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Pumpkin Poke Cake Topped with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin poke cake is baked with warm spices, then filled with sweetened condensed milk and chilled until moist and tender. A fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting finishes this 9x13-inch dessert with a light, creamy topping.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling and chilling 2 hours 40 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 585
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs large
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
For the filling
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
For the whipped cream cheese frosting
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream cold

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
  4. Add the flour mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared dish.
  6. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Fill and chill
  1. Cool the cake in the dish for 10 minutes.
  2. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes about 1 inch apart across the cake.
  3. Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, aiming it into the holes.
  4. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Make the frosting and finish
  1. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.
  2. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
  3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions.
  4. Spread the frosting over the chilled cake.
  5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

For clean slices, wipe the knife between cuts. Refrigerate covered for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because the whipped frosting may lose its texture. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.