Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake will make you want to skip straight to dessert. Satisfy your sweet tooth with tons of chocolate and caramel swirled in every single bite.
Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake is so luscious and delicious. Each bite combines lots of chocolate and caramel for one of the Best Poke Cake Recipes.
I have been making this type of cake since the kids were young. It’s so easy to make and inexpensive as well. I also make S’mores Poke Cake and Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe for easy Father’s Day Desserts. My kids also love Chocolate Poke Cake.
If you love caramel, also try Best Caramel Popcorn Recipe.
Table of contents
What is a Poke Cake?
The cake is poked all over to allow the delicious filling to saturate the cake. The flavor gets in the cake for an amazing dessert.
The kids love to help with poking holes in the cake. Get them involved in making this festive cake.
Recipes vary but the filling can be a vanilla pudding mixture, fruit, sweetened condensed milk and more. We poked this cake with chocolate and caramel sauce to add so much flavor to the cake.
Ingredients
- Caramel Topping. Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe is great with this cake and so easy to make.
- Whipped Topping. Instead of Cool Whip, you can use Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe.
- Chocolate Sauce. Store bought is fine, but I also like Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the complete ingredient list and recipe.
Variations and Substitutions
- Change the Frosting – We used cool whipped cream, but you can make your own whipping topping, sour cream frosting or use a buttercream frosting. You can also do a chocolate frosting mix with cocoa powder.
- Add the Sprinkles – You can easily add sprinkles or chocolate chips to the top of the cake. This adds texture and flavor to the cake.
- Change the Cake – We used a chocolate cake mix, but you can change it to another flavor of boxed cake mix. A vanilla or white cake mix to make these delicious desserts.
- Cake Pans – We used a 9×13 cake pan but you can change the cake pans to a round cake pan. This will allow you to have cake layers. You can even use 2 8×8 cake pans to make this cake.
- Nuts. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the cake.
How to Make Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake
- Step 1 – Heat Oven – First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2. Next, make the cake batter in a bowl according to package directions using electric mixer on medium speed. Bake in a well-greased 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
Step 3. Allow to cool. Then poke holes all over cake using a wooden spoon handle.
Step 4. Pour the sweetened condensed milk and part of the caramel sauce over the top of the cake. Allow it to seep into the holes that were poked into the cake.
Step 5. Spread whipped topping on top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate the cake overnight.
Step 6. Drizzle the top with the remaining caramel sauce and chocolate syrup. Then sprinkle with the chopped chocolate. You can also use candy bars.
Step 7. Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers covered in foil.
FAQs
You can decorate this delicious, salted caramel chocolate cake many different ways. After assembling the cake and the cake has cooled, top the cake with whipped topping.
Drizzle the cake with chocolate and caramel syrup and chocolate pieces. This gives the cake so much flavor and makes the cake so moist and decadent.
The cake can be made in advance, but I would wait to add the toppings until right before serving. Otherwise, it will be soggy.
While the cake will last up to 5 days in the fridge, it is best served initially within 24 hours. I would suggest not making this any sooner than a day ahead.
This poke cake is best stored in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover the cake with plastic wrap tightly.
If you plan on freezing the cake, prepare cake as directed on the box instructions. Then freeze the cake in an airtight container. Once you are ready to serve the cake, then you can poke the cake and add the topping and caramel syrup.
Make sure the cake is thawed and at room temperature before topping the cake.
You do not have to use a cake mix. It definitely makes it easier and quicker though.
However, feel free to make your own cake. We have an easy chocolate cake recipe that is delicious.
It would be great to use to make this poke cake.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily adapt it to your preference. Either option will be tasty.
Make sure when storing it that the cake is covered tightly with plastic wrap. A poke cake will only last up to about 2 days before it gets soggy. It is a great cake to make ahead but it needs to be served fairly quickly.
Pro Tips
- Make ahead – I like to cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge so the flavors can blend. The cake is better the next day because all of the flavors really come together.
- Poking Holes – Make sure when poking the holes you are generous and don’t leave out any section of the cake. This is how the delicious mixtures gets into the cake.
- Fill the Holes – I like to push the mixture into the holes as I spread it around to make sure it is really sinking in. This gives the cake the best flavor.
- Poke Holes with handle of a Wooden Spoon – You can use anything you prefer to poke holes, but a wooden spoon works great. This is the perfect size for making the holes in the cake.
More Poke Cake Recipes
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe
- Cherry Poke Cake Recipe
- Jello Poke Cake Recipe
- Christmas Jello Poke Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
More Chocolate Caramel Desserts
- Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
- Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Easy Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe
- Better Than Sex Cake Recipe
- Caramel Dessert Recipes
Make this easy turtle poke cake for a great dessert. Please leave a comment once you try it.
Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- Ingredients needed to make cake from the cake mix: eggs, oil, water, etc.
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup Caramel Topping
- 8 oz whipped topping COOL WHIP thawed
- Chocolate Sauce for topping
- Chopped Chocolate for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Make cake mix according to package directions and bake in a well-greased 9×13 pan according to package.
- When cake is finished, allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals using a wooden spoon handle.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk and ¾ of the caramel sauce over the top of the cake and allow it to seep into the holes that were poked into the cake.
- Cover and refrigerate the cake overnight.
- Spread whipped topping on top of the cake.
- Drizzle the top with the remaining caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Then sprinkle with the chopped chocolate.
- Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers.
- Enjoy!
If you can find the Smuckers brand of Salted Caramel, it is amazing to mix with the consensed milk.
This cake is requested with every family gathering we have!!