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
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!
Love chocolate and mint together so this looks amazing! My kiddies will love this too! 🙂
Does this need the be stored in the fridge?
Made this tonight for my moms 70th tomorrow. She loooooves chocolate. I’m torn whether to top w coolwhip as your recipe calls or should I top w whipped chocolate frosting?? Too much chocolate that way?? Let me know your thoughts if you get this! Thanks!
I love using Cool WHip on this cake because the cake itself is so rich and fudgy! It adds a lightness to a very dense cake 🙂
Do you wait until the cake has cooled before topping it with the cool whip?
My child asked for chocolate sheet cake so I had the idea to just do cake with hot fudge and cool whip but then I did a Google search and came across your blog. Now I’m curious what does the chocolate pudding do to the cake?!? I was just gonna throw together what I was thinking but then saw this and thought I might should try it.
It makes it so incredibly moist and rich. So. Much. Yum. 🙂
I made this for my husband’s st. patrick’s day birthday! He brought it to work to celebrate with everyone and I can’t wait to hear how it all turned out! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
I will say that out of all the poke cake, I am partial to mint chocolate!
I have to agree Julianne 🙂
I’m the queen of showing up with dessert that has a serving or two missing… It’s why I almost always pre-slice my cakes! That way, I can arrange all of the slices on a plate, and nobody notices the missing two. (Until they check out the blog or Instagram… 😉 ) And I totally wish I could be adopted because that cake + pudding mix combo is calling my name way too loudly! Pinned!
Pre sliced cakes? What a genius idea 🙂 Thanks for pinning!
I could eat this entire cake! Not even kidding. I like how easy it is to make and it’s the perfect cake to bring to family and friends!
Oh wow Aimee! Chocolate + Mint = Heaven! This looks amazing… I love poke cakes and I can’t wait to try this.
I totally know what you mean about always testing new recipes out on your friends and family! I thought I was the only one that did that haha!
This cake looks amazing!! Pinning!
Thanks for pinning Amanda 🙂
Everyone around me is so used to the missing slice or hacked at dessert that I show up with. And yes, more cake is always a good thing! Love this fun chocolate mint pudding cake!!!
That’s kind of my way of playing with fire, Aimee. I tell people I’ll bring the dessert for a potluck, invent something, and cross my fingers and hope for the best. It’s kind of nerve-wracking, but also a total high when it works out great.
This is definitely one of those big successes. I love it!
I know. I live on the edge, haha!!!
This cake sounds delicious and you added a whole jar of hot fudge. Yes please!! I am always torn at work potlucks if I want to blog about something I make. To precut and photograph before or after. After never seems to work!
What a rich, fudgy, decadent dessert. Save me a slice, Aimee! Pinning for later. xo, Catherine
Wow, this is one mouthwatering creation! I am in love with chocolate and mint, and I would eat this cake happily, with or without a missing piece!
So yum!