Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
A Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake is the perfect fusion of classic cinnamon roll flavor and the moist, tender poke cake. An easy cake recipe infused with cinnamon is topped with cream cheese frosting to create a super moist cake loaded with cinnamon flavor.
If you’ve followed our blog at all, you’ve probably noticed that we love both cinnamon rolls and poke cakes. We took those two beloved desserts and combined them into this amazing poke cake recipe.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a quick and easy dessert perfect for any occasion.
- It uses limited ingredients, so it’s easy to get everything you need.
- The moist cake is full of cinnamon flavor, and the cream cheese frosting completes the cinnamon roll flavor.
🛒Ingredients
This recipe only uses basic ingredients, and you’ll find most of them in your kitchen right now. Anything else you need is just a quick trip to the grocery store away.
All the ingredients needed for the cake are listed here, but you can find the specific amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
For the Cake
- Boxed yellow cake mix
- Sweetened condenses milk
- Butter
- Brown sugar – packed
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- Butter – softened
- Cream cheese – softened
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
🔪 How to Make Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Making this poke cake is a fairly straightforward process, and even beginners should have no trouble making it. It only takes a few minutes from start to finish!
Step 1: Bake the Cake
Bake the cake according to the package directions for a 9×13 cake.
Step 2: Poke the Cake
Using the handle of a wooden spoon or the thick end of a chopstick, poke holes evenly all over the cake.
Step 3: Make the Cinnamon Roll Filling
Combine the sweetened condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a microwaveable bowl and heat on high for 1 minute. Then, stir and continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth.
Step 4: Soak the Cake
Pour the hot filling over the entire cake and set it aside for at least 15 minutes to soak up the liquid.
Step 5: Make the Frosting
Beat the softened butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Then, add the vanilla and heavy cream and mix until blended. Finally, add the powdered sugar and beat until it forms a light, fluffy frosting.
Step 6: Frost the Cake
Scoop the frosting onto the cake and spread it evenly from edge to edge. Dust with a bit of cinnamon if desired and enjoy!
📝Variations
- Use white, vanilla, butter, or yellow cake for this recipe.
- Use chocolate cake mix to make chocolate cinnamon roll poke cake.
- For a fun variation, try decorating the top of your cake with pieces of cinnamon rolls.
If you’re in love with the idea of this cinnamon roll poke cake, then check out this ooey gooey cinnamon roll cake.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9×13 baking dish
- Microwaveable bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Wooden spoon or chopstick
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate this cake for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to a month in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Then, just defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
What to Serve with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Serve this delicious poke cake with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. The cinnamon roll flavor of this cake also pairs well with fresh berries or fruit just like classic cinnamon rolls.
💭 Tips
- Be sure to stir your condensed milk mixture between each heating interval to ensure even heating and no scorching.
- Be careful not to poke your holes further than 3/4 through the cake. Poking holes too deeply will make it fall apart when you slice it.
- Be sure you cover your cake tightly when refrigerating it to avoid flavor cross-contamination.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
A poke cake is a variation of sheet cake in which holes are poked into the cake and a liquid is poured over it, allowing the liquid to seep into the cake.
Poking holes too deeply into the cake is usually why it falls apart. If the holes are poked too deeply into the cake or through the cake, it will fall apart when it’s sliced.
Poke cakes can get soggy if the holes are placed too closely together or if too much liquid is used. Remember, poke cakes should be super-moist, but they shouldn’t be soggy.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy poke cake? Then 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.
Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 9×13 baking dish
- Microwaveable Bowl
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Wooden spoon or chopstick
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix prepared according to the box directions for a 9×13-inch cake
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 5 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Poke holes all over the baked cake using the end of a wooden spoon or the thick end of a chopstick.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and brown sugar. Heat in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir well, then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the hot filling over the whole cake. Set the cake aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the wet mixture to soak into the cake.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
- Add the vanilla and heavy cream and mix until blended.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat with the electric mixer until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Scoop the frosting onto the cake and spread edge to edge. Dust with a little cinnamon if desired.
- Slice the cake and serve at room temperature.
