Why is my poke cake soggy?

Make sure the holes aren't too close together or too far apart —if they're too close together, your cake could be too moist; if they're too far apart, there may not be enough filling throughout the cake. Once you've poked holes throughout the cake, pour the filling on top.

Why is it called poke cake?

Yes, a poke cake is a cake that is poked full of holes, on purpose and with purpose. The baker pierces the top of the freshly baked cake and then pours over something sweet, syrupy or creamy, and often colorful, to run down into those holes, settle, and soak.

How do you keep a cake super moist?

Seven Bakery Secrets to Incredibly Moist Cakes Every Time Use Buttermilk Instead of Milk. Add Vegetable Oil. Use Instant Clearjel or Instant Pudding Mix. Use the Right Recipe. Don't Overbake. Bake in Sheet Pans Instead of individual Cake Pans. Use a Simple Syrup or Glaze. Apr 23, 2021

Is poke Chinese or Japanese food?

Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish and sushi originates in Japan . Hawaiian food takes a lot of influence from Japanese food, but poke is Hawaiian. Traditionally, poke is made from ahi tuna or octopus (tako) that has been roughly cut into bite sized pieces and marinated with whatever was on hand.

Also referred to as a Kransekake or a Viking Wedding Cake, this famous cake resembles a small tower built of 15 rings of pastry made from almond paste and sugar . Traditionally there is a bottle of Cherry Kirsch or wine inside the rings which guests enjoy with a piece of the cake.

Why is it called dump cake?

A dump cake is an American dessert similar to a cobbler but with a cake-like topping. It is so named because it is prepared by "dumping" ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing .

What to do if your cake has a soggy bottom?

There are a few things you can do to fix a soggy bottom cake: Use parchment paper. ... Grease the pan well. ... Use a lower oven temperature. ... Don't overbake the cake. ... Let the cake cool completely before frosting. Apr 1, 2020

Eggnog Poke Cake Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Bake

by: Grant Melton

November13,2018

9 Ratings

Prep time 1 hour
Cook time 30 minutes
Serves 6-8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

A poke cake is a dessert made with a light, springy, absorbent sponge drowned in a sweet, milky custard. There’s plenty of versions, but the one you're probably most familiar with is a tres leches cake, which is typically soaked in three milks: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. But for this show-stopping dessert, I’ve replaced the creamy mixture with a festive holiday spirit, eggnog. —Grant Melton

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 cupflour
1 teaspoonbaking powder
¹/₂ teaspoonground cinnamon
¹/₂ teaspoonsalt
¹/₄ teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg, plus more for topping
3 eggs, divided
³/₄ cupsugar
2 cupsstore-bought eggnog (or a recipe of your own)
¹/₃ cupwhiskey
1 cupheavy whipping cream
¹/₄ cupconfectioners sugar
1 teaspoonvanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on a high speed. While whipping, slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Continue to whip until all of the sugar has been incorporated and the whites are glossy and frothy, about 2 minutes. Turn down to the lowest speed and add in the egg yolks. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until they’ve all been incorporated. Pour the batter into a shallow 3-quart baking dish.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Remove the cake and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
While the cake is cooling, whisk together the eggnog and whiskey. Set aside.
After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, poke holes in the top of the cake using a wooden skewer or a fork. Pour half of the eggnog mixture onto the cake. Let the cake soak for 15 minutes and then add the rest of the eggnog. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge overnight.
When you’re ready to serve the cake, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Whisk in the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Spread the whipped cream over top of the soaked cake and grate nutmeg over the top. Serve with a nip of whiskey!

Tags:

Cake
Egg Nog
American
Whiskey/Whisky
Nutmeg
Make Ahead
Serves a Crowd
Bake
Entertaining
Christmas
Christmas Eve
Winter

See what other Food52ers are saying.

JMM
See Also
Applebee's French Onion Soup - CopyKat Recipes
Iowa_Pie_Lady
kathleen Ballanfant
James Oligney

Popular on Food52

4 Reviews

JMM December 23, 2023

I made this twice last year and each time it didn’t rise and the whole thing was a disaster. The thing is I had made it the previous 2 years and it came out perfect and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong so I read the reviews and Iowa Pie Lady had the answer. I switched to an 8.5 x 11 3 QT dish rather than the 13 x 9 3 QT and it came out perfect again. I don’t remember doing that in the past but I only make it once a year so who knows. I also used all the eggnog and whiskey in the recipe. Delicious.

Iowa_Pie_Lady December 23, 2020

I saved this when it first came out but just now got around to making it. Mine turned out great! The casserole dish that I used, which is exactly 3 quart size, is 8.5" by 11" (slightly oval) and 3" tall. The cake came about half way up the sides - with the whipped cream the dish is about 3/4 full. It tastes very much like a tres leches cake only with eggnog flavor. I was nervous about putting that much eggnog over it so I started with 1 & 1/2 cups but I think the full 2 cups would be just fine - the cake is supposed to be 'soaked' the way a tres leches cake is.

kathleen B. January 5, 2019

I have the same problem, James. There is something wrong with this recipe! May be the use of a 3 qt pan, which is waaaay too big for the amount of batter. 2 cups of eggnog drowns it! Come on, Food52 folks, help us out! I have a 12th Night party tomorrow I want to serve it to! I can make it again if you tell me what to change!

James O. December 25, 2018

hi! I just made this cake last night. I baked it in a 3 quart pyrex pan and after sitting overnight there are pools of eggnog on top of the cake. I poked it, and followed all directions to a T. The cake is only about an inch high up the side of the pan. Any idea what went wrong? I dont think I can serve it. :(