This is our second attempt at a poke cake (remember the Death By Chocolate Poke Cake?). Today I’ve gone the complete opposite of chocolate and gone for vanilla . A vanilla caramel poke cake.
I’m not a cake person but this is certainly a cake I get behind!
Vanilla Caramel Poke Cake is a soft and fluffy cake with holes poked throughout that is then smothered in a homemade condensed milk caramel and topped with cream cheese icing. Complete this poke cake off with a salted caramel drizzle and you’re done.
I love poke cakes. I love how the chosen topping – in this case its caramel filling – seeps into the cake making it gooey as well as soft and fluffy.
I felt the cream cheese icing gave a tang and created a nice balance to all the sweet caramel. Especially since we top this poke cake with salted caramel sauce as well as drenching the cake in caramel!
If you haven’t tried a poke cake before, this one is definitely a great place to start. If you like this or any of my other recipes, let me know in the comments below and be sure to follow me on my social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Vanilla Caramel Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened (110g)
- 1/2 Cup Caster Sugar (100g)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 and 1/2 Cups All Purpose Four (185g)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 3/4 Cup Milk
- 2 tsp - 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract, Depends on your personal tastes
Caramel Filling;
- 1 Tin Sweetened Condensed Milk (397g)
- 1/3 Cup Butter (75g)
- 1/4 Cup Golden Syrup (90g)
Cream Cheese Icing;
- 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened (110g)
- 1 Cup Cream Cheese (250g)
- 3-4 Cups Icing Sugar (360-480g)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Salted Caramel Sauce;
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (100g)
- 1/4 Cup Butter, Melted (55g)
- 3 Tbsp. Milk
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- First make the caramel filling.
- Place the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat.
- Stir and wait for the butter and golden syrup to melt.
- Bring it nearly to the boil then remove from the heat and set aside to make the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 22cmx22cm square cake tin.
- Place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy.
- Beat in the eggs.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl
- Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate adding the flour and milk to the butter mixture.
- Once it is all combined add the vanilla extract and ensure it is mixed through.
- Place in the baking tin and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- When a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean it is cooked.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature before taking the end of a wooden spoon and poking holes all through the top of the cake.
- Pour over the caramel filling and spread over the cake.
- Lightly tap the cake on the bench a few times to ensure the pudding gets into all the little holes.
- Place it in the fridge to set for at least an hour.
- While the cake is setting prepare the cream cheese icing.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and icing sugar and mix by hand until all combined and smooth. Set aside and make the salted caramel sauce.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan on a medium to high heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the milk and bring to the boil.
- Boil for at least 2 minutes before removing from the heat.
- Add the salt and allow to cool.
- Take the cake out of the fridge and spread over the cream cheese icing.
- Drizzle over the salted caramel and serve.
Julie
Is the caramel filling supposed to have brown sugar in it? The instructions are confusing when is says to make the caramel filling first and 3-stir and wait for the brown sugar and butter to dissolve. But brown sugar isn’t listed in the ingredients section for the caramel filling, only for the topping.
Thanks!
Emma
Hi Julie,
You’re right, there is no brown sugar in the caramel filling. Just melt the butter and the golden syrup together and then add the condensed milk. I’ll make the adjust the recipe shortly.
Thank you for pointing that out 🙂
Julie
Thank you! I’m glad that was your answer because that’s how I did it!! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to taste it tonight!
Julie
FYI this cake was totally amazing! We LOVEDit! I wasn’t sure, because I couldn’t find golden syrup anywhere locally and I didn’t have time to order it online, and to convert all the measurements (grams to tablespoons etc) was a bit daunting. I subbed karo light corn syrup and it was totally amazing! I’m so glad I tried it!
It is fabulous and I’ll definitely make it again!
Plus, because you are in the U.K. And I am in the US I got to practice some math skills,lol,bonus!
Emma
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you for your feedback, it means a lot to me :). Yes I believe corn syrup and golden syrup are very similar. Brown sugar can be substituted for the golden syrup in the caramel as well if that is easier for you to get your hands on. I shall try to add both grams and cups from now on with my recipes to make it easier for you and others in other countries.
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl)
This looks so yummy!
Emma
Thank you 🙂