Mel’s Kitchen Cafe | Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

A shocking dessert, this pumpkin caramel poke cake is so moist and completely spiced, and that whipped caramel cream frosting is to-die for!

If you happen to want a showstopper of a fall dessert (pumpkin! caramel!), look no additional. This cake comes collectively in three straightforward steps, that are detailed in full under!

Make the Cake

This straightforward one-bowl pumpkin cake batter is whisked collectively by hand. It comes collectively quick!

Actually all of the substances besides the flour are blended collectively after which the flour is added and blended till the batter is evenly mixed.

Bake the cake in a 9X13-inch baking pan. Many varieties of pans will work: glass, ceramic, metallic.

For metallic pans, it’s preferable to make use of a light-colored metallic pan as dark-coated metallic pans can over bake the edges of the cake earlier than the middle is finished.

Make the Simple Caramel Sauce

Whereas the cake bakes, toss all of the caramel sauce substances in a small saucepan (aside from the vanilla).

• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ¾ cup salted butter, minimize into items
• ⅓ cup milk, ideally not skim (I exploit 2%) – resist the urge to sub in heavy cream or half-and-half! Surprisingly, the sauce seems far superior utilizing common milk.
• Pinch desk salt

As soon as the butter is melted, simmer the caramel sauce for 2 minutes. Pull off the warmth and stir within the vanilla.

For such a easy and fast caramel sauce, these items is amazingly divine!

It thickens because it cools and is the proper consistency for this cake and the frosting, however it is usually fantastic for dipping sliced apples, drizzling over ice cream, or wherever else caramel sauce is required. (Trace: in every single place and on the whole lot.)

Make the Caramel Cream Frosting

Oh, this frosting. It’s unbelievably scrumptious. Caramel + cream cheese + cream.

For what it’s value, you’ll be able to hardly style the cream cheese in any respect, nevertheless it provides vital construction and creaminess to the frosting (and helps the frosting to not get liquidy if made forward of time).

1. Whip the cream cheese till comfortable and creamy.
2. Add 3/4 cup of the fully cooled caramel sauce.
3. Add the heavy cream* and blend till thick and lusciously creamy.

*Heavy Whipping Cream Word: I exploit heavy whipping cream with 40% fats (Darigold from Costco), which implies it thickens nicely when blended into the caramel/cream cheese without having to be whipped by itself first. In case you are utilizing heavy whipping cream with much less fats, it’s possible you’ll have to whip it to comfortable peaks first earlier than folding into the blended cream cheese + caramel. 

Assemble the Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake

1. Poke holes everywhere in the baked pumpkin cake. It may be barely heat or absolutely cooled (to room temperature) at this level.
   • BEST POKING APPARATUS goes toooooo: my super-sized knitting needle (which I’ve really by no means knitted with 😆). You should use a wood spoon deal with, chopstick, or the rest that may create holes massive sufficient for the thick caramel to soak in (the small tines of a fork can be too tiny for the thick caramel).
2. Steadily drizzle 1 cup of the nice and cozy (however not scorching) caramel sauce excessive of the cake and use a spatula to clean and gently press the caramel into the holes. If the caramel is taking some time to sink into the cake, wait a couple of minutes to provide the caramel time to sink into the cake, after which proceed till the full 1 cup of the caramel has been used.
3. Let the cake and caramel cool fully earlier than frosting. At this level, the cake might be coated and stored at room temperature for a number of hours earlier than continuing with the remainder of the recipe.
4. Unfold the frosting evenly over the cake and sprinkle with toffee bits.

Extra caramel word as a result of I really feel you will need to restate issues 1,000,000 occasions: It’s best to unfold the caramel sauce over the cake whereas the sauce continues to be barely heat. If the caramel sauce has cooled or been chilled, evenly heat it on the stovetop or within the microwave and whisk to recombine earlier than utilizing. (The portion of caramel sauce used within the frosting must be fully cooled to room temperature.)

There are a number of further notes within the recipe under, so be certain to learn by way of it completely earlier than making the recipe!

My good friend, Deb, launched me to this cake. She made it for a vacation dinner with our household and has since made it for a number of child showers, and it’s at all times a success (as in, persons are swarming her for the recipe, and I’m begging for an invitation although I despise placing on actual pants and leaving my home and should fake to know the mom and the child simply to get entry to a chunk of this cake).

It could appear like an extended, intimidating recipe, however I guarantee you, it’s easy and comes collectively simply! I modified a number of issues within the unique recipe to make it much more approachable and easy.

The comfortable, moist pumpkin cake smothered in caramel and topped with that luxurious frosting is completely to-die for and so value it. Prepare for a very excellent pumpkin dessert!

