Easy Caramel Apple Poke Cake

This is the kind of cake you make when you want everyone to love you a little extra with basically zero effort. It’s a cozy, fall-ish, caramel-soaked situation: a soft spice cake baked in a 9×13 pan, poked all over like a porcupine, flooded with sweetened condensed milk and warm caramel, then blanketed in tender apples and fluffy whipped topping. It tastes like apple pie ran away with a tres leches cake and came back wearing a caramel drizzle and pecans. Ridiculous—in the best way.

My husband swears this is “the cake,” like if I had a signature move, this would be it. I made it one Sunday when the apples were starting to look tired in the fruit bowl, and now it’s this whole family thing: my kid asks if we can “poke the cake” (adorable chaos), and my husband hovers with a spoon waiting for the first corner slice. We’ve served it warm, cold, midnight, and yes… breakfast. Zero regrets.

How to Make It

Bake a spice cake in a 9×13 pan—nothing fancy, just the box mix plus the eggs/oil/water the box asks for. While it bakes, warm some caramel sauce until pourable and crack open a can of sweetened condensed milk. When the cake comes out, let it cool for like 10 minutes so it’s not screaming-hot, then jab it all over with the handle of a wooden spoon. Holes should be big enough to actually drink in the sauce, not just look cute.

Whisk the caramel with the condensed milk and pour it slowly over the cake so it sinks into every nook. Now, apples: the easy route is a can of apple pie filling, roughly chopped so you get bite-sized little chunks. Spread that over the top. Chill for at least 2 hours so everything soaks and settles and gets that fudgy, ultra-moist vibe.

Right before serving, cloud it with whipped topping or freshly whipped cream, dust with cinnamon, drizzle more caramel (because we’re honest people here), and scatter some chopped toasted pecans if you like crunch. Slice into unapologetically big squares.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Spice cake mix: The shortcut that makes this whole thing weeknight-possible. Yellow cake works—just add 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
– Apple pie filling: Easiest option. Chop it so the apples spread evenly. If it seems extra gloopy, give it a quick stir to break it up.
– Fresh apples: If you’re skipping pie filling, sauté 2 cups diced apples with 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and cinnamon until tender. Cool before topping.
– Caramel sauce: Any jarred caramel you love. Warm it so it pours. Thick caramel is dreamy; thin caramel will seep more.
– Sweetened condensed milk: This is the “poke” soak. If you’re sweetness-shy, mix half condensed with half evaporated milk.
– Whipped topping or cream: Cool Whip is easy. Or whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks.
– Pecans: Toast them for 5 minutes at 350°F for extra flavor. Or use walnuts, toffee bits, or nothing—your cake, your call.
– Cinnamon + flaky salt: Cinnamon for warmth; a tiny pinch of flaky salt on top makes the caramel pop.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
2. Mix 1 box spice cake batter as directed; bake 28–33 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
3. Cool 10 minutes, then poke deep holes all over with a wooden spoon handle.
4. Warm 1/2–3/4 cup caramel and whisk with 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk; pour slowly over the cake.
5. Roughly chop 1 (21 oz) can apple pie filling and spread evenly; chill at least 2 hours (or overnight).
6. Top with whipped topping/whipped cream, dust cinnamon, drizzle more caramel, and sprinkle chopped toasted pecans; slice and serve.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or a maple latte for the full cozy moment.
– A scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream if you’re feeling birthday-level extra.
– Sharp cheddar slices—apple pie and cheddar is a thing, and it slaps here, too.
– Salty snacks (pretzels!) on the side for that sweet-salty ping-pong.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t poke teeny holes—make them wide and deep so the soak actually sinks in.
– Let the cake cool 10 minutes before soaking; too hot and the topping can go weirdly mushy.
– Warm the caramel so it flows; cold caramel sits on top like a stubborn cat.
– Chop the apple pie filling. Whole slices slide off when you cut squares (ask me how I know).
– Chill time matters. Two hours minimum; overnight is peak plush.
– If using fresh apples, cook them first so they don’t go crunchy on you.

✔Storage Tips

Pop leftovers (covered) in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cold slices are dangerously good—like an apple-caramel tres leches situation. If you eat it for breakfast straight from the pan, I simply won’t judge. For longer storage, freeze slices (without the whipped topping) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight and add the fluffy stuff before serving.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Yellow cake + spices: Use yellow mix and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
– Lighter soak: Half condensed milk, half evaporated milk. Still lush, less sweet.
– Dulce de leche: Swap for caramel for a deeper, toasted vibe.
– Nut-free: Skip nuts; try crushed pretzels, toffee bits, or granola.
– Gluten-free: Use a GF cake mix; make sure your caramel is certified GF.
– Dairy-free-ish: Use coconut condensed milk and coconut whipped topping; a dairy-free caramel works great.
– Fresh apple route: Sauté diced apples with butter (or coconut oil), brown sugar, cinnamon, and a squeeze of lemon; cool before topping.
– Maple twist: Warm 2 tablespoons maple syrup into the caramel for a cozy woodsy note.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Caramel Apple Poke Cake

This Easy Caramel Apple Poke Cake starts with a spice cake mix, then gets drenched in a luscious caramel–condensed milk sauce, topped with cinnamon-kissed apple pie filling and a cloud of whipped topping. It’s a crowd-pleasing fall dessert that’s simple enough for weeknights and special enough for holidays.

No ratings yet

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 15.25 oz spice cake mix one standard box
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 21 oz apple pie filling chop into bite-size pieces
• ▢ 14 oz sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk
• ▢ 1 cup caramel sauce ice cream topping; plus extra for drizzling
• ▢ 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
• ▢ 0.5 cup chopped pecans optional
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon for garnish
• ▢ 0.125 tsp flaky sea salt optional, to balance sweetness

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, combine spice cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28 to 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• While the cake bakes, gently warm the caramel sauce with the sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until combined and pourable.
• Cool the cake for 10 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake, spacing about 1 inch apart.
• Slowly pour the warm caramel–condensed milk mixture evenly over the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the holes.
• Spread the chopped apple pie filling evenly over the top. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature.
• Spread the whipped topping over the cooled cake. Chill for at least 60 minutes to set.
• Before serving, drizzle with additional caramel, sprinkle with cinnamon and pecans, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt if using. Slice and serve.

Notes

For cleaner slices, refrigerate the cake for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Swap spice cake with yellow cake and add 1.0 tsp ground cinnamon to the batter if desired. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.