Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

This moist pumpkin cake is poked and filled with caramel sauce, topped with a fluffy pumpkin whipped topping and drizzled with caramel and crushed ginger snaps.

My favorite cake recipes are old vintage cakes that I grew up on back in the day. Vintage and Southern Cakes are a serious thing here in the south. You see most of the cake recipes come from generations before us, and always have a story attached. For me that makes the cake much more enjoyable. 

 

I love poke cakes! They are always so moist and yummy. As a child the first cake I ever baked was the classic Chocolate Pudding Poke Cake aka (Stripe it Rich Cake). All it required was a cake mix, cake mix ingredients and chocolate pudding. It doesn't get any easier than that.

Fast forward to today and pudding poke cakes have evolved with time. I have seen so many versions and the flavor possibilities are endless. I'm so excited today to share this yummy fall inspired Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake.

Recently I partnered with Marzetti to develop a few recipes using their products, and share them over the next year. Fall is in the air, so for my first recipe I wanted to share something using their Caramel Dip. 

I've had this recipe floating around in my head for quite a while now. I told myself as soon as pumpkin season was in full swing I would post the recipe. I have to say this is one of my favorite poke cake recipes!

It starts with a baked spice cake, poked with holes and soaked with a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and caramel. Finish it off with a creamy whipped pumpkin frosting, and crushed ginger snaps. 

To start mix the sweetened condensed milk together with the old fashioned caramel dip, and set aside.   

Bake the cake according to package directions adding the egg, oil, water and pumpkin. When finished, while the cake is still warm poke holes all over the cake (about 1-inch apart) using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. Pour the caramel mixture all over the cake, aiming for each of the holes. 

Using an offset spatula spread the mixture evenly making sure the mixture goes into the holes. Refrigerate cake for one hour. Once the cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake.

Garnish with crushed gingersnaps and additional caramel topping drizzled over the entire cake. This cake is very easy to make and will impress everyone.

Yield: 8 - 10

Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

This moist pumpkin cake is poked and filled with caramel sauce, topped with a fluffy pumpkin whipped topping and drizzled with caramel and crushed ginger snaps.

Prep time: 1 H & 15 MCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 45 M

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) spice cake mix + (oil, water and eggs according to box directions)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2  to 1 cup sweetened condensed milk (use your preference)
• 1 cup Marzetti Caramel Dip or similar

Pumpkin Spice Whipped Frosting:

• 1 (3.4 oz) package pumpkin spice or butterscotch instant pudding mix (see note)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping, thawed (cool whip)

Garnish

• 15 gingersnap cookies or 1 cup graham crackers, coarsely crushed
• additional caramel dip for drizzling.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake according to package directions adding the oil, eggs, water and pumpkin. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake. Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
2. While the cake is still warm poke holes 1 - inches apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. If a lot of cake comes out on the handle, wipe with a paper towel and continue poking the holes. You want the holes all over the cake.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk (start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed) and the caramel dip. Pour the caramel mixture over the cake, making sure to fill the holes. It's OK if the mixture puddles on the sides.
4. Place cake in refrigerator and let cool for one hour. Once cake is cooled, prepare the whipped topping frosting. In a large bowl add the dry pudding mix, confectioners sugar and milk.
5. Using an electric mixer or a kitchen aid with the paddle attachment blend until the mixture starts to thicken. Fold in the whipped topping. Using an off set spatula or knife spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
6. Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed ginger snaps or graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with additional drizzled caramel topping. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.
7. This cake can be prepared the night before you would like to serve it.

Notes:

If you cannot find pumpkin spice pudding you can substitute with butterscotch or vanilla pudding, and add a dash of pumpkin pie spice. To make the caramel dip easier to drizzle for the garnish, place the caramel dip in a microwave safe dish and heat on the defrost setting for 20 - 30 seconds. Using a spoon drizzle caramel on frosted cake.

https://www.mommyskitchen.net/2013/11/easy-pumpkin-caramel-poke-cake.html

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Disclosure: I have been invited to participate in the Marzetti^® ambassador program. This post is a sponsored by Marzetti^® and products have been provided by them. I have been compensated for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions stated above are 100% entirely my own.