Caramel Apple Poke Cake
Servings 16
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix plus eggs, oil and water (or buttermilk) to prepare
- 2 20 oz cans premium apple pie filling divided use
- 1 tsp apple pie spice or cinnamon plus additional for dusting the top of the cake
- 2 3.4 oz boxes instant Caramel pudding mix (See Cook's note)
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 16 oz container whipped topping i.e. Cool Whip or similar
- 1/4 cup toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a non-stick 13x9-inch metal baking pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the cake mix, water, eggs and oil as directed on the package adding 1 tsp apple pie spice or ground cinnamon. Decrease the water called for on the box by 1/4 cup. Beat until smooth and fully moistened.
- By hand mix in 1 can of apple pie filling. Spread cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat together the pudding mix (both boxes) and 3 cups whole milk. Beat until thickened, but still pourable.
- Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes over the entire cake using the handle of a wooden spoon or similar. Be generous.
- Spread 1/2 of the caramel pudding into the holes. Mix the remaining pudding with the final can of apple pie filling by hand. Spread over the pudding layer.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
- Frost the top with whipped topping and sprinkle with cinnamon and toffee bits just before serving.
Notes
- Cake - If you'd like to make the cake from scratch, you can use my Old Fashioned Butter
Cake Recipe. - Cake Mix - You could use a vanilla cake mix, a white cake mix or a butter pecan cake mix.
- Canned Apple Pie Filling - This caramel apple poke cake incorporates one can of apple pie filling in the cake batter and one is mixed with the pudding for the topping. It's imperative that you choose a premium brand of apple pie filling that's chock full of apple slices.
- Instant Pudding Mix - If you're unable to find caramel pudding mix, two boxes of butterscotch pudding mix instead.
- Second Caramel Pudding Substitution Option - If you are unable to find caramel flavored instant pudding substitute with 1 (3.4) oz vanilla or 1 (3.4) oz butterscotch pudding prepared per the box instructions instead. For the caramel apple layer, mix 1 (10) oz jar of caramel ice cream topping with one can of apple pie filling then proceed with the assembly of the cake as directed in the recipe.
- Nuts - You could incorporate 1/2-1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts in the cake batter.
- Cool Whip - Whipped toppings are more stable than whipped cream. That said, you can make your own fresh whipped cream, if you prefer.
- Homemade Whipped Cream - Use an electric mixer to whip 1 pint of heavy cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Toffee Bits - In order for the toffee bits to maintain their crunch, garnish the top with cinnamon and toffee bits either the same day you're serving, or just before serving.
- Caramel Sauce - You can drizzle the top with caramel sauce before serving.