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A slice of Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and chocolate chips on a white plate.
Maryam

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

A moist pumpkin spice cake soaked with caramel and topped with fluffy whipped cream for the ultimate fall dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 15.25 oz yellow cake mix one box
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 0.75 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the Soak
  • 14 oz caramel sauce divided, store-bought or homemade
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk one can
For the Topping
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch Baking Pan
  • Wooden spoon handle or skewer for poking
  • Electric Mixer

Method
 

Bake the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Beat cake mix, pumpkin puree, milk, oil, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.
Poke and Soak
  1. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the top using the handle of a wooden spoon, spacing about 1 inch apart. Do not skimp - you want plenty of holes for the caramel to seep in.
  2. Whisk together 1 cup of the caramel sauce with the sweetened condensed milk. Pour slowly over the warm cake, using a spatula to spread it evenly and coax it into the holes. Let the cake cool completely on the counter, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the Topping
  1. Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Spread evenly over the chilled cake.
Finish and Serve
  1. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

For deeper flavor, use homemade caramel sauce or a good-quality store brand like Ghirardelli or Trader Joe's salted caramel. The cake must be completely cold before adding whipped cream or it will melt. Make this a day ahead - the overnight rest lets the caramel soak fully into the cake for the best texture.