Pumpkin Carmel Poke Cake

This is quite the cake! Via...Mommy's Kitchen. 

I made this special for a sister in our church that I visit teach. She posted it on FB and I wanted to surprise her with it. The only thing different I did from Mommy's Kitchen recipe is I made the cake and pumpkin pudding from scratch. Not from a box.

I started off making the pumpkin pudding so it could cool long enough in the fridge...

Ingredients:

• 6 T sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups  milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

1. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine milk and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through ground nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well. Slowly add pumpkin mixture to milk mixture, whisking constantly. Place pan over low heat, and cook for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Put pudding in bowl and cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill.

Next, I started on this spice cake from All Recipes...

The spices are divine and smell so so good!!
*For pumpkin flavor add 1/2cup puree pumpkin.

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 ground all spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
  2 cups brown sugar
  
  

  Directions

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
• Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
• Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.
•  Then poke holes in it with bottom of wooden spoon.  
   

• Mix 1 cup sweetened condensed milk together with the 1 cup caramel dip.
• Pour the caramel mixture all over the cake, aiming for each of the holes. 
• Using an offset spatula spread the mixture evenly making sure the mixture goes into the holes. 
• Refrigerate cake for one hour.

  

• For the whipped frosting mix the pumpkin pudding with 80z cool whip or coconut whip cream.
• Once the cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake. 

•  Garnish with crushed gingersnaps or graham crackers and additional caramel topping drizzled over the entire cake.
• Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

 Here is Mommy's Kitchen Recipe...

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake 
{mommyskitchen.net}

1 - 18 oz spice cake mix + (oil, water and eggs according to box directions)
1/2 - cup pumpkin puree
1 - cup sweetened condensed milk
1 - cup Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Dip, Light or Fat Free Caramel Dip

Whipped Frosting:
1 - 3.4 oz package pumpkin spice instant pudding mix 
1 - cup milk
1/4 - cup confectioners sugar
1 - 8 oz tub whipped topping (cool whip)

Garnish: 
10 -15 gingersnap cookies or 1 cup graham crackers, coarsely crushed
additional caramel dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake according to package directions adding the oil, eggs, water and pumpkin. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake. Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is still warm poke holes 1 - inch apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. If a lot of cake comes out on the handle, wipe with a paper towel and continue poking the holes. You want the holes all over the cake.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and the caramel dip. Pour the caramel mixture over the cake, making sure to fill the holes. It's OK if the mixture puddles on the sides. 

Place cake in refrigerator and let cool for one hour. Once cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake. 

To make the frosting in a large bowl add the dry pudding mix, confectioners sugar and milk. Using an electric mixer blend until the mixture starts to thicken. Fold in the whipped topping.

Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed ginger snaps or graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with additional caramel topping. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

Cook's Note:  If you cannot find pumpkin spice pudding you can substitute with butterscotch or vanilla pudding, and add a dash of pumpkin pie spice. To make the caramel dip easier to drizzle for the garnish first, place the caramel dip in a microwave safe dish and heat on the defrost setting for 20 - 30 seconds. Using a spoon drizzle caramel on frosted cake.

So, I hear this cake was delicious! It's a perfect fall dessert with the all the spices and pumpkin flavors. 

Enjoy:)