Pro Tips for the Best Pumpkin Poke Cake
You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference. If you don’t want to brown the butter you can make use regular room temp butter, Just add the spices when it’s being creamed and you’ll still enjoy the flavor. This cake is amazing even without the pudding so go ahead and make a regular sheet cake if you’re short on time. MIX that meringue buttercream RIGHT before use!!! It loses consistency quickly. Hate cloves, nutmeg or some other spice in this recipe? Skip it and use which ever spices you prefer!
Can I make this cake in advance?
YES! You can make the unfrosted and filled sheet cake in advance, wrap it up and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to two months. The frosting will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator and two months in the freezer. Let it come back to room temperature and give it a quick whip before using to restore it’s consistency. The Whole cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to cover it so it doesn’t absorb any errant smells. Allow to warm back to room temperature before enjoying.
How big should the holes be for a poke cake?
This is up to you but in my opinion the bigger the better. That vanilla pudding is DELICIOUS and you need to make room for it! In case you’re wondering how many holes to poke in the cake, the answer is as many as possible! The rum-spiked custard is so so good!
How do I know when the cake is done?
A wooden skewer inserted in the center will come out clean and the cake will spring bak if pressed lightly.
How dark should the butter be when I brown it?
I like my butter to get to a golden brown before I take it off heat. You can go a bit darker but watch it CLOSELY! The butter goes from golden to black very quickly. You’ll have to move the foam aside and examine the butter by removing some with a spoon to see the color.
How to make a Pumpkin Poke Cake
1. To make browned butter; cook the butter over medium heat while stirring frequently until the butter is golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in spices then allow it to cool to room temperature. 2. For the vanilla pudding; Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Add the milk into that sugar mixture and stir until it is a paste. Add the egg yolks to the saucepan and cook the mixture on a low heat. You will need to stir this continuously and let the mixture thicken but be careful not to over boil. Once it is thick enough, turn the heat off and add the butter, rum and vanilla. Mix it up until it is well incorporated then transfer it to a bowl. Create an airtight seal with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for about an hour to chill.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper Start off by sifting the dry ingredients (not the sugar) together and give it a good whisk. Mix the buttermilk, vanilla, orange blossom and sour cream in a glass and set it aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for approximately 4 minutes on medium. Add the eggs one at a time making sure each is incorporated well before adding in the next. Go ahead and add your flour mixture in three batches alternating with the milk mixture. Make sure you start and end with the flour mixture. Don’t over mix, just beat until combined.
Mix in the pumpkin puree and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the pumpkin is well incorporated.
Once the batter is done, pour it into the cake pan and smooth towards the edges. Bake the cake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the center is set. Allow the cake to rest for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to either a wire rack or a large plate. Move the cake onto parchment paper and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Once your brown butter has cooled to room temperature, in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, pour the butter in the bowl and beat it on low speed.
Add the confectioners sugar into a bowl to make sure there are no lumps! Once you have done that, add it into the bowl with the browned butter and continue mixing on low speed. At this time you can also drizzle in the vanilla and cream. Continue mixing until desired consistency is reached.
It’s time to assemble your cake! Use a round dowel or any other handy kitchen tool to poke holes into the cake. You’re going to want to poke holes all the way up and down and across your cake. Once you have poked your holes, use a knife or and offset spatula to spread the pudding over the sheet. Make sure to press the pudding into the holes. Remove any excess with a spatula and allow it to soak in.
For your final step, smooth on that buttercream! Make a nice even coat and then you are ready to enjoy your pumpkin poke cake! If you’ve tried this cake then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! SaveSave SaveSave
