Pumpkin Poke Cake
Servings 9
Ingredients
**For the Salted Caramel Sauce:**
- – 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- – 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- – 1/2 cup heavy cream
- – 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 1/4 teaspoon salt
**For the Pumpkin Cake:**
- – 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- – 1 tablespoon ground pumpkin pie spice
- – 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- – 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- – 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- – 2 eggs
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 1/2 cup buttermilk
- – 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- – 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- – 6 ounces cream cheese cold
- – 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- – Orange green, and brown food coloring (optional)
- – Chopped walnuts optional
- – Cinnamon for dusting optional
Instructions
**For the Salted Caramel Sauce:**
- Heat sugar in a medium pot over medium heat until it melts and turns golden.
- Add butter and stir until incorporated.
- Quickly add cream, vanilla, and salt, and stir until combined.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
**For the Pumpkin Cake:**
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.
- Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in buttermilk and pumpkin puree, then add dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-38 minutes.
- Let cake cool completely.
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- Whip butter until pale and fluffy, then mix in cream cheese.
- Sift in powdered sugar and mix until fluffy.
- Divide frosting and color as desired.
**Assembling the Poke Cake:**
- Poke holes in the cooled cake and fill with caramel sauce.
- Frost cake with cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with colored frosting to create pumpkins.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon.
- Serve and enjoy the deliciousness!
- Get ready to impress your friends and family with this incredible pumpkin caramel poke cake – it’s sure to be a hit at any gathering!