🎃🍂 Pumpkin Poke Cake
A wonderfully moist pumpkin spice cake filled with rich caramel sauce and topped with creamy cream cheese frosting.
This easy Pumpkin Poke Cake starts with a convenient spice cake mix that’s transformed with real pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, and pumpkin pie spice. Once baked, the warm cake is poked all over and generously drizzled with caramel sauce, allowing every bite to become incredibly moist and caramel-filled.
A thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting finishes the cake, creating the perfect balance of warm pumpkin spice, buttery caramel, and creamy sweetness.
It’s an ideal dessert for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, potlucks, family dinners, and holiday parties.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Cooling Time: 45 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: About 2½ hours
Servings: 12–15
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Oven-Baked
Pan: 9 × 13-inch baking dish
🛒 Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) spice cake mix
- 1½ cups (about 365 g) pumpkin purée
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Caramel Filling
- 1 cup (240 ml) caramel sauce
Use a thick caramel dessert sauce for the richest flavor.
For the Topping
- 1 cup (about 240 g) cream cheese frosting
You can use your favorite homemade frosting or a good-quality prepared frosting.
Optional Garnishes
- Extra caramel sauce
- Chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts
- Whipped cream
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Cinnamon
- Toffee bits
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
Set aside.
🎃 Make the Pumpkin Cake
2. Combine the Cake Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add:
- Spice cake mix
- Pumpkin purée
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for approximately 1–2 minutes, just until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
The batter will be considerably thicker than ordinary boxed cake batter because of the pumpkin purée.
Do not add the water normally called for on the cake-mix box.
3. Spread the Batter
Transfer the pumpkin batter to the prepared baking dish.
Use a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners and smooth the surface.
4. Bake
Place the cake in the preheated oven.
Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Avoid overbaking—the pumpkin helps keep this cake moist, and you want the finished cake to remain soft enough to absorb the caramel.
🍯 Create the Poke Cake
5. Cool Slightly
Remove the cake from the oven.
Allow it to cool in the pan for approximately 15–20 minutes.
The cake should still be warm but not piping hot.
6. Poke the Cake
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, the end of a thick straw, or the rounded end of a utensil, poke holes throughout the cake.
Space the holes approximately 1 inch apart.
Push the utensil about halfway to two-thirds of the way through the cake.
Don’t completely tear through the bottom.
The holes create pockets for the caramel sauce.
7. Add the Caramel
Warm the caramel sauce slightly if it is too thick to pour easily.
Slowly drizzle the 1 cup caramel sauce over the entire cake.
Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread the caramel so it flows into the holes.
For especially caramel-filled pockets, spoon a little extra sauce directly over some of the larger holes.
Allow the cake to sit for 15–20 minutes so the caramel can soak into the cake.
🧁 Add the Frosting
8. Cool Completely
Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting.
If the cake is still warm, the frosting may melt and slide.
For the cleanest finish, refrigerate the cake for approximately 30 minutes after adding the caramel.
9. Frost the Cake
Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
Use an offset spatula to create a smooth finish, or leave gentle swirls for a more rustic homemade look.
10. Add the Finishing Touches
Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the frosting.
Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts and a light dusting of pumpkin pie spice.
For an extra-indulgent presentation, add small swirls of whipped cream.
❄️ Chill
11. Refrigerate
Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
For the best flavor and texture, let it chill for 2–4 hours.
The refrigeration time allows the caramel to fully soak into the cake and gives the frosting a firmer, creamier texture.
🔪 Serve
12. Slice and Enjoy
Cut the chilled cake into 12–15 squares.
Drizzle individual servings with additional caramel sauce if desired.
Serve cold or allow each piece to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Use pure pumpkin purée: Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin purée, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
Don’t add the box directions: This recipe intentionally replaces the usual cake-mix liquid and uses pumpkin instead.
Don’t overbake: A few moist crumbs on the toothpick are perfect.
Poke while warm: The slightly warm cake absorbs the caramel more easily.
Warm thick caramel: If your caramel sauce is too thick, gently warm it until pourable—but don’t make it hot.
Cool before frosting: Cream cheese frosting should always go onto a completely cooled cake.
Chill before serving: The cake becomes even more moist and flavorful after several hours in the refrigerator.
🍂 Easy Variations
Pumpkin Caramel Pecan Cake
Sprinkle ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans over the caramel before adding the frosting.
Pumpkin Toffee Poke Cake
Add ½–1 cup toffee bits over the caramel and sprinkle more on top.
Chocolate Pumpkin Poke Cake
Add a drizzle of chocolate fudge sauce along with the caramel.
Maple Pumpkin Cake
Replace part of the caramel topping with maple syrup or maple caramel sauce.
Extra-Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Add an additional ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves to the batter.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Poke Cake
Add small spoonfuls of cheesecake filling over the caramel before spreading the cream cheese frosting.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve each slice with:
- Extra caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
- Toasted pecans
- Vanilla ice cream
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Toffee pieces
A scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melting over a warm-ish slice makes an especially indulgent dessert.
🧊 Storage
Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the cake refrigerated whenever you’re not serving it.
❄️ Freezing
For best results, freeze the cake before frosting.
Wrap the cooled caramel-filled cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost and garnish before serving.
A fully assembled cake can also be frozen, but the frosting texture may be slightly softer after thawing.
🎃🍯 Final Result
This Pumpkin Poke Cake is everything you want from a cozy fall dessert: moist pumpkin spice cake, gooey caramel pockets, tangy cream cheese frosting, and a buttery caramel finish.
It’s incredibly easy to make but tastes like you spent much more time in the kitchen.
Pumpkin + spice + caramel + cream cheese = pure fall dessert perfection! 🎃🍂✨