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Introducing my Chocolate and Peanut Butter Poke Cake, a true eating delight. What is a poke cake you may ask? It is a cake that you bake and poke deep holes in to it. Then fill those holes with whatever you like. Peanut butter and chocolate is the flavour I went for in this version and it is beyond delicious! 😋

A white plate sits on a pink table cloth. On the plate is a slice of chocolate peanut butter poke cake. The slice shows the vanilla cake with chocolate ganache poked in to it. It is topped with a chocolate buttercream and pink blobs of meringue. A candle is burning in the centre of it. Behind the slice in the remaining cake blurred in the background with two candle burning behind it.

I made this delicious keke (cake) a couple of years ago for Whittaker's chocolate. The brief was to create a keke rā whānau (birthday cake) which was the dream challenge. I had always wanted to do a poke cake so I knew it was the perfect time to make it. I set to work creating and the final result hit every level of deliciousness.

Not a Peanut Butter Fan?

If you don't vibe with the chocolate and peanut butter combination, use my vanilla and chocolate poke cake (nut free) or Banana and Caramel Poke Cake. Does tiakarete (chocolate) and aramona (almond) with Biscoff sound more like you? Then this Chocolate Almond Cake is the keke (cake) for you.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

Ingredient Tips for my Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

A weaved cream mat sits on a blue table cloth, on a wooden table. On the mat is ingredients in vintage bowls and ramekins. Cubed butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt, a glass jar, an orange burning candle and a vase of large flowers are in view. Golden fairy lights are in the background.

Milk: Use full-fat miraka (milk) but trim will also work.
Vinegar: I add vinegar to milk to make buttermilk in this recipe. Any vinegar will do but lemon juice works as well. If you want to replace the homemade buttermilk with the store bought version, go for it!
Butter: I prefer salted pata (butter) because of the deep flavour but unsalted works.
Peanut butter: Pata pīnati māeneene (smooth peanut butter) is defiantly best for this recipe because it is in the cake and on top of the cake.
Eggs: I prefer free-range hēki (eggs) but use what you have.
Vanilla: Use a good quality vanilla so the vanilla flavour is pronounced in the cake.
Flour: Plain or high grade flour will work in this recipe.
Peanut Butter Chocolate: The Whittakers peanut butter chocolate melts down perfectly for the ganache but it can be swapped for another smooth milk chocolate.
Dark Chocolate: I used a 62% dark chocolate for the buttercream but use what you love or have.

Expert Tips:

Take the time to whip the pata (butter) and huka (sugar) for the specified time. You want this mixture to be light in colour and super fluffy. If after 5 minutes it hasn't reached that state, whip for a couple more minutes. This is important because it helps the cake rise well when baking.

Make sure the baking tin as close to a 20 cm x 25 cm rectangle or 23 cm cake tin as possible so the cake is thick enough when baked.

Bake the cake gently in a low oven, this gentle heat creates an even bake of the cake without doming.

When making the holes, use the end of a wooden spoon (2 cm wide) to poke deep holes around 2 cm apart all over the cake, going ¾'s of the way in. Do this gently but twisting the handle side to side to help it move cleanly in and out of the cake. (Refer to the video for a visual aid).

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER POKE CAKE:

Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.

A light purple vintage bowl with a crinkled eade sits on a wooden board. In the bowl is homemade buttermilk. A ceramic bird is in the background.

1. Preheat the Oven:

Preheat the oven to 145 °C bake setting, 135 °C fan bake setting.

Grease a 20 x 25 cm rectangle tin with 5 cm high sides or a 23 cm cake tin and line it with baking paper on the base and sides.

2. Create Homemade Buttermilk:

Add the miraka (milk) and winika (vinegar) or wai rēmana (lemon juice) in to a jug.

Give it a good stir and leave it aside to turn in to buttermilk.

A glass vintage bowl sits on a grey stone bench. In the bowl is whipped butter and sugar that is light in colour and texture. It is being whipped with a white hand mixer. A white cloth is in the background.

