Carrot Poke Cake

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This Carrot Poke Cake recipe takes everything you love about carrot cake and adds a touch of magic with a rich, gooey caramel sauce that soaks into the moist cake.

Imagine fluffy carrot cake bursting with flavor, studded with nuts and spices, then drenched in a pool of decadent caramel. Each bite is an explosion of textures and tastes, making this cake the star of any potluck or special occasion.

A piece of carrot poke cake topped with cream cheese frosting, caramel drizzle, and chopped pecans, served on a decorative plate.

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Why this Poke Cake Recipe is a Keeper

The pineapple adds another level of moister and the poke cake method with the drizzle that seeps into holes in the warm cake, makes it amazing. Really this cake with Pineapple is the best carrot cake recipe I have ever made. Perfect for birthday parties or any time of year.

  • Easy Cake Recipe: You use a box cake mix and kick it up to make it amazing no need for hard work or fresh carrot, just combine cake mix.
  • Easy Ingredients to Make the Cake: All pantry staples so it is so quick. We always have jello on hand and other easy ingredients.
  • Family Friendly: All that gooey caramel gets them every time. Plus poke cake is one of the desserts that kids love to help make. You can make a cake every different holiday.

If you’re looking for more jello poke cake recipes, try these Patriotic Poke Cake, Coconut Poke Cake and Banana Cream Poke Cake.

How to poke holes and how many holes to poke?

Slice of carrot poke cake with cream cheese frosting, caramel drizzle, and chopped pecans on a white plate.

Aim for 30-40 holes spread evenly across the surface. Holes that are ¾ to 1 inch deep. This depth allows the filling to reach the center of the cake without going all the way through.

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Ingredient Notes to Make Poke Cake

My grandmother use to make poke cakes for every get together. A pumpkin poke cake for Thanksgiving, a banana pudding poke cake for summer and a cookies and cream one for birthday’s. It is why I love poke cake.

  • Boxed Cake Mix: Use any brand that you prefer. Cake brands are always going on sale.
  • Crushed Pineapple: Canned and drained works for this caramel carrot cake recipe. This cake is an easy dessert to assemble.
  • Frozen Whipped Cream Topping: You will need to make sure that the cool whip is thawed. You can use store brand cool whip whipped topping too.
  • Cream Cheese FrostingMake your own or use canned cream cheese icing. It will be fabulous. There is something special about this caramel cream cheese frosting combination.
  • Caramel Sundae Sauce: This makes the cake so moist and decadent.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Variations and Substitutions

It is so easy to customize this easy poke cake topped with cool whip. IT is also one of the prettiest poke cakes.

  • Carrot Cake Spice Cake Mix: You can use a white cake mix or spice cake mix if you prefer.
  • Nuts: Mix up the nuts, you can use your favorite nut or omit the nuts.
  • Vanilla Pudding: Replace the caramel sauce with vanilla pudding or cheesecake pudding if you like extra flavor.
  • Frosting: Use your favorite carrot cake frosting recipe.

Special Equipment Needed for this Easy Poke Cake Recipe

These tools will allow the filling to soak into the cake. It elevates this easy dessert.

  • Wooden Spoon: Ot try a chopstick, straw or skewer to poke the holes.

Pro Tip

The best time to poke the holes in the cake is when it is warm. Not hot from the oven or when the cake has completely cooled.

How to Make Caramel Poke Cake

The recipe starts with a cake mix. Then cake is bakes, and the cake is filled with lush filling. This poke cake is an easy but elegant dessert.

These are the basic steps for making old fashioned carrot cake. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.

Four-step process of mixing ingredients in a bowl, showing progression from dry ingredients with eggs to a smooth batter with added mashed bananas and coconut for a poke cake.

1. Prep

First, preheat your oven and then place the cake mix in a medium bowl or large bowl, adding the ingredients according to the package directions. Start at low speed then move up to medium speed and finish at medium high speed. Next, stir in drained pineapple. Finally add the coconut. Line pans with parchment paper before putting in the cake batter for easy clean up. Bake cake according to package directions.

