Better than Pumpkin Pie Poke Cake
We all know that after Thanksgiving dinner comes the best part - pumpkin pie. This Better than Pumpkin Pie Poke Cake puts those pumpkin pie recipes to shame. It has all of your favorite fall flavors and so much more. It's made easy with the help of cake mix and canned pumpkin so that you can spend more time with your family and less time in the kitchen. This pumpkin cake is filled with sweetened condensed milk and topped with a cream cheese and Cool Whip frosting. As if that wasn't enough, add caramel, graham cracker crumbs, and pecans, and you've got a dessert that's so much better than pumpkin pie.
Notes
This poke cake recipe is inspired by one of our top fall desserts, Pumpkin Poke Cake, from Something Swanky.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, defrosted
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- Caramel sundae sauce
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl until a thick batter forms.
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Pour batter into a greased 2.75-quart baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for at least an hour or up until cake is completely cooled.
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Poke uniform holes into the cake using the end of a wooden spoon. Wipe off excess crumbs between pokes, if needed. Take care not to poke too close to the edges.
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Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth it across the entirety of the cake and pat down into holes. Refrigerate for one hour.
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In another bowl, combine Cool Whip with cream cheese and stir until combined. Mix in sugar until thoroughly incorporated.
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Spread Cool Whip mixture over the cake. Allow cake to set in fridge overnight.
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To serve, drizzle with caramel sundae sauce and garnish with graham cracker crumbs and chopped pecans.