3. Whip the Butter and Sugar:

Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), pata pīnati (peanut butter), huka hāura (brown sugar), puehu huka (icing sugar), tote (salt) and wanira (vanilla) in to a large bowl.

Tāwhiuwhiua mō te 5 mīniti - whip it (on high) for 5 minutes. You want this mixture to be light in colour and super fluffy. If after 5 minutes it hasn't reached that state, whip for a couple more minutes.

4. Whip in the Eggs:

Add a hēki (egg) at a time, whipping for 20 seconds after each egg.

A glass vintage bowl sits on a grey stone bench. In the bowl is sifted dry ingredients that are a mountain shape. Behind the bowl is another vintage bowl on a wooden board with a spatula in it. A white metal vase is next to it and a bunch of yellow bananas and a peach candle are in the background.

5. Add the Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk:

Sift in half of the puehu parāoa (flour), and all of the pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda).

Then pour in half of the buttermilk mixture on top.

Āta whētuihia (gently fold it together).

Sift in the remaining puehu parāoa (flour) and the rest of the buttermilk mixture.

Whētuihia anō kia māene (fold it again until smooth).

A cake batter has been added in to a vintage baking tray that is lined with brown baking paper. A blue spatula and a glass bowl are hovering above the tray after adding the ingredients. Pink flowers are seen on the side of frame. Naomi stands behind it.

6. Bake the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Pour the ranunga (mixture) in to your prepared tin. Smooth out the mixture with a spatula and then bake it gently.

If you are baking it as a sheet cake it will take 40-45 minutes to bake.

If you are baking it in a cake tin it will take 45-55 minutes to bake.

Check the keke (cake) at the 45 minutes mark. The cake is ready when it springs back in the middle when pressed.

As it bakes, prepare the peanut butter chocolate ganache so it is ready to add as soon as the cake has baked.

A ceramic bowl sits on a silver pot on a black stove top. In the bowl is a melted chocolate ganache mixture that is being stirred by Naomi with a fork.

7. Prepare the Chocolate Ganache:

Pour around 4 cm of water in to the bottom of a medium pot. Bring it to a simmer over a low heat, you don't want a wild boil here, just a smooth simmer.

Chop the tiakarete pata pīnati (peanut butter chocolate) into small pieces.

Add the tiakarete (chocolate) and kirīmi (cream) in to a heat proof bowl.

Place the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.

Melt all of the ingredients together, stirring occasionally until a smooth glossy ganache forms. Then remove it from the heat and set aside.

A golden baked cake has holes all over it and a wooden handle is poking a hole in to the centre of the cake.

8. Poke Holes in to the Baked Cake:

Remove the cooked cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the tin.

Using the end of a wooden spoon (2 cm wide) gently poke deep holes around 2 cm apart all over the cake. Do this gently but twisting the handle side to side to help it move cleanly in and out of the cake (refer to the video for this).

9. Add the Chocolate Ganache:

When the holes are created, pour the chocolate ganache all over the cake.

Using a spatula, smear it all over the cake making sure it goes in to all of the holes. Drizzle over the extra pata pīnati (peanut butter) and spread it evenly all over the cake.

10. Cool the Cake:

Leave the cake in the tin to completely cool before adding the pani reka tiakarete (chocolate icing).

A vintage glass bowl with a silver trim sits on a wooden table. In the bowl is chocolate buttercream that is being whipped with a white hand mixer.

11. Make the Chocolate Buttercream:

Chop the tiakarete (chocolate) in to fine pieces. Add the pata (butter) and chocolate in to a small pot and gently melt it over low heat on the stove. Remove from the heat and cool it for 5 minutes.

Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) in a medium bowl. Whip it on high for 4 -5 minutes until light and fluffy in colour and texture.

Add the cooled tiakarete (chocolate) a tablespoon at a time, whipping well after each addition until it is smooth and fluffy.

A white bowl is sitting on natural fabric. It has a raspberry meringue inside it that is being whipped by a white hand beater. A bunch of flowers sit behind the bowl.

