Caramel Pumpkin Poke Cake - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Why is my poke cake soggy? ›

Make sure the holes aren't too close together or too far apart—if they're too close together, your cake could be too moist; if they're too far apart, there may not be enough filling throughout the cake.

Both cakes called for hole-poking action long before the 1970s. Even though Jell-O isn't quite the potluck-table staple it once was, there are still plenty of home bakers poking holes in their cakes and filling them with sugary semi-liquids.

It's best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm, because as it cools the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.

A clean wooden spoon handle is the best tool and gives you nice big holes to fill with liquid gelatin, but in a pinch a chopstick or even a fork could work. Holes about 1½ inches apart in a grid pattern are ideal, but poke cakes are forgiving; it'll be delicious regardless of the spacing.

Before it's served, you'll add a layer of cream cheese frosting and sprinkle candied pecans on top for some crunch. Internet lore would have you believe this pineapple-topped concoction was Elvis Presley's favorite cake, that he even asked his grandmother to make it for him as a kid.

After the cake is baked and cooled, you take the back of a wooden spoon (that's what my mom always used), and poke holes all over the cake. A poke cake then has some kind of glaze or soak (caramel, chocolate, fruit soak, etc.) poured on top and is finished with a whipped cream topping.

A dump cake is an American dessert similar to a cobbler but with a cake-like topping. It is so named because it is prepared by "dumping" ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing.

Adjusting the cooking time and temperature

If your cake has a soggy middle, the first thing to try is bringing the temperature down a little and baking for slightly longer. I'd suggest reducing the temperature by 20 degrees and increasing the baking time for 7 minutes.

You can also place your baked items in the fridge for a half hour, and this should cool and dry the surface as well. The fridge is known to be a dry environment as it naturally dehumidifies air by cooling the insides. Just don't leave it in there too long uncovered because it will completely dry out your baked goods!