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This Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake is the ultimate fall dessert—rich, moist, and bursting with warm pumpkin spice flavor. Sweet caramel sauce seeps into every delicious layer, making each bite melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Topped with fluffy whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon-kissed pecans, it’s a show-stopping treat that’s as easy to make as it is irresistible. Perfect for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or anytime you’re craving a little taste of autumn comfort.
Here are a few photos that might help your process!
Once your cake is baked, and has cooled for about 10 minutes, grab a thick straw, or wooded spoon and poke holes all over the top.
The caramel and sweetened condensed milk get drizzled over the top of the holes.
A layer of cool whip and toasted cinnamon pecans go over the cake.
So easy, so good!
Like…eyes rolled back into your forehead kind of good, my friends.
Trust me. She’s a keeper, a must make for fall and delicious concoction of wonder. 🙂
Hope you get a chance to try it!
Ingredients
- CAKE BASE:
- 1 spice cake mix
- 1 (3.4 oz) box of vanilla pudding
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 C pumpkin puree
- 1/2 C water
- 1/2 C oil
- 3 eggs
- FILLINGS:
- 1/2 C caramel ice cream topping
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- TOPPINGS:
- 1 (8 oz) container cool whip, thawed
- 1 C pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/4 C sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- dash salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour all the cake layer ingredients into your stand mixer, or large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure all the ingredients are becoming incorporated. Mix again, for 2-3 minutes, or until the ingredients are well incorporated. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While you cake bakes, let's toast up the Cinnamon Pecans. Please be aware that your home is going to smell like heaven. 🙂 Roughly chop your pecans. Grab a skillet and place the pecans, sugar, cinnamon and salt into it. Stir them around a bit with a spatula. Turn the heat to medium low. Keep a close eye on them. When the sugar starts to melt stir them as they cook, the sugar will turn dark and caramelize onto the nuts. Be super careful not to let them burn. They will go from "heavenly" to "burned" in just a matter of seconds. Remove from the heat immediately and pour them onto a plate to cool. It's a good idea to break large chunks up with your spatula while they are still hot.
- When your cake has cooked through, meaning a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- While the cake is still warm, grab a large straw, or wooden spoon. Use it to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Drizzle the caramel and sweetened condensed milk into the holes, and over the top of the cake. Use a rubber spatula to spread the caramel and condensed milk out evenly over the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Spread the cool whip over the top of the cake and sprinkle the Cinnamon Pecans over the top.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 48. It gets better the longer it sits.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up, adapted from a trifle recipe passed onto me by the lovely and wonderful Teena Stucki and Allison Parson
