Enjoy the King of Rock and Roll’s birthday with this Ode to Elvis Poke Cake! A peanut butter cake with Elvis’s favorite foods!
The Ode to Elvis Poke Cake
Celebrate the King of Rock and Roll’s birthday with this Ode to Elvis Poke Cake! A peanut butter cake with banana cream pudding, topped with sliced bananas, Cool Whip, crispy cooked bacon, and a peanut butter glaze!
Y’all, I have gone and lost my ever-lovin’ mind. Don’t send me nasty emails, but I’m not really a fan of Elvis …. he has a few songs I dig … but I never really “got” the whole thing that people see in him. I’m not hatin’ … I just don’t understand. Maybe I was just a victim of being born into the wrong generation so I wasn’t meant to “get it”? You may be wondering why someone would go and make “The Ode to Elvis Poke Cake” …. well, I really have no logical reason other than it’s just fun and yummy! Really, do we need a better reason?! I’ve been sitting on this post for a few weeks – and I have been dying to share it with y’all!! Thankfully, today is the day – I can’t keep it to myself any longer!
Where it all began…
So, in all seriousness, you have to be wondering why I would do something like this. Let me share with you how it all began …. When I was about 5 or 6, I had to have surgery. As a matter of fact, other than having children, it is the only time I have ever been hospitalized in my life. I kinda try to avoid doctors and hospitals. I don’t like ’em. It’s nothing personal – but usually, a visit to the doctor or hospital involves some sort of painful experience or bad news – and I’m not really a fan of those either!
Anyhow, I had to have my tonsils and adenoids taken out. A very common procedure. No big deal. I remember after the surgery, I was given a free ticket by the nurse to drink all of the 7-Up and eat all of the popsicles I wanted. In my very young mind, I thought that was kinda cool. As a matter of fact, I remember the nurse walking me down to the little room where all of the snacks were and her telling me that I could have anything I wanted, whenever I wanted. I’m pretty sure I didn’t want to leave. EVER. Popsicles will do that to kids.
The “Elvis Sandwich”
I also remember that my first real food at the hospital (that wasn’t popsicles or 7-Up), was an “Elvis sandwich.” I can’t remember what else was served with it …. but I loved that sandwich. I thought it was the coolest thing! My mom never made sandwiches like that for me at home. I got plain ol’ pb&j or lunchmeat …. and maybe an occasional grilled cheese! BORING!
Some of y’all might know what an Elvis sandwich is … but for those of ya that don’t know – it’s a sandwich with peanut butter, banana, and bacon on it! Seriously!! Of course, as a kid, I had no idea what it was called or even who Elvis was. Truthfully, I didn’t even care. But I remember that sandwich. For all of these years, I have remembered it. Until I was an adult, it was the first and last time I had that sandwich …. and I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have ever eaten another one in my life.
Making the cake
The thing is, I never really realized how awesome Elvis was (or whoever made that sandwich for him). I mean, what’s not to love about peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich? Can I get an amen? I had this crazy idea a few weeks back of making that sandwich into a poke cake – y’all know I’m obsessed with them, right? (A few of my bloggy friends who like to tease me a bit about my poke cake obsession are nodding their heads right now …. some of them might even think I’m a bit of genius with this poke cake – I can hope, right?! lol)
I know what you’re saying … enough of the chit-chat lady, just show me the recipe ….. Get out your stretchy pants friends, without further ado, I share with you The Ode to Elvis Poke Cake:
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The Ode to Elvis Poke Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup butter, softened 1 stick
- 4 eggs
- 1 box Duncan Hines butter golden cake mix 18.25 oz.
- ⅔ cup water
Additional ingredients for the cake:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 box Jello banana cream instant pudding and pie filling mix 3.4 oz.
- 4-5 bananas peeled and sliced
- 1 container Cool Whip, thawed 8 oz.
- 12-16 ounces bacon cooked, crumbled and drained
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Spray a 9×13-in. baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the ½ cup peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined. Add half of the cake mix and ⅓ cup of water. Mix until just combined. Add remaining cake mix and remaining ⅓ cup of water; mix until just combined. Pour batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 30 minutes.
- With the handle end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake. There is not a set number of holes, but you will want plenty for the pudding to fill.
