Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake - A soft and moist poke cake filled with a sweet cinnamon filling and topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting that melts in your mouth.
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Happy New Year, friend! I hope you are as excited for 2020 as I am! I took some time off over Christmas and New Year's to just relax and spend time with friends and family. It was such a treat!
With some needed time off, I'm back at it and ready to go. How about we kick off the new year with an easy and delicious poke cake? Sound good? I thought so!
WHAT IS A POKE CAKE?
It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like! It's a cake you poke holes into, pour in some filling and refrigerate. The filling moistens the cake and provides a pop of flavor!
This Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake serves as a tasty dessert or even a sweet breakfast. Yep, here in the Midwest we do eat cake for breakfast sometimes. This cake as well as this easy coffee cake are both great options!
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON ROLL POKE CAKE
To make this delicious cinnamon roll cake, you'll need:
- Package white cake mix + ingredients for preparation
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Confectioners' sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon sugar
Prepare the cake as directed on the box.
In a medium bowl, mix together butter, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and vanilla.
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes throughout the cake.
Then, pour the filling over the holes in the cake.
Here's where I have to hold myself back from devouring the cake. If I had it my way, I may just cut myself a big ole' piece to enjoy right here and now. That glaze looks so delicious!
When it's time to whip up the frosting, I usually use my small stand mixer or hand mixer. The frosting is truly the "icing" on the cake.
It's a combination of heavy cream, cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla.?
Go ahead and frost the cake.
And sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the top of the cake.
After refrigerating the cake for about 30 minutes, it's ready to eat!
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO CUT POKE CAKE?
Run a sharp knife under hot water and dry it off between cutting each slice to keep your squares neat and clean.
IS WHITE CAKE MIX THE ONLY FLAVOR I CAN USE?
You can really use any box cake mix. I prefer to use white so the cinnamon sugar filling can be seen within the slices of cake.
Yellow cake mix would be good too but you may just not be able to see the "striping" of the filling as well.
HOW DO I STORE POKE CAKE?
Poke cake can be kept in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.
CAN I FREEZE POKE CAKE?
Yes, you can, but I would wait to frost it until you're ready to eat. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. The cake will keep for up to 3 months.
COULD I MAKE CUPCAKES INSTEAD OF CAKE?
Yes, of course! Instead of making a 9×13 cake, make cupcakes according to the directions on the box.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, poke them with a skewer and use a spoon to drizzle the cinnamon filling into the holes before placing them into the fridge.
HUNGRY FOR MORE DELICIOUS CAKE?
- White Chocolate Oreo Pudding Poke Cake
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Lemon Jello Cake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- No Bake Cherry Dump Cake
- Easy Coffee Cake
- Caramel Fudge Cake
Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 15.25 oz package white cake mix, prepared according to directions on package
For the Filling
- ½ stick (¼ cup butter, melted)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- ½ stick (¼ cup butter, softened)
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare cake according to instructions on the box. Allow to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together butter, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Poke holes throughout the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Pour filling over the holes in the cake.
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together.
- Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
- Fold in whipped cream from medium bowl.
- Frost the cake with the frosting.
- Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Proper Cake Cooling: Ensure that the cake is completely cooled before adding the filling and frosting. Allowing the cake to cool fully prevents the filling and frosting from melting or becoming too runny when applied to the cake's surface. It also helps the cake maintain its structure and prevents it from crumbling during assembly and serving. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the cake in the refrigerator or on a wire rack.
- Even Distribution of Filling: When pouring the filling over the cake, ensure that it is evenly distributed and seeps into all the holes created by the wooden spoon handle. This ensures that every bite of the cake is infused with the delicious cinnamon-sugar filling, adding moisture and flavor throughout. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the filling evenly across the surface of the cake, paying extra attention to the edges and corners.
- Frosting Consistency and Texture: Achieving the perfect consistency for the frosting is key to a successful cinnamon roll poke cake. Ensure that the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature before mixing to prevent lumps in the frosting. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form before folding it into the cream cheese mixture, creating a light and airy frosting. Take care not to overmix the frosting to maintain its fluffy texture. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set and the flavors to meld together for the best taste and texture. Sprinkling cinnamon sugar on top adds a final touch of sweetness and enhances the cinnamon flavor.
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