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake with Whipped Caramel Cream Frosting

Yield: 15 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Prepare dinner Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time:: 2 hours hrs

Whole Time: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes minutes

Cake:

• 1 15-ounce can (425 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (106 g) packed mild brown sugar
• ⅔ cup (140 g) neutral-flavored oil, like canola or vegetable oil
• 3 massive (150 g) eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons floor cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon floor nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon floor ginger
• 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour

Caramel Sauce:

• 1 ½ cups (318 g) packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup (170 g) (12 tablespoons) butter, minimize into items
• ⅓ cup (80 g) milk, ideally not skim (I exploit 2%)
• Pinch desk salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Caramel Cream Frosting:

• 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (363 g) heavy whipping cream (see word)
• ½ to 1 cup toffee bits, for garnish (optionally available)

Prepare dinner ModeStop your display screen from going darkish

• Preheat oven to 350 levels F. Evenly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Put aside.

• For the cake, in a big bowl, add the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and ginger. Whisk till very well-combined.

• Add the flour and blend till the batter is absolutely mixed.

• Unfold the batter evenly within the ready pan and bake for 28-32 minutes till the highest springs again evenly to the contact. (Add time, as wanted – actual baking time will rely upon pan kind and actual oven temperature; do not over bake or the cake can be dry.)

• Take away from the oven and let cool till simply barely heat (it is okay if it cools fully, however the caramel soaks in higher if the cake continues to be a bit heat).

• For the caramel sauce (make whereas the cake bakes), in a medium saucepan, mix the brown sugar, butter, milk and salt. Warmth over low warmth till the butter is melted. Improve the warmth to medium and convey to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes with out stirring.

• Take away from the warmth and stir within the vanilla. Put aside to chill to heat room temperature. You may use 1 cup of the caramel sauce for the cake and the remaining 3/4 cup caramel sauce for the frosting.

• When the cake has largely cooled however continues to be barely heat, poke holes all all through the highest of the cake, ensuring to poke all the best way to the underside of the cake. You should use a wood spoon deal with, chopstick, massive knitting needle (my “utensil” of alternative!) or the rest that you’ve readily available. The holes must be massive sufficient for the thick caramel to soak in (so do not use one thing as small because the tines of a fork).

• Steadily drizzle 1 cup of the nice and cozy (however not scorching) caramel sauce excessive of the cake and use a spatula to clean and gently press the caramel into the holes. If the caramel is taking some time to sink into the cake, cease pouring the caramel sauce excessive, wait a couple of minutes to provide the caramel time to drizzle down into the cake, after which proceed till the total 1 cup of the caramel has been used.

• Let the cake and caramel cool fully earlier than frosting. At this level, the cake might be coated and stored at room temperature for a number of hours earlier than continuing with the remainder of the recipe.

• For the whipped caramel cream frosting, in a bowl with an electrical handheld mixer (or within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), add the cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup caramel sauce (this portion of sauce must be fully cooled earlier than utilizing). Combine till well-combined, scraping down the edges of the bowl as wanted.

• Add the heavy cream (see word earlier than including!), and blend on low velocity till the combination is evenly mixed. Improve the velocity to medium-high and blend till the frosting is thick and creamy (and may simply be unfold like frosting).

• Unfold the frosting evenly over the fully cooled cake. Sprinkle with toffee bits, minimize into squares, and serve.

Caramel Sauce: the caramel sauce might be made a number of days prematurely and refrigerated. If utilizing chilly/thick caramel sauce, heat barely earlier than utilizing to unfold over the cake. If the caramel sauce is overheated, it might probably flip grainy, so watch carefully and heat over low warmth.
Heavy Cream: I exploit heavy whipping cream with 40% fats (Darigold from Costco), which implies it thickens nicely when blended into the caramel/cream cheese without having to be whipped by itself first. In case you are utilizing heavy whipping cream with much less fats, it’s possible you’ll have to whip it to comfortable peaks first earlier than folding into the blended cream cheese + caramel. 
Make-Forward: this cake might be assembled and refrigerated earlier than serving. It tastes greatest if served inside 1 to 2 hours of assembling the cake. If you wish to make it greater than two hours forward of time, I might recommend refrigerating the frosting individually and spreading it over the cake proper earlier than serving. The cake might be baked and drizzled with caramel a number of hours earlier than frosting (cowl and preserve at room temperature).  

Creator: Mel

Course: Dessert

Delicacies: American

Technique: Bake

Serving: 1 serving, Energy: 510kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 5g, Fats: 30g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Ldl cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 341mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 43g

Recipe Supply: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (impressed by a cake my good friend, Deb, made); took the cake layer and tailored it barely from these pumpkin bars, caramel recipe tailored from allrecipes