12. Make the Pink Meringue (Optional):

If you want to add a bit more flare, make a ⅔ batch of my French meringue recipe using the measurements below on the recipe.

Although the quantities are different, the recipe method remains the same.

Add the pink gel colouring when you are adding the wanira (vanilla).

A freshly baked Chocolate peanut butter poke cake is on a white board. The cake has been decorated with a chocolate buttercream and blobs of pink meringue. Brown and white sprinkles are also on it and sprinkles are coming down in the shot.

13. Decorate the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake with the back of the spoon to create a wispy effect.

Pipe on the merenge (meringue) if you are using it in whatever fashion you want.

Sprinkle with a handful of ruireka (sprinkles) and rau koura (gold leaf).

14. Store the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.

It will develop in flavour as it sits and in my opinion is even better a few days after it is baked. It will keep well for up to 5 days.

In the hotter months you can store the decorated and uncut cake it in the refrigerator but bring it to room temperature before eating.

Once it is cut, don't keep it in the fridge as the cake will dry out.

Need some more? Then look at these

Keke (Cake) Recipes

A slice for you and a slice for me, oh what a wonderful sight to see.

Browse all Cakes

Naomi Toilalo is at the table laden with baking. There is lamingtons, lemon meringue pie, custard slice and cream buns. She is decorating a cake in front of her and smiling.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?

It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page.

I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.

A square slice of chocolate ganache poke cake is on a white plate with a gold fork next to it. The ganache in the cake is seen and it is decorate with pink meringue blobs and sprinkles. It has a single candle in it that is lit.

Print Pin

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Poke Cake - Keke Tiakarete me te Pata Pīnati

A delicious vanilla and peanut butter poke cake filled with peanut butter chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate buttercream.

Course Baking

Cuisine Cake

Keyword best vanilla cake recipe, best vanilla cake recipe nz, birthday cake nz, moist vanilla cake recipe nz, peanut butter and chocolate cake nz, poke cake, vanilla and peanut butter cake, vanilla and peanut butter cake nz

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Equipment

1 x 20 x 25 cm rectangle tin with 5 cm high sides or a 23 cm cake tin

Ingredients

The Vanilla Cake - Te Keke Wanira (with a touch of PB)

1 ¼ C (310 ml) miraka (milk)
1 ½ tablespoon (22 ml) winika, wai rēmana rānei (vinegar or lemon juice)
175 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
⅓ C (85 g) pata pīnata māeneene (smooth peanut butter)
1 C (200 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
½ C (85 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
1 teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) wanira (vanilla)
2 hēki (eggs, size 7)
2 ¼ C (335 g) puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
1 ½ teaspoon pēkana paura (baking powder)
1 teaspoon pēkana houra (baking soda)

The Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ganache - Te Ranu Tiakarete me te Pata Pīnati

220 g tiakarete pata pīnati (peanut butter chocolate)
⅔ C (165) kirīmi (cream)
⅓ C (85 g) pata pīnati (peanut butter, optional but worth it)

Chocolate Icing - Pani Reka Tiakarete

100 g tiakarete tote (I used sea salt chocolate, 62% with saffron but use what you want)
125 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
½ C (85 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) wanira (vanilla)

French Meringue - Merenge Wīwī (Optional)

⅔ quantity of my French meringue recipe
2 kahu hēki (egg whites, size 6 eggs)
½ C (110 g) huka one (caster sugar)
¼ tsp kirīmi tāta (cream of tartar)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) wanira (vanilla)
3 drops pink food colouring gel

Instructions

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat the oven to 145 °C bake setting, 135 °C fan bake setting.
I know this is a low temperature but trust me, if you bake a little lower, the cake will stay nice and moist and rise evenly.
Grease a 20 x 25 cm rectangle tin with 5 cm high sides or a 23 cm cake tin and line it with baking paper on the base and sides.

