This Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake recipe takes a box of butter pecan cake mix and turns into the fall dessert of your dreams! Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, caramel, and a few other ingredients dress up this poke cake, with cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts for a beautiful finish.
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What’s in Caramel Pumpkin Poke Cake?
This richly spiced pumpkin cake is poked all over and soaked with gooey caramel for a flavor and texture you won’t forget! Top it off with tangy cream cheese frosting, and it’s sure to be the star of the show!
- Butter Pecan Cake Mix: Grab your favorite brand for this easy cake mix recipe! Betty Crocker is usually my go-to, but any other box will also work.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds a classic pumpkin pie flavor to the cake mix.
- Eggs: Give the cake structure and richness.
- Pumpkin Puree: Adds moisture and rich pumpkin flavor to the cake.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the cake.
- Caramel Sauce: Perfectly complements the earthy pumpkin cake.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: An easy hack to make a tangy topping for this pumpkin poke cake.
- Cream Cheese Spread: Helps make the frosting tangier and less sweet.
- Whipped Topping: Makes the frosting light and fluffy.
Pro Tip: Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, so it will make the cake too sweet.
Variations on Pumpkin Poke Cake with Caramel
You can make this delicious pumpkin caramel poke cake with a different flavor of cake mix, such as vanilla, white, or spice cake mix. And for a slightly richer caramel taste, try using dulce de leche instead of caramel sauce. Feel free to fold in some chopped pecans for a bit of crunch.
It’s called a poke cake because we poke holes into the cake after baking to create wells for the liquid to pool and soak into the cake!
Be sure not to poke all the way through the cake when you make the holes. They should be about 3/4 of the way through the cake. The holes should be around 1 inch apart. Too close together and the cake will be too moist; too far apart and there may not be enough filling.
If your cake is soggy, either there are too many holes or the filling is too liquid-y. Make sure to use a thicker caramel sauce or caramel ice cream topping to ensure it doesn’t sink to the bottom. Also, be sure to space the holes out from each other.
How to Store
This pumpkin caramel poke cake will keep well in the fridge for 2 days. It will still be good to eat after that, but it will start to get a little dry. Keep it covered to extend it’s life as long as possible.
How to Freeze
To freeze pumpkin poke cake, wrap tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tasty poke cake with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream and an iced caramel macchiato or a pumpkin spice latte. It’s such a fun pumpkin dessert to add to your holiday table!
More Pumpkin Cake Recipes
Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces butter pecan cake mix 432 grams (1 box)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 9 grams
- 3 large eggs 150 grams
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree 425 grams (1 can) – not pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup milk 114 grams
- 1¼ cup caramel sauce 400 grams, divided
- 16 ounces cream cheese frosting 454 grams (1 tub)
- 8 ounces cream cheese spread 227 grams (1 tub)
- 8 ounces whipped topping 227 grams, thawed if frozen (1 tub)
- Chopped pecans optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan well with cooking spray.
- Whisk the cake mix and pumpkin pie spice in a large mixing bowl until combined.15.25 ounces butter pecan cake mix, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- Use a hand mixer to mix in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and milk until thoroughly combined.3 large eggs, 15 ounces pumpkin puree, ½ cup milk
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer with a spatula.
- Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake bounces back when tapped gently with a finger.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, about 40-60 minutes, and then poke large holes in the cake, being careful only to poke ⅔ of the way down the cake. I recommend using a cupcake core or a large straw if necessary.
- Spread 1 cup of the caramel topping all over the cake, focusing on the holes, and allow it to seep into the cake.1¼ cup caramel sauce
- To make the frosting, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese frosting and cream cheese spread in a medium-sized mixing bowl until light and fluffy.16 ounces cream cheese frosting, 8 ounces cream cheese spread
- Gently fold in the whipped topping until combined.8 ounces whipped topping
- Spread the topping evenly over the cooled cake with a spreading spatula, and then cover it well and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining ¼ cup caramel topping over the top of the cake and top with chopped pecans, optional.Chopped pecans
- Cut into squares and serve.
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, so it will make the cake too sweet.
- Use the spreadable cream cheese in a tub, not block-style cream cheese.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi! I can’t seem to find the 15 oz box of butter pecan cake. I only found a 13.25oz box. Any suggestions on how to adjust the other ingredients? Thanks!!
Hi Beth, I would keep the spices, eggs, and milk the same, use 13 ounces of pumpkin and 1 cup of caramel sauce, and keep the frosting amounts the the same.