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Pumpkin Poke Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin poke cake with cream cheese frosting is a tender pumpkin spice cake filled with sweetened condensed milk and topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting. Bake it in a 9x13-inch dish, poke holes in the warm cake, and chill it for easy, creamy slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
cooling and chilling 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 590
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 4 eggs large
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
For the filling
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
For the frosting
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Spread the batter in the prepared dish.
  7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Fill the cake
  1. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Poke holes about 1 inch apart all over it with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  3. Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the warm cake, aiming some into the holes.
  4. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.
Make the frosting and finish
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar a cup at a time and the vanilla until fluffy.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  5. Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

For clean slices, chill the cake completely before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese frosting may change texture. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.