Pumpkin Poke Cake
This easy Pumpkin Poke Cake tastes like pumpkin pie in cake form! The spice from the moist cake combined with the pumpkin filling makes this the perfect autumn cake!
A PUMPKIN SPICE POKE CAKE
This Pumpkin Poke Cake recipe is a must-try for Fall! A moist, delicious spice cake is poked and filled with a lovely pumpkin pudding and drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with Heath bits- it’s pure indulgence! This is one dessert you’ll want to put on the menu! One bite of this scrumptious treat will have you dreaming of cool Autumn days and the holidays ahead.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
The key to any poke cake is to make sure you use the correct kind of pudding mix. You have to use Instant Pudding. If you get Cook and Serve, it will not set and you’ll end up with a goopy mess. Please pay attention to the box you pick up. Sometimes it’s not really obvious and you have to look for the words “Instant”.
Sure, if you want to swap out the spice cake, try a white cake or yellow cake mix. If you want to swap it out, add 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to the cake mix to help bring that pumpkin pie flavor!
Feel free to swap out the vanilla pudding for a different flavor like cheesecake, white chocolate, or even butterscotch pudding.
When you aren’t enjoying this cake, it needs to be refrigerated. Store leftovers covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- spice cake mix – see my FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) above for other cake flavors you can use. You can certainly make your own spice cake from scratch if you prefer.
- eggs, oil and water – go by the directions on the brand of cake you buy with how much of each to use.
- instant vanilla pudding mix – I cannot stress this enough – make sure it is INSTANT pudding. If you grab the Cook and Serve, it will not set up so pay attention to the box you grab.
- whole milk – you could use 2% milk if you prefer.
- pure pumpkin puree – don’t get the pumpkin pie filling – you just want the actually pumpkin pureee here.
- whipped topping – also called Cool Whip. You can make your own homemade whipped cream if you’d like.
HOW TO MAKE A PUMPKIN POKE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the cake mix and bake per the directions on the back of the box. When the cake comes out of the oven, take a wooden utensil handle or something similar and poke holes all over the cake, about 1 inch apart.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk again until smooth. Pour pudding over the cake. Take care to pour it right into the holes as much as possible. Spread it all out, and using the back of the spoon, gently push the pudding down into the holes. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to set. After the two hours, spread the whipped topping on top of the cake and place it in the fridge again for 2 hours or longer to set.
When ready to serve, add heath bits and caramel sauce for garnish.
Slice and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Pumpkin Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix
- ingredients needed to make the cake: eggs, oil and water (use the amounts given on the back of the box)
- 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces whipped topping (Cool Whip)
- ½ cup heath bits, for garnish
- caramel sauce, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the cake mix and bake per the directions on the back of the box.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, take a wooden utensil handle or something similar and poke holes all over the cake, about 1 inch apart.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk again until smooth.
- Pour pudding over the cake. Take care to pour it right into the holes as much as possible. Spread it all out, and using the back of the spoon, gently push the pudding down into the holes.
- Place in the fridge for 2 hours to set. After the two hours, spread the whipped topping on top of the cake and place it in the fridge again for 2 hours or longer to set.
- When ready to serve, add heath bits and caramel sauce for garnish.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- The other ingredients you need to make the cake may change from brand to brand. Always use whatever oil, eggs and water your cake box recommends
- This would still be good with vanilla or yellow cake mix. If using, I would put 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice in the cake mix.
- Must be kept refrigerated. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This pumpkin poke cake recipe is very good for a dessert!!!!!!!!!yummy!!!!!!!!!!Too!!!!
Can I make a buttercream frosting instead. Wanting to use a Bake Sale
It would be pretty rich but I suppose you could.