Pumpkin Poke Cake

This one shows up at every fall gathering in our house and people ask for the recipe every single time. The best part is how easy it actually is.

Pumpkin poke cake is the fall dessert that looks like you put in serious effort and is actually one of the easiest things you can make. A box of spice cake mix gets upgraded with real pumpkin, extra pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla, baked into a 9x13 pan, poked all over with a straw, and soaked with sweetened condensed milk that fills every hole and makes the whole cake incredibly moist and slightly sticky in the very best way. Chilled, topped with Cool Whip, drizzled with caramel, and scattered with Heath toffee bits and chocolate chips. It feeds a crowd from one pan and every slice looks and tastes like fall.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• The pumpkin in the batter replaces a significant amount of the oil and adds a natural moisture that makes this cake denser and more tender than a standard spice cake on its own.
• The sweetened condensed milk soaked into every hole turns what would otherwise be a regular sheet cake into something rich, slightly sticky, and deeply indulgent in a way that makes every slice taste specifically like a special occasion dessert.
• Everything sits in one 9x13 pan from baking to serving which makes this one of the easiest large-batch fall desserts you can make for a crowd.
• This is a make-ahead dessert by design. It has to chill before the topping goes on which means the hard part is done hours before you need to serve it.

Ingredients Needed to Make Pumpkin Poke Cake

The Cake

Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix is the shortcut base that already has warm spice flavor built in. Pure pumpkin adds moisture, natural sweetness, and genuine pumpkin flavor throughout the entire cake. Three eggs add structure. Water and vegetable oil provide the liquid and fat the mix needs. Extra pumpkin pie spice doubles down on the warm fall spice character. Vanilla extract adds warmth and depth.

The Filling and Topping

Sweetened condensed milk poured over the poked cake soaks into every hole and every crumb and creates the signature moist, slightly caramel-flavored interior that makes poke cakes so irresistible. Cool Whip spread over the chilled cake adds a light, creamy, cold topping layer. Caramel sauce, Heath toffee bits, and chocolate chips finish the whole thing off with sweetness, crunch, and a little chocolate in every bite.

How to Make Pumpkin Poke Cake

Step 1: Make the Batter and Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 pan. Combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, oil, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 2: Cool Completely

Let the cake cool completely at room temperature then transfer to the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. The cake needs to be completely cold and firm before the holes are poked.

Step 3: Poke It!

Use a straw to poke holes all over the top of the cake about 1 inch apart. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the entire surface allowing it to fill all the holes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 4: Top and Serve

Spread the Cool Whip evenly over the chilled cake. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and scatter Heath toffee bits and chocolate chips generously over everything. Slice and serve cold.

Storing and Reheating

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The cake stays moist and the flavors actually deepen overnight making this one of those desserts that is genuinely better on day two. Add the toffee bits fresh each day if possible since they soften as they sit on the Cool Whip.

How to Serve Pumpkin Poke Cake

Serve cold directly from the refrigerator in generous squares straight from the 9x13 pan. Extra caramel drizzle on each individual slice and a sprinkle of fresh toffee bits makes every plate look bakery-worthy. For another easy Everyday Cookbook fall dessert that pairs beautifully with this one on a holiday dessert table, the Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Dip covers a completely different pumpkin and caramel combination in a no-bake dip format.

Meghankay

Pumpkin Poke Cake

5 from 1 vote

This pumpkin poke cake bakes a spiced pumpkin sheet cake, soaks it with sweetened condensed milk, and tops it with Cool Whip, caramel, Heath toffee bits, and chocolate chips for an easy impressive fall dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 1 box spice cake I used Betty Crocker
• 1 can pure pumpkin 14 oz
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1-2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can condensed milk 14 oz
• 1 container refrigerated cool whip 8oz
• Heath toffee bits
• Caramel sauce
• Chocolate chips

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl combine the spice cake mix, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, water, and oil according to the amounts listed on your specific box of cake mix. Mix until well combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
4. Bake according to the time listed on your cake mix box, typically 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until the cake is fully cold and firm.
6. Use a straw to poke holes all over the top of the cake about 1 inch apart.
7. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top allowing it to fill all the holes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
8. Spread the Cool Whip evenly over the chilled cake. Drizzle with caramel sauce and scatter Heath toffee bits and chocolate chips over the top to your preference. Slice and serve cold.

Notes

• Let the cake cool completely before poking the holes. A warm cake is too soft and will tear when you poke it and collapse around the holes rather than holding them open for the condensed milk to fill.
• Use a straw for the holes rather than a fork or skewer. A straw creates the right size opening for the condensed milk to fill completely without the hole closing back up during chilling.
• The chill time after adding the condensed milk is not optional. That hour in the refrigerator is what allows the milk to soak all the way down through every hole and into the cake so every single slice has that sticky sweet filling throughout.
• Add the Cool Whip and toppings right before serving if you are making this ahead. The toffee bits soften overnight so adding them fresh keeps the crunch.