- In a medium bowl, combine the instant pudding mix and milk. Pour the pudding mixture over the cake, trying to fill the holes the best you can. You may need to use the back of a spoon to help spread the pudding mix and fill the holes. Top with the sliced bananas. Evenly spread the Cool Whip over the cake. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the ¼ cup creamy peanut butter and 5 tbsp. milk. Microwave in 10 seconds intervals until smooth, stirring between each time. Carefully pour the mixture into a small zip-top bag and snip a small piece off one of the corners. Drizzle the peanut butter glaze over the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least four hours before serving.
Notes
- Try crunchy peanut butter for added texture!
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on October 24, 2013. Updated on April 24, 2021.
Yep! I'm one of them nodding my head and calling you a genius Jamie! I showed this to Mr. B and his eyes got big and all he could utter was "Geezus!". That to me means I have to pin it to make for him soon 🙂
Oh my gosh. This looks so good!
So funny! My maiden name is Presley, and I lived through years and years of Elvis jokes and pranks. I think I prefer Elvis Poke Cake… So would the king!
I'm speechless. "The King" would be proud. I just can't even imagine how good that cake must be. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Blessings,
Nici
I hope that you had a fabulous SITS Day Jaime!
Rachel recently posted The 16 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful Women
Love this!! 🙂
Well, there are all these "talks" about him still being alive … IF so, your poke cake should draw him out most definitely ..lol! Awesome, Jamie, I pinned this 😉 {and wait for that knock on the door from the King!!}
I've never had that combination of flavors together but I like them all separately so definitely trying this one out. Yum! Thanks for linking up to the weekend re-Treat link party!
Jamie – this cake simply looks FANTASTIC
I really wish we had banana pudding here (but we don't) as I'd looooooove to eat this cake
You are just too funny… I remember hearing about Elvis food loves… this cake is so much fun.
Jamie, have pin this to my Group's board and also personal board immediately when I saw this. Elegantly done,
Yum Jamie! What a great cake idea! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Bacon on a cake…..never would of thought of that! Pinned 🙂
~ Jenn @ We Do FUN Here
This cake sounds interesting! =)
Putting on my stretchy pants now. This looks amazing!
Oh my Lard! I found you via the link party at Tater Tots and Jello…and so glad I did! Poke Cakes? You are a lady after my own heart love them…any way, any time…any flavor. I am simply amazed at all the blogs I find, that I never knew about! Subscribing now…I don't want to miss anymore!
Elvis? I am with you, it is OK…but I never really "got" him, maybe it is a generational, thing, heck it I know…but you had me at BACON with this cake! LOVE IT!
Peanut butter, banana and bacon! AMEN! Definitely a tasty combination! Thank you for another amazing creation! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Wow…just wow! I never understood the whole obsession either, but I was also only 9 or 10 when he died. I think he would enjoy this cake…..everyone would! 🙂
Chocolate "Wasted" Poke Cake – YEA! Banana, Peanut Butter and Bacon? I love Elvis, I'm just not sure about this? I've never tried bacon in dessert, although I know it's VERY popular. I might have to try this though, gotta try everything at least once, right? Thanks for making an awesome cake, AGAIN, and sharing on Best of the Weekend!
Love your story about the Elvis sandwich! Funny how certain things that happen to us as kids create lasting memories like that. This cake looks delicious! Pinning!
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry
Wow! and a Big Wow!! I think that about sums it up:) I will be trying this cake! Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
GGUURRLLL we need to talk , over a piece of cake! I grew up on Elvis, my mom and her sisters have TONS of memorabilia , records, cassettes and 8 tracks. Yep they do. My daddy would have loved this as well.
Now to make it without peanut-butter, cause I'm allergic. I'll have to use my WOW butter. 😉
Love it! looks good!
I would love if you would link up with me and share!
http://thediaryofarealhousewife.blogspot.com
I love this cake recipe and the name of it 🙂 Pinned while I was here tonight!
Shauna @ The Best Blog Recipes
This looks amazing. I'm pinning this to try later. Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful week!
Congratulations on your SITS day. I hope it was a great day for you.
I'll be sharing this recipe with my mom. She's a huge Elvis fan.
This looks like it would be a hit at any party!
Cheers, Debi from Life Currents
http://lifecurrents.dw2.net
This looks amazing! Going to pin it now!
Jamie, this is insane–insanely AWESOME! Bacon makes my world go round and I love the pure decadence of this cake!
Hi Jamie. Thanks for linking up this yummy poke cake and a few of your other delicious recipes to the Sweet Wednesday Link Party! Hmmm..peanut butter, banana and bacon, sounds interesting and it's probably really good too. Hope you're having a great week.
