Description
This Vampire Poke Cake is a festive and fun dessert featuring a moist, tender almond-flavored cake filled with a homemade cherry sauce that seeps into every bite. Topped with fluffy whipped cream and more cherry sauce designed to resemble vampire fangs, this cake is perfect for Halloween or any occasion that calls for a wickedly delicious treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cherry Sauce
- 1 lb. fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Cake
- Cooking spray
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature, divided
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make Cherry Sauce: In a small pot, combine cherries, sugar, water, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and cook for about 2 minutes, mashing cherries occasionally until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree the sauce with an immersion blender or in a standard blender until smooth. Set aside, reserving 1/4 cup for topping later. Chill remaining sauce if making ahead.
- Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two long sides for easy removal. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, cream the sugar and softened butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in almond extract.
- Combine Ingredients: Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then half of the buttermilk, mixing on low speed just until combined. Repeat with another one-third of dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients using a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake and Poke: Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes, until it is risen and firm to the touch. While the cake is still warm, use a wooden spoon handle to poke holes about 1 inch apart in a grid pattern approximately 12 by 8.
- Fill with Cherry Sauce: Using a small spoon or piping bag, fill the holes with the remaining cherry sauce. Allow the sauce to soak into the cake, topping up as needed to fill all holes for a richly moist filling. Let cake cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight to set flavors.
- Prepare Topping and Serve: In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until medium peaks form. Remove the chilled cake from the pan using the parchment overhang. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake. Using a wooden spoon, poke holes in the whipped cream to resemble vampire fangs and fill these holes with the reserved cherry sauce. Drizzle or splatter additional cherry sauce decoratively on top before serving.
Notes
- You can make the cherry sauce a day ahead; keep refrigerated and bring to room temperature before using.
- Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve a smooth, airy cake batter.
- Make sure to poke holes while the cake is still warm so the sauce can absorb better.
- The cake can be refrigerated overnight to allow flavors to meld and sauce to soak perfectly.
- For a non-alcoholic and safe vanilla alternative, ensure the vanilla extract is pure and alcohol-free if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/18 of cake)
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
