Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Fall, everyone!!  It has been raining and cool for the past few days, so I am in my glory!! This is the first real rain we have had since Irma hit, so it has been a welcome change for us all.  I love the cooler temperatures and the thought that the weather will be much more tolerable soon 🙂

I am still having facing some obstacles recovering from my hip replacement surgery, so standing for too long, or walking much has been tough.  As challenging as it has been, I am trying to stay positive and focus on the things that I love until I can get better pain relief and my doctors can figure out what’s going on with me.  Tough times like this can definitely be trying, but I am determined to get back to my old self very soon.  In the meantime, I am filled with so many ideas of new recipes, so it’s been a great distraction!!

I had a bunch of friends come for dinner Saturday night and wanted to create something decadent, seasonal and really over the top.  I know my friends get excited to come to our dinner parties because my husband is such a great cook and they know dessert is going to be special too 🙂 I also wanted to make a dessert in one pan so it was a bit easier for me to tackle while not feeling my best.  This cake is so delicious, moist and just plain amazing!!  Everyone had two pieces last night and Michael and I each ate a huge piece today, so it’s nearly gone 🙂

Treat yourself to this fabulous, rich, moist and decadent cake!! It is the perfect Fall treat for your friends and family!! Let me know how you love it 🙂

Some of the delicious ingredients that go into this amazing dessert! Plus a cute pumpkin or two 🙂

You can easily mix the cake batter ingredients by hand with a whisk!

The cake bakes beautifully in a 9″x13″ pan, and the smell of it baking was so amazing! 🙂

My rich and delicious cream cheese frosting recipe is the perfect topping for this decadent cake!

After the cake has cooled slightly, poke holes with the end of a wooden spoon and pour the condensed milk over the top.

The milk will be absorbed into the slightly warm cake and sink into the holes! Yes, it tastes as good as it looks 🙂

Now, pour about a cup of caramel topping over the cake and spread it out evenly over the cake. Put in the fridge to cool.

You could actually stop right here and eat the whole thing…but, it just keeps getting better 🙂

Frost the chilled cake with the cream cheese frosting. Then draw lines with the remaining caramel topping.

With a sharp knife, draw a line up one side and down the other through the lines of caramel. This will give you a cool effect.

Chill the cake until you are ready to cut yourself a big, huge piece!! It is something really special !!

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time: 45 minutes Baking time: 22 to 24 minutes Makes: 20 pieces of cake

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar  ( I only use Dixie Crystals sugars)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I use Nielsen Massey)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

1 can condensed milk for pouring over the baked cake ( I used Eagle Brand)

1 jar caramel topping for pouring over the baked cake ( I used Hersheys)

Cream cheese frosting

2, 8 ounce packages of full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9″x13″ baking pan. ( I used a pyrex baking pan because you can really see all of the pretty cake when it’s done.)

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Add to the dry mixture and whisk together until just combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan.  Bake for 10 minutes and rotate your pan.  Bake another 12 to 14 minutes or until the cake is done in the center and springs back.

Take cake out and cool for 30 minutes.

With the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake. (About 5 per row)

Pour the condensed milk over cake, then spread with an offset spatula to make sure it is all absorbed.

Pour about a cup of the caramel topping over the condensed milk and spread with an offset spatula.

Place cake in the fridge while you prepare the frosting.  The cake needs to be completely chilled before frosting.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy and combined.  Add vanilla and confectioners sugar, one cup at a time.  Mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

When the cake is completely cooled, frost with the cream cheese frosting.  Drizzle the remaining caramel over the top, or you can pour the remaining caramel into a squeeze bottle and draw horizontal lines across the cake.  Drag a knife up and down through the lines to achieve the look of the cake in the photo, or make up your own design. Either way, you can’t go wrong because this cake is incredible and your friends and family will flip!!! 🙂

no comments