STEP 2: Poke and Cover the Cake

Then, using a the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes about 20-25 holes in the cake making sure to evenly distribute them and being careful not to go all the way through to the bottom of the cake. Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of the cake; allow the best cake to cool completely before the next step.

3. Carrot Cake Frosting 

Finally, frost the cake, frosting for the delicious cake can be canned or homemade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and lastly serve with the caramel sauce.

Recipe FAQs about Jello Poke Cake Recipe with Pudding

Really there can be several causes for a soggy poke cake. Too much filling, the cake was not cool enough, there are too many holes in the cake or your filling is too thin making the cake soaked. These are the major causes.

Of course you can use different fillings. Cheesecake pudding, different cream frosting or whipped topping.

Don’t freeze the cake with whipped cream, frosting, or other perishable toppings. These will break down when frozen and thawed. Freeze the cake after the jello layer has set.

A fork holding a bite of layered poke cake with a plate of the remaining dessert in the background.

Expert Tips for Making This Condensed Milk Poke Cake Recipe

It’s so easy to change up these cakes. The poke cake only takes a few minutes to make and can really up your dessert.

  • Cool: Let the cake cool slightly before poking the holes and drizzling on the topping. A warm (not hot) cake will absorb the liquid best.
  • Nutty: If you would like to up the nutty flavor add chopped pecans to the cake mix with the pineapple and coconut or on top of cake. Maple Syrup adds some great flavor too.
  • Decorate: When you are going to serve, add a little drained chopped pineapple to the top of the frosting on top of the cake or use cute sugar baby carrots. Then add the caramel sauce.
  • Homemade Salted Caramel: By making it yourself here will be no artificial flavor. Make it with brown sugar. This is great for a chocolate poke cake too.
  • Bundt Pan: A bundt pan would be a fun way to make this carrot cake too.

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A piece of carrot poke cake topped with cream cheese frosting, caramel drizzle, and chopped pecans, served on a decorative plate.
4.91 from 50 votes

Carrot Poke Cake

Yield: 12 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Refrigeration: 4 hours
Total: 50 minutes
This Carrot Poke Cake recipe takes everything you love about carrot cake and adds a touch of magic with a rich, gooey caramel sauce that soaks into the moist cake.
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions.
  • Stir in drained pineapple and coconut.  
  • Bake cake according to package directions.
  • Leave the cake in the baking dish and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Using a the handle of a wooden spoon, poke about 20-25 holes in the cake making sure to evenly distribute them and being careful not to go all the way through to the bottom of the cake.
  • Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of the cake; allow cake to cool completely before the next step.
  • Add the frosting to a large bowl; fold in Cool Whip until thoroughly combined.
  • Spread frosting over top of the cake.
  • Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top of the cake
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  • Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the cake before serving. 

Expert Tips

  • Cool: Let the cake cool slightly before poking the holes and drizzling on the topping. A warm (not hot) cake will absorb the liquid best.
  • Nutty: If you would like to up the nutty flavor add chopped pecans to the cake mix with the pineapple and coconut or on top of cake. Maple Syrup adds some great flavor too.
  • Decorate: When you are going to serve, add a little drained chopped pineapple to the top of the frosting on top of the cake or use cute sugar baby carrots.Then add the caramel sauce.
  • Homemade Salted Caramel: By making it yourself here will be no artificial flavor. Make with brown sugar. This is great for a chocolate poke cake too.
  • Bundt Pan: A bundt pan would be a fun way to make this carrot cake too.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

41 thoughts on “Carrot Poke Cake”

  1. 5 stars
    I made two of these cakes. Sent one to my husbands work and it was gone in 15 minutes! Kept one for the family.
    I followed the directions as written and the cakes turned out wonderful. I will be making these again for sure!

    Reply
  2. Why can’t I get to the recipe. It keeps going to the one with pineapple. This is not the recipe I want. Better than Easter poke cake.

    Reply

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