¼ cup hot fudge sauce
- 16 ounce Cool Whip thawed
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- green food coloring
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Bake chocolate cake according to package directions for a 13×9 cake. Before baking though, fold in the Andes baking chips!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the pudding mix with milk. Remove cake from oven and poke holes over the top immediately. I use a wooden skewer for this.
- Pour the pudding mix over cake while warm (no need to let pudding set). Spread hot fudge sauce over the top of the cake. Some of the pudding and hot fudge will settle into the holes of the cake, it's a good thing!
- In a large bowl, fold the Cool Whip with mint extract and a drop of green food coloring. Spread over cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate cake for 4 hours or overnight. Slice and serve!
Notes
- Prepare a chocolate cake in a 13×9 or use our favorite easy chocolate cake recipe.
- How to poke holes: I use the handle of a wooden spoon or a meat thermometer. A wooden skewer or chop stick would be perfect too!
- The more holes the better. It doesn't matter how big they are, but the entire top should be dotted with holes as much as possible. This allows the hot fudge and pudding to soak into every bite of the rich cake.
- Use a 13 x 9 pan. Boxed mixes will often have instructions for baking the cake in different shapes and sizes. Follow the guide for this size pan for best results.
- Make the night before. Prepare the cake in advance, then chill it overnight for a delicious easy dessert the next day.
Video
Nutrition
Creme de menthe, chocolate cake and fudge come together in this easy Grasshopper Poke Cake recipe. Make it tonight and you’ll be set for dessert tomorrow!
I can’t handle the goooey delicious decadence of this cake!!!
sinfully gooooood!
I always have to taste what I bring to gatherings and sometimes that “taste” can be a slice – just to be sure it’s good. You can’t go wrong with a poke cake and that mint and chocolate combo is the best.
I totally understand your family’s frustration! My family gets mad when I make a treat and they can’t eat it until I am done taking pictures of it which is sometimes a couple days later! Haha at least they get some 😉 This cake looks delicious! I just made a red velvet poke cake this weekend but this has fudge?!?! YUM!
You knocked this poke cake out of the park, Aimee – love all those amazing layers!
This cake looks out of this world amazing! And testing out recipes on family is the best part – they sing your praises if it’s awesome and there’s less for you too eat/throw away if it comes out terrible, ha!
This looks great! My son would go nuts over this – he is so into everything Mint!!!
I’m loving all the layers, Aimee! The pudding, the hot fudge, the cool whip, and most importantly the cake! I need to make a poke cake soon and it must be this one. Pinning!
This looks like a true indulgence! Loving all the layers! Pinned!
This looks amazing. I love poke cakes. Such a weakness of mine.
Looks yummy! I’m still old school on the poke cakes and use the end of a wooden spoon! More pudding please! lol
THIS IS SO FUDGY. BRB, dying.
PS – I love all your poke cakes so much!
Oh my gosh, I NEEEEED this cake!! Totally love it.
Whoa. This looks so ooey gooey and awesome!!
Haha everyone is so used to a slice missing from me! No one even bats an eye anymore. I love this cake, obvi. Mint, chocolate. TO DIE FOR!
You are way better than me, Aimee. I would have eaten the entire bag of Andes baking chips and really failed at the potluck. It’s called quality control, right? 😉
My family has to deal with me and my ridiculous half-eaten desserts too. They’re pretty forgiving once they get to dig in themselves, though!
This looks amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever had a grasshopper pie before. For shame.
I like anything with the word Poke in it as long as it’s not a Facebook poke. (I mean what are those anyhow). Mint desserts are the best! They just settle your stomach after a nice, big dinner. Looks so easy too.
Ohhhhhhh goodness gracious! This needs to GET IN MY BELLY ASAP!!!!!!!
I’m loving all of these mint recipes for St. Patty’s Day! This looks delicious. The pudding adds a great touch to an already delicious-looking dessert.