Create Homemade Buttermilk:

Add the miraka (milk) and winika (vinegar) or wai rēmana (lemon juice) in to a jug. Give it a good stir and leave it aside to turn in to buttermilk.

Whip the Butter and Sugar:

Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), pata pīnati (peanut butter), huka hāura (brown sugar), puehu huka (icing sugar), tote (salt) and wanira (vanilla) in to a large bowl.
Tāwhiuwhiua mō te 5 mīniti - whip it (on high) for 5 minutes.
You want this mixture to be light in colour and super fluffy. If after 5 minutes it hasn't reached that state, whip for a couple more minutes.
This is important because it helps the cake rise well when baking.

Whip in the Eggs:

Add a hēki (egg) at a time, whipping for 20 seconds after each egg.

Add the Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk:

Sift in half of the puehu parāoa (flour), and all of the pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda).
Then pour in half of the buttermilk mixture on top.
Āta whētuihia (gently fold it together).
Sift in the remaining puehu parāoa (flour) and the rest of the buttermilk mixture.
Whētuihia anō kia māene (fold it again until smooth).

Bake the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Pour the ranunga (mixture) in to your prepared tin.
Smooth out the mixture with a spatula and then bake it gently.
If you are baking it as a sheet cake it will take 40-45 minutes to bake.
If you are baking it in a cake tin it will take 45-55 minutes to bake.
Check the keke (cake) at the 45 minutes mark.
The cake is ready when it springs back in the middle when pressed.
As it bakes, prepare the peanut butter chocolate ganache so it is ready to add as soon as the cake has baked.

Prepare the Chocolate Ganache:

Pour around 4 cm of water in to the bottom of a medium pot. Bring it to a simmer over a low heat, you don't want a wild boil here, just a smooth simmer.
Chop the tiakarete pata pīnati (peanut butter chocolate) into small pieces.
Add the tiakarete (chocolate) and kirīmi (cream) in to a heat proof bowl.
Place the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water.
Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
Melt all of the ingredients together, stirring occasionally until a smooth glossy ganache forms.
Then remove it from the heat and set aside.

Poke Holes in to the Baked Cake:

Remove the cooked cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the tin.
Using the end of a wooden spoon (2 cm wide) gently poke deep holes around 2 cm apart all over the cake going ¾'s of the way in to the cake.
Do this gently but twisting the handle side to side to help it move cleanly in and out of the cake. (Refer to the video for a visual aid).

Add the Chocolate Ganache:

When the holes are created, pour the chocolate ganache all over the cake.
Using a spatula, smear it all over the cake making sure it goes in to all of the holes.
Drizzle over the extra pata pīnati (peanut butter) and spread it evenly all over the cake.

Cool the Cake:

Leave the cake in the tin to completely cool before adding the pani reka tiakarete (chocolate icing).

Make the Chocolate Buttercream:

Chop the tiakarete (chocolate) in to fine pieces. Add the pata (butter) and chocolate in to a small pot and gently melt it over low heat on the stove.
Remove from the heat and cool it for 5 minutes.
Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) in a medium bowl.
Whip it on high for 4 -5 minutes until light and fluffy in colour and texture.
Add the cooled tiakarete (chocolate) a tablespoon at a time, whipping well after each addition until it is smooth and fluffy.

Make the Pink Meringue (Optional):

If you want to add a bit more flare, make a ⅔ batch of my French meringue recipe using the measurements above.
Although the quantities are different, the recipe method remains the same. Add the pink gel colouring when you are adding the wanira (vanilla).

Decorate the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake with the back of the spoon to create a wispy effect. Pipe on the merenge (meringue) if you are using it.
Sprinkle with a handful of ruireka (sprinkles) and rau koura (gold leaf).

Store the Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.
It will develop in flavour as it sits and in my opinion is even better a few days after it is baked. It will keep well for up 5 days.
In the hotter months you can store the decorated and uncut cake in the refrigerator but bring it to room temperature before eating.
Once it is cut, don't keep it in the fridge as the cake will dry out.