Go Back

Moist Pumpkin Poke Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin poke cake is baked with warm spices, poked while still warm, and filled with sweetened condensed milk. A fluffy cream cheese frosting tops the moist cake for a rich, tender dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 615
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Make the cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
  • 3 eggs large
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
For the filling
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Make the cream cheese frosting
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl until smooth.
  5. Stir in the flour mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Fill the cake
  1. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes.
  2. Poke holes about 1 inch apart across the cake, reaching nearly to the bottom with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  3. Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, aiming to fill the holes.
  4. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
Make the cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar a cup at a time and the vanilla until fluffy.
  3. Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake.

Notes

For neat holes that absorb the filling, poke the cake while it is still warm. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the frosting may change texture. For a gluten-free adaptation, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.