Description
Pumpkin Poke Cake is a playful, ultra-moist fall dessert made with pumpkin spice cake, a sweet soak of condensed milk or caramel, and topped with cream cheese or whipped cream for a crowd-pleasing finish.
Ingredients
Cake Base:
1 box spice cake mix (or yellow cake + 2–3 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup milk or water
Soak:
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk or 1 cup thick caramel sauce
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping A (Cream Cheese):
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
Topping B (Whipped):
2 cups cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Garnish:
Toffee bits, chopped pecans, or caramel drizzle
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
2. In a bowl, whisk cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and milk/water until smooth.
3. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 25–32 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes across the cake about 1 inch apart, without reaching the bottom.
5. Warm condensed milk or caramel until pourable. Slowly pour over cake, filling holes. Let absorb 20–30 minutes.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
7. For cream cheese topping: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in vanilla, then whip in cold cream to medium peaks. Spread over cake.
8. For whipped topping: Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft-medium peaks. Spread evenly.
9. Finish with toffee bits, pecans, or caramel drizzle. Slice and serve chilled.
Notes
Flavor deepens if chilled overnight.
Do not skip chilling—it sets the soak and topping for clean slices.
Add flaky sea salt to balance sweetness.
Freeze slices without topping up to 2 months; add topping fresh before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 80mg