Chocolate Caramel Cake is a delicious poke cake recipe that is ultra moist and delicious & fully loaded with caramel!
A decadent cake soaks up caramel for a moist and rich dessert that everyone goes crazy for!
You know how you have those few recipes you’re known for. The recipes and dishes that people always expect you to bring to events… *this* Chocolate Caramel Cake (along with my famous Carrot Cake) is the cake I’m known for. I am ALWAYS asked to bring this poke cake and it always gets rave reviews!
It has been known in our family as Divorce Cake for years… the first time I made it, my husband loved it so much that he ate the WHOLE cake! He then told me if I made it again he’d have to leave me… and “Divorce Cake” was born! Our friends have called it divorce cake for as long as I can remember and even though I always make it… he’s still here (I think he stays for the cake).
What is a Poke Cake?
If you’ve never had a poke cake before, this will rock your world! A poke cake is exactly what it sounds like.. a fluffy cake poked all over and usually topped with a sauce like caramel or chocolate. I have a killer Chocolate Poke Cake From Scratch that I top with a homemade pudding mixture. Any kind of cake works and I even make a colorful Red White and Blue Poke Cake for the holidays but I do think this Caramel Chocolate Cake is my fave!
The caramel chocolate cake starts with a cake baked to tender perfection and while still warm, like a typical poke cake, I poke holes all over the top. The cake is then topped with caramel sauce and sweetened condensed milk which will seep into the holes and make it insanely moist.
I make this cake using a from-scratch cake mix but you can also use a boxed cake mix to save time if you’d like!
The whole cake is then cooled and topped with whipped topping (or freshly whipped cream) and drizzled with more caramel and chocolate. I love to add shavings of chocolate and even Heath Bits to decorate it.
One thing I love about this cake is that it’s better if it sits overnight. That means it’s easy to make ahead of time and perfect for potlucks, parties, and dinners.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 8 ounces whipped topping or 3 cups whipped cream
- chocolate sauce and chopped chocolate for garnish
Homemade Chocolate Cake *see notes
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brewed coffee cooled
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cake (if using a box mix, follow the directions for a 9×13 pan)
HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease & flour a 9×13 inch pan.
- Combine milk & lemon juice and set aside. (The mixture will thicken slightly)
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda & baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, coffee, soured milk, oil and vanilla. Beat medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans. (Your batter may seem runny at this point but it will bake up beautifully.)
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Be sure to check the cake at 30 minutes so it doesn’t over cook.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool 15 minutes.
ASSEMBLY
- Poke holes all over the entire cake using the end of a wooden spoon. Pour the sweetened condensed milk and ¾ of the caramel sauce over the cake allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 4 hours, longer is better)
- Top with whipped topping, remaining caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and chopped chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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I had this cake at My oldest daughters in Abilene, TX for New Eve. I made it about a month ago the same as she made it. We used Duncan Hines Swiss chocolate cake mix, I always add milk instead of water. When taken out of oven poke with holes all over top with wooden spoon handle. I mix the Carmel ice cream topping and sweetened condensed milk together and pour on top of cake. Cool. When cool I add a small carton of extra creamy cool whip and crushed heath bits on top. If I’m taking this anywhere but home I DO NOT use nuts.
Making this tomorrow for funeral lunch ,sounds great and easy..
Love the recipes
For time sake, what is a good box brand for chocolate cake? Thanks!
Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines are both popular (and yummy) options!
I’ve a question. I opened my can of condensed milk. It looks brown, not white like it normally does. It is old, but not expired. Do you think it’s still safe to use, or should I discard it, and get a fresher can? What would you do?
There should be a date on the can somewhere. While a brownish condensed milk should be safe to use if the date is fine and it is sealed, I personally would use a fresher can.
I am making this cake for the Mahjongg class
tomorrow night. These ladies are so patient with me as a “new” student so I wanted to show my appreciation. That’s my excuse, because I truly love to cook and bake.
I love to bake too! I hope they enjoy it as much as my family did.
Thank you Holly for sharing your delicious dessert receipes. I’m also big foodie lover.
Awesome! Thank you!
All looks delicious
The whip cream doesn’t melt?
The cake is refrigerated overnight, and then the whipped cream is placed on top of the cake when it’s time to serve!
Is it cool whip or some kind of whipping cream
This recipe calls for Cool Whip but you can certainly use fresh whipped cream if you prefer.
Just saw your recipe for Caramel Chocolate Poke Cake. Looks great. Gonna give it a whirl and see how it turns out. Thanks for sharing.
Let us know how it turns out! :)
So many great recipes, can’t wait to try them for my family, thank you for sharing.
Should the sweetened condensed milk be warm before I pour it over the cake? Or will it absorb from the warmth of the cake.
I pour it over while it’s room temperature.
This has been one of my favorite cakes for as long as I can remember and it’s now my husband’s favorite cake that he requests every year for his birthday. I’ve always known it as “Better Than Sex” cake lol. The only difference from the recipe I’ve always used, compared to yours (which also sounds like a wonderful idea!) is adding crushed Heath candy bars in place of the pecans. I add a layer of the crushed Heath bars on top of the caramel/sweetened condensed milk and also sprinkle the remainder of the crushed candy bars on top of the cool whip. This is an amazing cake, no matter what you add to it!
Crushed heath is an AMAZING addition to this cake but I’ve never tried them under the Cool Whip! I’ll try it next time for sure!
I don’t have enough powdered sugar to make whip topping. Do you have a recipe for a chocolate pudding frosting for this cake
We don’t have a pudding frosting Pauline, but you could try this chocolate ganache frosting or this easy chocolate frosting!
I have the homemade cake in the oven now and it smells incredible. Can’t wait to taste the final product.
I tried this recipe and it tuned out really well! I didn’t have any whip cream on hand but it still came out really good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Holly, I just wondering if you mix the sweetened condensed milk with the Carmel sauce before you pour it over the cake or do you pour them separately unmixed and just drizzle both over ?
I just pour them unmixed.
Making this tonight! Can’t wait to eat it!! Looks amazing! :)
This looks super moist and I know my family will love it!! Thanks for sharing–I’m sharing it, too :)
Hi, I have a silly question! I am using the box chocolate cake this time around. Im assuming the first few steps are skipped but do you reccomend adding coffee or vanilla to the cake box mix or just skip it all together ?
Thank you!
You could either make the cake just per the box directions or replace the water called for on the box with coffee. Either would work just fine. :) Enjoy!
I’ve made this recipe and it is AMAZING!! My husband, kids, family and friends love it.