PUMPKIN POKE CAKE
Pumpkin Poke Cake is deliciously infused with a sweet white chocolate sauce, topped with cream cheese frosting, caramel and crunchy pecans.
Pumpkin Poke Cake is my way of taming a pumpkin craving. In true fashion of my blog, I am bringing you another seasonal poke cake, because I am quiet obsessed with poke cakes. What’s not to love? Pumpkin Poke Cake is so easy to make, a foolproof recipe that is very hard to mess up. The aromatic pumpkin cake is poked, poked, poked and all those tiny holes filled with a white chocolate sauce. Obviously, I couldn’t leave out the cream cheese, and topped the Pumpkin Poke Cake with a cream cheese frosting. A drizzle of caramel and crunchy pecans finish the cake beautifully.
Now, if you are not the biggest pumpkin fan or if maybe like me, you are obsessed with poke cake, check out my collection here:
- German Chocolate Poke Cake – a chocolate lover dream come true!
- Baileys Poke Cake – boozy and chocolaty, this cake gets amazing reviews!
- Carrot Cake Poke Cake – flavorful, tender and topped with a thick cream cheese frosting layer!
- Blueberry Zucchini Poke Cake – zucchini, blueberries, olive oil and lots of lemon.
Tips and Tricks to make the best Pumpkin Poke Cake:
- Using a cake mix will reduce the prep time. You can use Yellow Cake mix or White Cake mix.
- Let the chill for at least 8 hours in the fridge before serving, this will make the cake extra tender.
- Keep the cake refrigerated as the frosting will soften if kept at room temperature for too long.
- For more texture, you can add one cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the cake.
- You can either pipe the frosting on top of the cake, or just spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Clean the knife after each cut, otherwise the slices will be messier, since the frosting may stick to the knife.
Tools/Ingredients I used to make this Pumpkin Poke Cake Recipe:
- Non Stick Baking Pan – I use this 9×13 pan for many recipes, brownies, fudge and blondies, the quality is great and it will last you a long time
- White Chocolate Chips – I use these all the time, they taste great in cookies and are perfect to melt with condensed milk

Pumpkin Poke Cake is deliciously infused with a sweet white chocolate sauce, topped with cream cheese frosting, caramel and crunchy pecans.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ cups white chocolate chips
- 2 packages (16 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 sticks (16 tbsps) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Caramel sauce
- Pecans
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven.
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Spray a 9x13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
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In another medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: eggs, oil and pumpkin, until well combined.
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Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and the batter has no lumps. You can use a hand mixer.
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Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake for 35-40 min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Remove cake from pan and immediately poke with a straw all over the surface.
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In a medium, microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk.
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Heat in the microwave until hot for about 1 minute, stir and heat 30 seconds or more if needed. Stir until fully combined, smooth and shiny. Stir well as the chocolate will melt from the residual heat from the condensed milk.
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Pour the chocolate mixture all over the cake and using a spatula spread it evenly into the holes.
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Let the cake cool completely before topping with frosting.
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Combine all the frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until combined, then beat on high speed 2-3 min or until fluffy, stopping and scraping down the bowl as needed.
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Top the cake with frosting. Level it with a spatula.
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Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with pecans.
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Refrigerate the cake best for 8 hours before serving.
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Enjoy!
Nettie Moore
Looks like a fabulous cake Catalina! Nettie
Jen
I have yet to make a poke cake but this one looks fantastic and really wants me to try my hand at making one.
Sabrina
You are queen of the poke cakes!
Delaney | Melanie Makes
This looks like the perfect fall dessert!
Dee
Definitely adding this to our poke cake collection!
Sues
I’ve never made a poke cake before, but this might have to be the first one I try… It looks so yummy!!
Amanda
What an amazing Fall cake! Love those pecans on top!
Maryanne | the little epicurean
I love poke cakes! They’re packed with so much goodness and flavor!
Erin Dee
Love how easy this is! It’s the perfect fall dessert!
Karly
Swoon. This seriously looks INCREDIBLE, and I can’t believe how simple it is! Pinning now!
Cinnamon Zone
The contrast of the layers and textures of this cake makes this a very interesting recipe. Cake, cream frosting, caramel sauce and crunchy nuts definitely go well together for the season and not forgetting the combination of great flavors too.