Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake (Easy Cake Mix Recipe)

This Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake starts with a boxed chocolate cake mix soaked with sweetened condensed milk and caramel. Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, more caramel, and chopped chocolate make every bite rich and gooey. The whole cake costs about $8.17, or just $0.68 per serving.

Chocolate caramel poke cake slice with a fork.

I’ve been making poke cakes like this since my kids were little – it’s easy, inexpensive, and perfect to make the day before a potluck or family dinner. It’s one of those desserts that makes getting ready for family gatherings a little easier.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Carrie, the owner, with long dark hair, wearing earrings and a purple top, smiles at the camera in front of a textured, beige background.

Easy to Make: A boxed cake mix and simple ingredients keep prep quick and easy.
Rich Chocolate and Caramel: Sweetened condensed milk and caramel soak into the cake for a gooey dessert.
Great Make-Ahead Dessert: Chill it overnight so it’s ready for parties, potlucks, or family dinners.
Budget-Friendly: The whole cake costs about $8.17, or just $0.68 per serving.
Fun Toppings: Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, caramel, and chopped chocolate finish every slice.

After more than 14 years of baking desserts for my family, I’ve learned that chilling a poke cake overnight gives the filling time to soak into the cake. This Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake costs about $8.17 for the whole cake, making it an affordable dessert to serve 12 people.

You may also like to try S’mores Poke Cake and Boston Cream Poke Cake Recipe.

What is a Poke Cake?

A poke cake is a baked cake with holes poked all over the top, then filled with a sauce or pudding that soaks in and keeps the cake extra moist. For this one, we fill the holes with sweetened condensed milk and caramel.

The kids love to help with poking holes in the cake. Get them involved in making this festive cake.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Mix. Any brand works, plus the eggs, oil, and water listed on the box.
Sweetened Condensed Milk. One 14-ounce can. Make sure it’s sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk; the thick, sweet milk is what soaks into the holes and makes the cake so moist.
Caramel Topping. About 1 cup of the jarred ice cream topping (or our Homemade Caramel Sauce). If it’s cold and thick, microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds so it pours easily.
Whipped Topping. One 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip, thawed in the fridge. Or use our Homemade Whipped Cream.
Chocolate Sauce. About ¼ cup of store-bought chocolate syrup or our Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce.
Chopped Chocolate. About ½ cup of a chopped chocolate bar or chopped candy bars.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for the complete ingredient list and recipe.

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.

Holes poked across the warm chocolate cake with a wooden spoon handle.

Step 3. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes – it should still be warm. Poke holes all over the top about 1 inch apart using the handle of a wooden spoon, pushing almost to the bottom of the pan. A warm cake soaks up the filling much better than a cold one.

Sweetened condensed milk and caramel soaking into the holes.

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. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight so the filling soaks in and sets. Right before serving, spread the thawed Cool Whip over the top.

Chocolate and caramel swirled on top of cake.

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.

Make-Ahead Timeline for Potlucks

The day before: Bake the cake, poke while warm, pour on the sweetened condensed milk and caramel, cover, and refrigerate.

Right before you leave: Spread the Cool Whip, drizzle caramel and chocolate, and sprinkle chopped chocolate.

The whole 9×13 pan feeds 12 for about $8.17, or roughly $0.68 a slice.

Variations

Different topping. Swap the Cool Whip for homemade whipped cream or a chocolate frosting.
Toffee crunch. Sprinkle Heath toffee bits or chopped candy bars over the top.
Different cake. Try a yellow or white cake mix for a lighter caramel cake.
Smaller cakes. Bake the batter in two 8×8 pans, then poke and fill each one; keep one and gift the other.
Pecans. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top for a turtle-style cake.

Love poke cakes? Try this Red Velvet Poke Cake with cream cheese frosting.

FAQs

Do I have to use a cake mix?

No. A cake mix is quicker, but our easy chocolate cake recipe works great baked in a 9×13 pan. Poke and fill it the same way.

Can I make this poke cake ahead of time?

Yes, it’s best made the day before. See the make-ahead timeline above.

How long does it last?

Covered tightly in the fridge, it’s best within 2 days and keeps up to 4 days, but the cake gets softer each day as it soaks up the filling.

Will my poke cake be soggy?

Not if you space the holes about an inch apart, pour the filling slowly, and give it the overnight chill. The cake should be very moist but still hold its shape when you cut it.

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.
Salted caramel twist – Sprinkle a pinch of flaky or coarse salt over the caramel drizzle to balance the sweetness. (A reader also recommends Smucker’s Salted Caramel in the filling.)
Deeper chocolate flavor – Swap the water on the cake mix box for cooled coffee – it won’t taste like coffee, just more chocolatey.

More Poke Cake Recipes

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Cherry Poke Cake Recipe

Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Chocolate Poke Cake

Make this easy Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake for a great dessert. Please leave a comment once you try it.

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