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Caramel Apple Poke Cake

5 from 29 votes
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posted: 10/09/14

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

This Caramel Apple Poke Cake is easy to make, but so delicious! Try not to eat the whole pan. This caramel poke cake recipe is going to be your new go to dessert for family get togethers.

close up of a piece of caramel apple poke cake on a plate, says caramel apple poke cake

This Caramel Apple Poke Cake is the perfect fall dessert. It’s so easy to make and will be a huge hit with everyone you serve it to.

Reader Review

I made this carmel apple poke cake today. It was a great cake. Everyone loved it! The guys couldn’t quit eating it. They each ate 3 or 4 pieces. My son came home and ate the rest of it. Glad I grabbed 1 piece before it vanished!!

poke cake on a white plate with whipped topping and heath bits on top

How to make Caramel Apple Poke Cake

This is a brief overview to show you how perfectly simple this recipe is. For the full recipe with all of the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Bake the cake. You will use everything the box of cake mix calls for and you will also add in some vanilla extract and apple pie filling.
  2. Poke holes in the cake. It works best if you let the cake cool for about 10 minutes and then add the holes.
  3. Pour caramel over the cake. Do your best to get some caramel in each of the holes.
  4. Refrigerate the cake overnight. This will allow the caramel to soak into the cake completely.
  5. Serve the cake. Before serving, add some whipped topping and toffee bits.

Apple Pie Filling

We are using canned apple pie filling in this super easy recipe, but it works perfectly well to use my homemade apple pie filling recipe in place of the can. You will want to cut up the apple pieces small when making it for this cake. The recipe will make four cups, but you will only need to use two. The rest would be great with a spoon.

Apple Pie Filling

Apple Pie Filling is the perfect recipe for the apples you got from apple picking! This makes great apple pies, but can be used in dozens of recipes.
apple pie filling being spooned out of a large mason jar

Stabilized Whipped Cream

If you want to make the whipped topping from scratch, I recommend using my recipe for stabilized whipped cream. Regular whipped cream is amazing, but it doesn’t work great for frosting because it wilts relatively quickly. Stabilized whipped cream does not. My homemade recipe is the perfect amount to frost this cake.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

Stabilized Whipped Cream is easy to throw together with just three ingredients. This recipe is perfect for topping cakes, piping, or using as a replacement for Cool Whip!
mason jar full of stabilized whipped cream frosting that has been pipped into it

Topping the Cake

I love adding toffee bits to the top of this cake. It’s like a broken up heath bar. That being said, if you can’t find them there are so many great things you can top this cake with. You can leave it just as whipped topping, drizzle more caramel over it, or add some mini chocolate chips.

TOP PICK

Toffee Bits

These toffee bits are perfect for this cake, but also are great on top of a sundae!
Product Image

Storing

Store this delicious cake in the refrigerator for up to five days. While this cake is best when it is eaten fresh, you can freeze it as a whole cake or as pieces. I would suggest freezing the cake unfrosted. As with all recipes, use your best discretion.

caramel apple poke cake on a plate with caramel coming out of it

Other Great Poke Cakes

  • Pina Colada Poke Cake
  • Candy Cork Poke Cake
  • Caramel Zucchini Poke Cake

If you make this delicious poke cake recipe, leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

close up of caramel apple poke cake on a plate, says: caramel apple poke cake
5 from 29 votes

Caramel Apple Poke Cake

Serves: 24 pieces
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
A Caramel Apple Poke Cake that is easy to make, but super addictive!  Try not to eat the whole pan. This caramel poke cake recipe is going to be your new go to dessert for family get togethers.

Ingredients

  • 13.25 ounces white cake mix plus what it takes to make it (see note)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 21 oz can apple pie filling (read above about using my homemade apple pie filling)
  • 12 oz caramel sauce
  • 8 oz whipped topping
  • 1 cup toffee bits found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and cinnamon. Mix in what the cake mix calls for (see note regarding adding oil) and vanilla extract.
  • With the apples still in their can, stick a knife in the can and cut up the apples making them smaller chunks. Then add the whole can to the cake mix.
  • Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Let the cake stand for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then poke holes with the bottom of a wooden spoon throughout the cake, about an inch to two inches apart.
  • Warm the caramel sauce in the microwave so that it is easier to pour. Pour over the cake into the holes, making sure some sauce gets into each hole.
  • Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, top with whipped topping and toffee bits.

Notes

The cake mix that I used called for egg whites and oil.  I ended up eliminating the oil because of the apple pie filling.  However, if you use both your cake will be just fine.
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
close up of caramel apple poke cake on a plate, says: caramel apple poke cake

did you make this

Caramel Apple Poke Cake

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says

    Oh my gosh, I would NEEEEEED a big slice of this cake to get through the “why” stage.

    • Lisa Longley says

      And don’t forget the wine ;)

  2. Teresa says

    This looks so wonderful.

  3. Chris says

    Well I just took the cake out of the oven. It smells Devine!! Now the hard part is making sure it gets to sit in the refrigerator over night. ;)

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you enjoyed it Chris!

  4. Billie says

    I made this today for family and they loved it! I should have made it last night, but I was tired. It was still delicious, but I bet it’s even better after letting it sit.

    • Lisa Longley says

      So glad you and the family liked it Billie!

  5. Kathy says

    Do you beat the egg whites slightly before adding them to the cake mix?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I didn’t Kathy, and it turned out just fine!

  6. Clare Ellis says

    The video shows whole eggs, but the recipe calls for egg whites????

    • Lisa Longley says

      Yeah, so the difference is that I used a different cake mix that called for a different number of eggs. You basically need white cake mix and what it calls for. ????

  7. Joyce says

    This tastes terrific! Thanks for the recipe.

    • Lisa Longley says

      So glad you like it!

  8. rachelle says

    5 stars
    I just made this for a Halloween party and everyone loves it! its so flavorful but light and was easy to make!

    • Lisa Longley says

      Thank you Rachelle!!

  9. Susan says

    Could you possibly make it with a spice cake

    • Lisa Longley says

      Yes! That would be delicious!

Trackbacks

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