Carrot Cake Poke Cake
This Carrot Cake Poke Cake is a delicious twist on a classic dessert. The combination of moist carrot cake, sweet and creamy filling, and fluffy vanilla frosting is sure to be a hit with everyone.
Carrot cake has always been one of our favorite desserts. The warm spices, the texture from shredded carrots, and the sweetness of the frosting – it’s just perfection in every bite.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s incredibly easy to make, even for beginners! With just a few simple steps, you’ll have a dessert that tastes like it came from a bakery.
- The combination of textures and flavors is genuinely irresistible – moist cake, creamy filling, and fluffy frosting with just the right amount of spice.
- Perfect for any occasion! Whether it’s a holiday, birthday, or just a casual family dinner, this dessert will steal the show.
🛒Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- carrot cake mix
- instant vanilla pudding
- eggs
- whole milk
- sour cream
- oil
- chopped pecans
- sweetened condensed milk
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- caramel sauce
🔪 How to Make This Carrot Cake Poke Cake
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, ½ c of the dry pudding mix, 4 eggs, the milk, sour cream and oil. Beat to mix thoroughly.
- Pour into the prepared pan and place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
- Taking a straw, poke holes all over the cake and pour the sweetened condensed milk all over the top of the cake.
- To make the frosting, pour the heavy cream and the remainder of the vanilla pudding packet, powdered sugar and vanilla into a large bowl and beat on high until peaks form.
- Spread in an even layer over the top of the cake and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Once ready to serve, remove the cake, drizzle caramel sauce, and sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the top of the cake.
🥄 Equipment
This is a list of the kitchen tools that you will need to make this recipe:
- 9×13 baking dish
- large bowl
- Toothpick or cake tester
- straw or wooden spoon
- large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
🥫 Storage
Storage – Since this cake has a creamy frosting, it is best to store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 3 days.
Freezing – You can also freeze this cake for longer storage. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Serve With
This carrot cake poke cake is delicious on its own, but you can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream on top. It’s also great with a cup of hot coffee or tea.
💭 Tips
- When poking holes in the cake, make sure to space them evenly so the sweetened condensed milk soaks into every bite for ultimate flavor!
- Use cold, heavy cream when making the frosting—it helps achieve those perfect, fluffy peaks.
- For an extra burst of flavor, toast the pecans lightly before sprinkling them on top of the cake.
- Don’t rush the refrigeration step! Allowing the cake to chill helps the flavors meld together beautifully.
- If you’re short on caramel sauce, you can drizzle some chocolate or butterscotch sauce instead for a fun twist!
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this carrot cake poke cake recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
The cake should chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This step is crucial to allow the sweetened condensed milk to fully soak into the cake.
Yes! This carrot cake poke cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert. You can prepare it the day before and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. It may even taste better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together.
🍽 More Carrot Cake Recipes
Do you enjoy carrot cake? If so, try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Carrot Cake Poke Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- large bowl
- Toothpick or cake tester
- straw or wooden spoon
- large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounces carrot cake mix
- 5.1 ounces instant vanilla pudding
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cup oil
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup vanilla pudding mix
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces caramel sauce
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9” x 13” baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, ½ c of the dry pudding mix, 4 eggs, the milk, sour cream and oil. Beat to mix thoroughly.
- Add in the chopped pecans and mix.
- Pour into the prepared pan and place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
- Remove and let the cake cook for about 10 minutes.
- Taking a straw, poke holes all over the cake and pour the sweetened condensed milk all over the top of the cake.
- Let it rest for about an hour.
- To make the frosting, pour the heavy cream and the remainder of the vanilla pudding packet, powdered sugar and vanilla into a large bowl and beat on high until peaks form.
- Spread in an even layer over the top of the cake and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Once ready to serve, remove cake and drizzle caramel sauce and sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
