If you’re looking for the ultimate seasonal fall dessert, this pumpkin caramel poke cake is it! There’s a spiced pumpkin cake, homemade caramel sauce, vanilla whipped cream and candied pecans. While this recipe is completely from-scratch (no cake mixes here), it’s still really easy to make.

slice of pumpkin caramel poke cake on plate

I’m not a big fan of many pumpkin desserts, but I absolutely love this pumpkin caramel poke cake. It’s so decadent and delicious, and the combination of fall flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, caramel and nutty pecans is simply irresistible!

It start with a pumpkin spice cake is soaked in caramel sauce, making it incredibly moist, rich and flavorful. It’s then topped with whipped cream, a drizzle of more caramel sauce and candied pecans. I mean, yum.

This fall cake is perfect for so many occasions, but it is especially great for a crowd. Think fall potlucks, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and more!

Table of Contents

slice of caramel pumpkin poke cake in pan

baking tip:What is a poke cake?

A poke cake is a cake that is baked (typically in a rectangle baking dish), then holes are poked into it, and a liquid or syrup is poured over it to add extra flavor and moisture. Poke cake recipes are known for being incredibly moist and delicious.

An easy, completely homemade recipe

So many other recipes start with a store-bought cake mix, use a bottled caramel sauce, or finished with whipped topping from a tub. And while I’m sure those recipes are also delicious, this pumpkin caramel poke cake is completely homemade, and still simple enough for any level of baker to make.

I promise that my from-scratch pumpkin cake recipe doesn’t require any extra prep time, and the simple homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream are definitely worth the additional time and effort. This is the BEST pumpkin caramel poke cake!

Ingredients you’ll need

pumpkin caramel poke cake ingredients

How to make this pumpkin caramel poke cake

  1. Prepare pumpkin cake. Combine dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt) in a large bowl. Whisk wet ingredients (melted butter, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract) in another bowl and then pour over the dry ingredients. Whisk just until combined and no streaks of flour remain. pumpkin cake batter mixed in a bowl, spreading it into a pan
  2. Bake. Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, until cake appears dry in the middle and it bounces back when gently pressed with a finger. Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the caramel sauce.
  3. Make caramel sauce. Combine brown sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and salt. poking holes in pumpkin cake, caramel sauce in pot
  4. Poke holes in the cake and pour caramel over it. Use a wooden dowel, skewer, chopstick, the end of a wooden spoon, etc. (about 1 cm or ¼  in in diameter) to poke holes all over the pumpkin cake about 1 inch apart. Use a spoon to pour the warm caramel over the cake, encouraging the caramel sauce down the holes, until cake is evenly covered. Reserve ¼  cup caramel sauce for the topping. pouring caramel over pumpkin cake with holes in in
  5. Let the cake cool. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature for 1-2 hours, or chill in the fridge to set it up faster in about 30 minutes.
  6. Top with whipped cream, caramel and candied pecans. Beat heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer for several minutes until thickened to “soft peaks”. Spread whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake, drizzle with remaining caramel sauce (heat it in the microwave in 20 second bursts if it hardened), and top with chopped candied pecans. frosted pumpkin caramel poke cake in pan
  7. Enjoy! And this is the best part— slice and enjoy this decadent pumpkin poke cake. You can serve it right away, or cover with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until later, though it’s best within 2-3 days of baking.
slices of pumpkin caramel poke cake on plates

Tips for this recipe

  • I spiced the pumpkin cake simply just with ground cinnamon, but feel free to sub the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice to add a little extra oomph. 
  • Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). Libby’s and Trader Joe’s are brands that I use and love. I have not testes this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree.
  • Don’t stress about what tool you use to poke the holes in this cake. They won’t be seen! Look around your kitchen, and find something that has a roughly 1-cm/¼ -in diameter. A wooden skewer, chopstick, or end of a round thin utensil all will work great. If it’s a little bigger, that’s okay too. Just space the holes a little farther apart.
  • If the caramel thickens and hardens too much as it cools before you have a chance to use, heat it in 20 second bursts and give it a good stir. 
  • Don’t forget to allow the cake to cool completely before adding the whipped cream and toppings. This ensures that the whipped cream stays firm and prevents it from melting onto the cake.
  • You can garnish this cake however you like, but a simple sprinkle of pecans in addition to the caramel drizzle is my favorite. If you don’t have candied pecans, you can use toasted or plain raw chopped pecans.
  • This cake can be easily made in advance! The caramel-filled cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once the cake has been topping with whipped cream, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 2-3 days for the best results.
closeup of taking a bite out of pumpkin caramel poke cake

Get the recipe

This recipe was originally published in October 2016 in partnership with Go Bold with Butter. You can view the recipe on their website here.

slice of pumpkin caramel poke cake on plate
5 from 1 review

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
If you're looking for the ultimate seasonal fall dessert, this pumpkin caramel poke cake is it! There's a spiced pumpkin cake, homemade caramel sauce, vanilla whipped cream and candied pecans. While this recipe is completely from-scratch (no cake mixes here), it's still really easy to make.

Ingredients
 

For the cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter , melted (2 sticks, 256 grams)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 15 oz can pumpkin puree (425 grams)

For the caramel sauce:

  • 2 cups packed light or dark brown sugar (425 grams)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 113 grams)
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream (113 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the whipped cream topping:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (227 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped candied pecans (57 grams)

Instructions
 

To make the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9×13-inch baking dish and dust with flour.
  • In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another, whisk together butter, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Pour wet mixture into flour mixture and whisk just until combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
  • Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake until edges are golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 35-40 minutes. Let cake cool while you prepare caramel sauce (it won't cool completely during this time and that's okay).

To make the caramel sauce:

  • Combine brown sugar, butter and cream in medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla extract. Let cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Use wooden dowel or end of wooden spoon to poke holes in the pumpkin cake about 1 inch apart, pushing all the way down. Reserve about ¼ cup of the caramel sauce and pour the rest over cake, using spatula to spread it over cake and encourage it down the holes.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour until completely cool.

To top the cake:

  • Beat heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer to soft peaks. Spread over cake, drizzle the remaining caramel sauce on top, and finish with the chopped candied pecans. Serve immediately, or chill in fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

  • If the caramel sauce hardens at any point, simply rewarm it over the stove for a few minutes (if it’s still in the saucepan) or in the microwave in 20-second bursts.
  • You can garnish this cake however you like, but a simple sprinkle of pecans in addition to the caramel drizzle is my favorite. If you don’t have candied pecans, you can use toasted or plain raw chopped pecans.
  • This cake can be easily made in advance. The caramel-filled cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once the cake has been topping with whipped cream, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 2-3 days for the best results.
Calories: 653kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 327mg, Potassium: 216mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 64g, Vitamin A: 6730IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

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