Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake 🍰🥜✨
Ultra-moist, rich, and irresistibly nutty—this butter pecan poke cake is soaked with sweetened condensed milk and caramel, then crowned with a glossy pecan praline topping.
Ingredients (Serves 12–16)
For the cake
- Cake mix: 1 box butter pecan cake mix (plus eggs, oil, and water as listed on the box)
- Sweet soak: 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- Caramel: 1 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
For the praline pecan topping
- Pecans: 1½–2 cups pecans, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
- Butter: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Brown sugar: ¾ cup, packed
- Evaporated milk or cream: ½ cup
- Vanilla: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ¼ teaspoon (or to taste)
Optional finishing layer
- Whipped topping: 2 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream or 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
Instructions
- Bake cake: Prepare cake batter per box directions. Bake in a 9×13-inch pan at the temperature on the box until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Poke & soak: While hot, poke holes all over the cake with a thick skewer. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the surface, then drizzle the caramel. Let cool completely.
- Make praline: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and evaporated milk/cream; simmer 2–3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, salt, and toasted pecans.
- Top cake: Spread the warm praline pecan mixture over the cooled, soaked cake. Chill 30–