Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake
Welcome to pumpkin season 2016. I’ve got quite the showstopper of a pumpkin cake for all you pumpkin fiends.
It’s a ridiculously easy cake that starts with a boxed mix of spice cake, a can of pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. If you need an easy pumpkin dessert, look no farther than this cake. I wish I had put it in my pumpkin cookbook. Everyone who tried it loved it.
Poke cakes get their name because after baking, you poke holes over the surface of the cake and flood it with a sweet mixture. Here it’s a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and caramel sundae topping.
Pumpkin baked goods are notoriously moist and tender. Between the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and caramel sundae sauce, it’s one of the moistest cakes you’ll ever eat.
The cake is finished with whipped topping, toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, and salted caramel sauce.
The salted caramel adds a salty-sweet element, the toffee bits and chocolate chips add texture and contrast to the fluffy whipped topping and uber soft, melt-in-your-mouth cake.
Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake
This is a showstopper of a pumpkin cake. It’s a ridiculously easy cake that starts with a boxed mix of spice cake, a can of pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. A mixture of sweetened condensed milk and caramel sundae topping is poured over holes you poke in the cake after baking. Between the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and caramel sundae sauce, it’s one of the moistest cakes ever. The cake is finished with whipped topping, toffee bit, mini chocolate chips, and salted caramel sauce. The salted caramel adds a salty-sweet element, the toffee bits and chocolate chips add texture and contrast to the fluffy whipped topping and uber soft cake.
Ingredients:
- one 16.50-ounce box spice cake mix
- one 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- one 12-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- one 12-ounce jar caramel sundae topping
- one 8-ounce container whipped topping, thawed (I used fat free)
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup salted caramel sauce (storebought or homemade, regular caramel sauce or caramel sundae topping may be substituted)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the cake mix, pumpkin puree, egg, oil, pumpkin pie spice, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Bake for about 27 to 30 minutes, or until cake is set in the center, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
- While the cake bakes combine the sweetened condensed milk, caramel sundae topping, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- Remove cake from the oven when it’s done and use the blunt end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake. I didn’t count but I estimate I poked the cake in about 60 places, evenly spaced over the surface.
- Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk and caramel mixture over the cake, taking your time to evenly distribute it. Place cake in the fridge for about 15 minutes to cool slightly before adding the whipped topping so it doesn’t melt.
- Remove cake from the fridge, evenly spread the whipped topping over the surface, evenly sprinkle with toffee bits, chocolate chips, and evenly drizzle with salted caramel sauce. Cover cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) before slicing and serving. Cake will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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You have done it again! Managed another jaw dropping pumpkin recipe. I need to pick up the spice cake mix and I will make this tomorrow. Btw, I commented on your PB&J crumble bars…seriously Averie, those were so divine. :) thx for this
I saw your comment, glad you loved those bars!
This cake will be a big hit too if you make it, I guarantee it!
I think I have just seen the ultimate fall dessert!! You have the most delicious collection of poke cakes. I ‘d have a hard time choosing a favorite.
Thanks, Paula! This one really hit the spot because I hadn’t made anything pumpkin in months prior to this!
I’m ready for the change of seasons–pumpkin caramel poke cake sounds like a great way to usher in autumn!
I was having a massive pumpkin craving in the dead middle of the summer…and this cake just hit the spot!
Honestly, the only thing I can say is OHMIGOD.
Oh my! This is like heaven on a plate! :-)
Hey girl this looks amazing!
This sounds great- I love the combination of flavors.
Feeling so thankful it’s pumpkin time again!! This looks amazing, I bet it’s so moist with the pumpkin AND all of the extras!
I am right there with you and happy it’s pumpkin time again! So, so moist as you know poke cakes are!
This looks AWESOME. I am definitely whipping this up over the weekend!!! I’m ready for fall…and for this cake!!!
Hope you enjoy it!
Do you think you could go with a cream cheese whipped topping? Any ideas on how to do this with out it being overly heavy? Thanks
This is already a pretty heavy cake and I personally think the cream cheese whipped topping, although delicious, could push this into overly rich territory.
I would just google various ‘cream cheese cool whip frosting’ combos and see what you come up with. For me, whenever I add cream cheese to Cool Whip, the cream cheese instantly ‘takes over’ and all of a sudden you don’t have fluffy Cool Whip anymore, you have a much denser and less sweet cream cheese creation that you will likely need to add sugar to. Or you can make a regular cream cheese based frosting with butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, but again, the heavy/rich factor will come into play.
I made this last night and am eating it for breakfast this morning. ;) Vegetable, right? It is SO GOOD! Thank you for sharing this recipe, Averie! I followed yours exactly except that I used regular-sized chocolate chips because that’s what we had. Phenomenal!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Rave reviews from my guests last night. All I could hear is YUM coming from 6 people as they devoured this scrumptious dessert. Of course, I was asked for the recipe. Thank you so much! This will be on our Thanksgiving menu for sure!
Thanks for trying the recipe and so glad it got rave reviews and will be on your TG menu!
This looks great! Will have to give it a whirl! Thanks!
Why is lining the pan with foil necessary?
You don’t have to but I don’t like doing dishes so that helps save a lot of cleanup time.
Could I make this in 2 8×8 pans? I was thinking of taking one to my in laws and one to my family’s house for thanksgiving.
I’m sure that would be fine.
I am going to try the golden yellow cake mix, because I couldn’t find the spice cake.
I’m going to make this today and I have a question. What is the reason for lining pan with foil? Is it just for easier cleanup of the pan? If you could respond back by email. Thank you
Yes for easier cleanup.
Do you think I could bake the cake a day ahead and then poke the holes, do the milk/sauce/cool whip the next day and refrigerate?
Yes you could BUT I would honestly just bake the cake and make it from start to finish on one day, and then refrigerate until the next day. I do this all the time with cakes for photo shoots. Bake/make at night, photos the next day midday. Works just fine with poke cakes, they still taste great!
Any recommendations for making this with yellow cake mix? Increase pumpkin pie spice, maybe?
Sounds like a great start to me!
can you use yellow cake mix instead of spiced?
Yes, but it won’t have quite the depth of flavor, as long as you know that going in.