Hugs,
Heather
MySweetMission.net
This must taste SOOOO good! Thank you for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Wow! This is an amazing cake! Thanks for sharing this great recipe at The Pin Junkie Link Party! It was featured this week. I hope you'll stop by to grab a featured button! http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2013/10/friday-link-party-41_31.html
Holy cow and I need this right NOW, Jamie!! {PS I am kind of with you on the "Elvis" thing. Don't get it}. 😉 Anyway, a BIG congrats – this was the most viewed link at our Best Of The Weekend party last week and will be featured across all three of our blogs when the party goes live at 8PM EST this eve. Yahoo!! Thanks for linking it up and we can't wait to see what you will bring next time!! XO
This looks like a delicious cake, if Elvis liked it I would too! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great weekend!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
This recipe would make " The King" proud Jamie! It looks divine! Thank you, Thank you very much for sharing at the Fluster Buster party! Lizy party co host
Oh. My. Word. Running to my closet to get my stretchy pants so I can make this cake asap! Would also love to have you share this at our Super Saturday Link Party going on now! http://www.madefrompinterest.net
Thanks!
Deb
Great fun recipe Jamie! Loved your story too~ I have a recipe for a blueberry and bacon breakfast cake that is delicious, I will eat bacon in anything, can't wait to try this!
Jenna
Ok…I confess. I was nodding my head. I also confess that I'm not big on Elvis either. But I loved this story. Only you could turn an Elvis sandwich into a poke cake. One of a kind, girl!
Thanks for linking with See Ya in the Gumbo. I spent some time out of town and we'll have this week's party up Monday night.
Hi Jamie, your delicious Elvis Poke Cake is one of my Top Features from last week's Sweet Wednesday Link Party! Congrats and stop by to grab a Featured button! 🙂
Hugs,
Heather
MySweetMission.net
Congratulations…this post was featured on Create It Thursday #27! Thanks so much for sharing such a great idea with us last week!
Congratulations…this post was featured on Create It Thursday #27! Thanks so much for sharing such a great idea with us last week!
Love it … had to share it … I married into an Elvis lovin' family!
I made this last night. It was good! Loved the bacon in the topping. You could probably used real bacon bits, but if you fry the bacon yourself you can size and chewiness. The cake was better for breakfast this morning than it was for dessert last night (even though I did let it chill before serving as directed). So, I think it's definitely a make ahead recipe which is nice. I didn't notice the peanut butter flavor in the cake all that much, though. So I am thinking you could make the cake as described on the box. Maybe make a double batch of glaze and put half on the baked cake when it comes out of the oven and then on top of the cool whip as the recipe describes. That would cut the total extra peanut butter in the recipe by 1/4 a cup and require 1 less egg. It was definitely an interesting and delicious flavor combination.
This was good! Loved the bacon in the topping. It was better for breakfast this morning than it was for dessert last night even though I did chill it before serving as directed. So, I think it's definitely a make ahead recipe which is nice. I didn't notice the peanut butter flavor in the cake all that much, though. So I am thinking you could make the cake as described on the box. Maybe make a double batch of glaze and put half on the baked cake when it comes out of the oven and then on top of the cool whip as the recipe describes. That would cut the total extra peanut butter in the recipe by 1/4 a cup and require 1 less egg. The "poke" part of the cake didn't work easily for me. I let the cake cool about 45 minutes before putting the pudding on. Maybe if you put it on when the cake was warm, it would be a little more "melty" and go in the holes more easily. Nevertheless, it was good and I will make it again.
What a crazy FABULOUS idea for a poke cake! I'm loving this, Jamie!!!
I am so doing this in cupcakes for my 60th birthday on January 8th!!
I am so doing this for my 60th birthday (which was incidently 8th of January 2016). The party will be on 6th of Feb.
My fav Elvis song… American Trilogy. Love it.
My favorite Elvis song "Ruby, Ruby" thanks for sharing this recipe. As "All Shook Up" as I am over this, I'll sing a few songs while enjoying.
Hey Jamie! I saved this recipe many moons ago and forgot about it as usual. It popped up in my Facebook memories a few days ago and I got all the ingredients today. Gonna make it tomorrow while I am working from home. So excited! Anyone have any tweaks or suggestions?
Just made the Elvis poke cake for my fiancé, he and I both love bacon with bananas?yum!! My favorite Elvis song is In the ghetto ?however, I love several of his songs?Thanks for sharing the wonderful recipes!
Jamie,
This does look nice & good! I know someone who likes bacon, bananas & peanuts. Could you also add the bacon to either the cake batter or the pudding? Thank you!