Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

The descriptions of this cake seem to include a lot of superlatives. Best this, greatest that, better than…Well, let’s just say you might feel the earth move after just one bite. Yeah, this is some really, really good cake.

Bake a simple chocolate cake, poke it all over with a skewer, drench it with a caramel/milk mixture, top it with a generous layer of sweetened whipped cream (trying to keep this PG rated) and you have a dessert that is loved equally by all ages and anyone with even a hint of a sweet tooth.

Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

By Nicole Prep: 15 minsCook: 30 minsChill Time: 3 hrsTotal: 3 hrs 45 mins Servings: 16 A decadent cake that will please any dessert lover!

Equipment

• Digital thermometer with pot clip
• 9 x 13-inch baking pan with lid

Ingredients 

For the Caramel

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup Lyle’s golden syrup
• ¾ cup heavy cream, divided
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cake

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• ¾ cup safflower oil or other neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 3 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 packets of whipped cream stabilizer, optional
• 2 1.4-ounce milk chocolate-covered English toffee bars, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions 

For the Caramel

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, syrup, ¼ cup cream, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 240ºF, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining ½ cup cream; cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray; set aside.

For the Cake

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and whisk until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and poke all over with a fork or skewer while it is still hot. Spread the sweetened condensed milk over the warm cake and allow to soak in. Spread the caramel over the cake. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.

For the Topping

1. In a large chilled bowl with a whisk or hand-held mixer, beat together the cream, sugar, vanilla, and stabilizer (if using) until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream topping over the chilled cake. Sprinkle the topping with the chopped candy bars. Enjoy

Notes

• Poke holes in cake 1/2 inch apart.
• Cake can be made one day in advance.
• Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 273mg, Potassium: 142mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 52g, Vitamin A: 820IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.