It’s fall, but it’s beginning to feel like winter here in Wisconsin. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and pumpkin desserts have truly been on my mind! I love a good poke cake, and who doesn’t love creamy pudding, so combining these two seemed like a great idea!
I’m so incredibly rushed this past couple of months. There’s work, this blog, my craft blog, various freelance projects I have going on, and I’m writing two craft books! Phew! It’s enough to make your head spin. Not to mention I’ll be brining a big ole turkey for Thanksgiving dinner soon. So lately, since I haven’t had as much time in the kitchen, I’ve been experimenting with doctoring up cake mixes.
I love to bake from scratch (in fact I have a pumpkin cake recipe here), but I always keep a few boxes of cake mix in the pantry. I love to play around with them and make them my own. There’s something very nostalgic about the taste of a box cake. Reminds me of when I was a child. Hope you try this! We loved it and plan to make it again soon.
Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and applesauce in a mixing bowl. Mix for 30 second on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-high for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 26-33 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes.
While cake is cooling, add pudding mix and cinnamon to milk in a large measuring cup and whisk together well. Allow pudding mix to thicken slightly, about 3 minutes or so.
Poke holes in the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon. I made large holes rather far apart, you can space them closer together if you want more pudding disbursed.
Pour pudding carefully into each hole.
When each hole is full (you will have pudding left over), spread any excess pudding that is already on the cake evenly across the top.
Chill both the cake and the leftover pudding separately for about two hours. Remove cake from the refrigerator and spread the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
Stir the whipped topping and drop it in dollops onto the top of the cake. Carefully spread it over the cake. Keep refrigerated when not being served.
* Can substitute vanilla or french vanilla for white chocolate pudding.
Pumpkin Pudding Poke Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 box Spice flavored cake mix
- 1 14- oz can pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup applesauce the 4 ounce snack containers are perfect
- 1 3- ounce box White Chocolate instant pudding*
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 8- ounce container Cool Whip Lite OR 1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped with a tablespoon of powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs and applesauce in a mixing bowl. Mix for 30 second on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-high for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 26-33 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes.1 box Spice flavored cake mix, 1 14- oz can pumpkin puree, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup applesauce
- While cake is cooling, add pudding mix and cinnamon to milk in a large measuring cup and whisk together well. Allow pudding mix to thicken slightly, about 3 minutes or so.1 3- ounce box White Chocolate instant pudding*, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Poke holes in the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon. We made large holes rather far apart, you can space them closer together if you want more pudding disbursed. Pour pudding carefully into each hole. When each hole is full (you will have pudding left over), spread any excess pudding that is already on the cake evenly across the top. Chill both the cake and the leftover pudding separately for about two hours.
- Remove cake from the refrigerator and spread the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.
- Stir the whipped topping and drop it in dollops onto the top of the cake. Carefully spread it over the cake. Keep refrigerated when not being served.1 8- ounce container Cool Whip Lite OR 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- * Can substitute vanilla or french vanilla for white chocolate pudding.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
- 8 Ounces Isn’t Always 1 Cup - January 23, 2026
- Marinara Sauce - January 6, 2026
- Gingerbread Martini - December 18, 2025
Cheri Oggy says
I absolutely love poke cakes and this one sounds both easy and delicious!!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Cheri, it is really good. Hope you get a chance to try it!