Description

Unfamiliar with poke cakes? Now’s your chance to try one of the easiest and most delicious desserts ever. This cake is inspired by the flavor of cinnamon rolls but uses a box‐cake mix for simplicity. It’s fluffy and moist with a sweet cinnamon–brown sugar filling that’s poked into the cake and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the cake

Cooking spray
1 box white cake mix (plus the ingredients called for on the box)

For the filling

1 (14‑oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt

For the frosting

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 (8‑oz) block cream cheese
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt

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Instructions

Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13‑inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (approximately 25–35 minutes). Allow the cake to cool completely.
Filling:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Frosting & Assembly:
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until well combined. Fold in the whipped cream gently until just incorporated.
- Once the cake is cooled, poke holes all over the surface using the back of a wooden spoon or a fork.
- Pour the filling evenly over the cake, using a spatula to work it into the holes.
- Top with the cream cheese frosting and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

This recipe is versatile—try adding sliced bananas on top for a banana variation or swapping the cream cheese frosting for a simple buttercream if you prefer a less tangy finish.
For best results, use the ingredients as directed on your cake mix box.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (≈120 g)
Calories: 549kcal
Sugar: 42 g
Sodium: 250 mg
Fat: 27 g
Saturated Fat: 16 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 72 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 60 mg