Irresistible Pumpkin Poke Cake

This easy Pumpkin Poke Cake is bursting with all of the goodness of pumpkin, warm spices, and ooey-gooey caramel. If you’re looking for an irresistible fall dessert that is guaranteed to knock everyone’s socks off, this is sure to do the trick!

If this pumpkin poke cake has won you over, you’ve got to try our other poke cake creations! Dive into the creamy goodness of Banana Pudding Poke Cake or the warm, comforting flavors of our Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake. Each bite is a party on your plate!

There are times when you crave a dessert that’s simple but still feels special. That’s where pumpkin poke cake comes in! With minimal effort, this cake soaks up delicious flavors and delivers a moist, decadent treat that’s perfect for any occasion. You’ll love how easy it is to make and how your kitchen fills with the cozy aroma of fall!

What We Love About Pumpkin Poke Cake

• ​​Super easy to make, starting with a simple box cake mix.
• Incredibly moist with rich pumpkin fall flavor in every bite.
• Customizable toppings like whipped cream, caramel, and nuts for extra flavor.
• Perfect for gatherings, baked in a 9×13 pan for easy sharing.
• Great make-ahead dessert that only gets better the next day!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Canola Oil
• Spice Cake Mix (do not follow the instructions on the back of the box)
• Pure Pumpkin – do NOT use pumpkin pie filling.
• Eggs – room temperature
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger – Yes, these are in the pumpkin pie spice blend, but I wanted to bring their flavors forward in this recipe.
• Salt
• Caramel Sauce – store-bought or homemade caramel sauce
• Whipped Topping – thawed 
• Pecans
• Heath Toffee Bits

Simple Directions For Making Pumpkin Poke Cake

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

1. Grease a 9×13 dish or pan.
2. Mix dry cake mix, pure pumpkin, eggs, oil, and seasonings in a bowl.
3. Transfer to the dish and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
4. Cool, then poke holes in the cake.
5. Pour caramel sauce over the cake.
6. Top with whipped topping, pecans, toffee bits, and more caramel. Serve chilled.

Tips For Success

• Make sure to use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. 
• For the freshest cake, add the whipped topping, nuts, and caramel just before serving. 
• To prevent the cake from sticking to the end of the wooden spoon, dip the spoon in water before poking. You can also use a straw or a fork for smaller holes.
• Use a rubber spatula to help the caramel to sink into the holes of the cake.
• Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing to incorporate all of the ingredients.
• Use any neutral oil — vegetable oil and canola both work well.

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Storage

• ​​Super easy to make, starting with a simple cake mix base.
• Incredibly moist with rich pumpkin flavor in every bite.
• Customizable toppings like whipped cream, caramel, and nuts for extra flavor.
• Perfect for gatherings, baked in a 9×13 pan for easy sharing.
• Great make-ahead dessert that only gets better the next day!

Recipe Variations

• Filling – Instead of caramel choose another liquid to pour over the cake like sweetened condensed milk, jello, pudding, or cream of coconut.
• Cake Flavor – Swap out the spiced cake mix for any other flavor. Both white cake mix and yellow cake mix work well. 
• Topping – Use cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or your own favorite frosting instead of whipped topping. Or, instead of using whipped topping try making homemade whipped cream. 
• Nuts – Try walnuts in place of pecans. 
• Chocolate – Fold chocolate chips into the batter. 
• Extract – For a warm aroma, add just a bit of vanilla extract

Frequently Asked Poke Cake Questions

What is poke cake made of? 

Poke cake can be made with any cake flavor. It’s then filled with a liquid like caramel, jello, pudding, or condensed milk, making it extra moist and flavorful. 

Why is my poke cake soggy? 

If the holes in the cake are made too close together, the cake may turn out soggy. Be sure to place them evenly and space them out. 

Do you poke holes in a cake when it’s hot or cold? 

If you poke the holes when the cake is cold the surface of the cake could crumble, but avoid doing it when the cake is still hot so that it retains its structure. Once the cake cools, but has not been refrigerated is the ideal time to poke the holes.

Indulge in the delightful flavors of this irresistible pumpkin poke cake, a perfect treat for any fall gathering. With its moist texture and delicious toppings, it’s sure to become a seasonal favorite that everyone will love!

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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Irresistible Pumpkin Poke Cake

Yield: 15 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Inacctive Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Irresistible Pumpkin Poke Cake! Moist pumpkin cake infused with caramel, topped with whipped topping, pecans, and toffee pieces, and served cold for the ultimate fall treat!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 13.25 ounces spice cake mix (do not follow the instructions on the box)
• 15 ounces pure pumpkin
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup caramel sauce, divided
• 8 ounces whipped topping, thawed
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1 cup heath toffee bits

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. 
2. To a bowl add the dry cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and seasonings. Mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
3. Pour the batter into the baking dish. 
4. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted comes out almost clean. It is okay to have a few crumbs on the toothpick or knife. 
5. Allow the cake to cool completely (about 2 hours).
6. With a wooden spoon poke holes into the cake. 
7. Pour ¾ cup of the caramel sauce on top of the cake.  Be sure to get it in the holes. You can also use a rubber spatula to help the caramel to sink into the holes of the cake.
8. Cover the cake and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
9. Spread the whipped topping over the cake and top with pecan pieces, toffee bits, and drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce.
10. Keep refrigerated and serve cold.

Notes

Notes:

• A cream cheese or vanilla frosting would be great on this cake as well. 
• Be sure to use pure pumpkin (also labeled as solid pumpkin). Do not use pumpkin pie fling.
• You can use yellow or white cake mix for this recipe. 
• You can use any kind of neutral oil
• You can make this the day before. I add the caramel drizzle and pecans before serving. 
• If the cake is sticking to the end of the spoon you can dip the end of the spoon in a glass of water, which will prevent so much of the cake sticking to the spoon.

Cover and store leftover cake in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 446
Total Fat: 23g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 41mg
Sodium: 399mg
Carbohydrates: 58g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 42g
Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.