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Pumpkin Spice Poke Cake

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By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Nov 12, 2024
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It’s a cocktail and cake in one! From our Betty Crocker A Piece of Cake cookbook, this easy to make pumpkin spice cake is infused with spiced rum cream liqueur, for an over-the-top indulgent boozy poke cake. What is a poke cake? Typically, a single layer cake gets poked after baking, where the holes are filled with a tasty concoction to create a moist cake with an explosion of flavor!

For our cake, a simple mix of canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and other ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, are mixed and baked in a 13x9-inch pan. It’s poked after baking using the handle of a wooden spoon to create holes big enough to get the maximum amount of filling you can have in each bite. The creamy filling is made with rich cream cheese and decadent Caribbean spiked rum cream liqueur that pairs well with the sweet, spicy cake. But to take it to the stratosphere, the cake gets topped with a whipped cream that’s spiked with additional rum liqueur, to create a dessert that’s full of fall flavor and almost ready for happy hour!

Pumpkin Spice Poke Cake

  • Prep Time 25 min
  • Total 4 hr 10 min
  • Servings 15
  • Ingredients 15
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Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 1/4 cup Caribbean spiced rum cream liqueur

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 2 3/4 cups Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Topping

  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons Caribbean spiced rum cream liqueur
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
  • Step 
    2
    In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup liqueur; beat,scraping bowl frequently, until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while preparing cake.
  • Step 
    3
    In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Add flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour evenly into pan.
  • Step 
    4
    Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool 10 minutes.
  • Step 
    5
    Using the handle of a wooden spoon (1/4 to 1/2-inch diameter) poke holes halfway down in cake every inch, wiping spoon handle occasionally to prevent sticking. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
  • Step 
    6
    Pour cream cheese mixture over cake, working back and forth to fill holes. (Some filling should remain on top of cake.) Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Step 
    7
    In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, 3 tablespoons rum and 1 tablespoons sugar with electric mixture on low speed until thickened. Gradually increase speed to high and beat just until stiff peaks form. Carefully spread over cake. Cover loosely and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled but no longer than 48 hours. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired.

Nutrition

560 Calories
32g Total Fat
8g Protein
58g Total Carbohydrate
39g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
560
Calories from Fat
290
Total Fat
32g
50%
Saturated Fat
12g
62%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
105mg
35%
Sodium
390mg
16%
Potassium
250mg
7%
Total Carbohydrate
58g
19%
Dietary Fiber
1g
6%
Sugars
39g
Protein
8g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
100%
100%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
15%
15%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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