Turtle Poke Cake

This fabulous turtle poke cake is just packed with chocolate, gooey caramel, and pecans, just like the candy of the same name.

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This turtle poke cake is a scrumptious twist on the traditional chocolate turtle candy, complete with a gooey caramel filling. A moist cake is topped with decadent chocolate icing and crunchy pecans for a sinfully delicious sweet treat.

Turtle Poke Cake Ingredients

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This cake is not your average cake, as it is infused with caramel and topped with pecans. The best part? The holes poked in the cake allow for more caramel to seep in, making each bite even more delicious and irresistible.

The combination of flavors and textures creates a heavenly experience for your taste buds.

You’ll need:

• 1 (15.25-ounce) box of yellow cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of water, room temperature
• ½ cup of canola oil

PRO TIP:

The eggs, water, and canola oil may vary depending on the brand of cake mix you are using.

• 1 (14-ounce) jar of caramel sauce (ice cream topping)
• 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (16-ounce) tub of chocolate fudge frosting
• 1 (8-ounce) tub of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
• ¼ cup of pecans, chopped
• Garnish: Good quality chocolate sauce and caramel sauce in a squeeze container (I used Ghirardelli premium sauces)

PRO TIP:

You will note that there are 2 different forms of caramel in this chocolate turtle poke cake recipe. For the 14-ounce jar, any brand you would use for an ice cream sauce will work great. You want it to be pourable for this recipe.

I highly recommend using a thicker caramel sauce to drizzle onto the top for garnish, along with a good quality chocolate sauce. The ones in the squeeze containers work great for this recipe and can be stored in your refrigerator to use for other applications. They make great coffee or hot cocoa toppers. 

Substitutions And Additions

CAKE MIX: We used a yellow box cake mix for this chocolate turtle cake; however, you can use a boxed chocolate cake mix to make this a very indulgent dessert.

How To Make This Turtle Poke Cake Recipe

Once you bake the cake following the package directions, you will poke holes in it before filling them with the creamy caramel mixture. Top with plenty of indulgent ingredients before digging in.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with baker’s spray.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, mix the yellow cake mix, eggs, water, and canola oil for 2 minutes.

Note: This is the package directions on the box; they may vary depending on the brand.

STEP THREE: Pour the yellow cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake the cake for 35 minutes.

STEP FOUR: While the cake is baking, you will combine, in a small bowl with a pour spout, the 14-ounce jar of caramel sauce and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until completely combined.

STEP FIVE: When the cake comes out of the oven, you will use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the hot cake. Slowly pour the caramel and sweetened condensed milk mixture evenly over the top of the warm cake.

Make sure to get the caramel sauce into all the holes. Let the cake cool on the counter for at least 1 hour to allow the caramel sauce to be absorbed into the cake.

STEP SIX: While your cake is cooling on the counter, you will make your frosting by adding the chocolate fudge frosting to a large bowl and whipping it on medium speed for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.

STEP SEVEN: Fold the thawed Cool Whip whipped topping into the fluffy chocolate fudge frosting. Make sure there are no streaks of whipped topping in your frosting. You can store your chocolate fudge whipped topping in the refrigerator until your cake has cooled completely on the counter.

STEP EIGHT: Once cooled, spread the chocolate fudge whipped frosting evenly over the top of the caramel cake.

STEP NINE: Garnish the top of the turtle chocolate poke cake with a drizzle pattern of the caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce and sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours but up to overnight.

How To Serve

If you are a fan of chocolate turtles, this chocolate caramel poke cake is the right dessert for you! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for an extra indulgent treat.

If you would like a rich drink to serve on the side, check out our whipped hot chocolate.

Poke cakes are the best cakes because the filling makes them so incredibly moist. Check out our chocolate poke cake and lemon poke cake for two more easy cake recipes that you will enjoy.

MORE POKE CAKE RECIPES

Poke Cakes

Coconut Poke Cake

Poke Cakes

Boston Cream Poke Cake with Ganache

Storage

Freeze this cake so that you have an indulgent treat on hand for later to serve to friends and family. Here’s how:

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store this chocolate turtle cake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.

IN THE FREEZER: This easy recipe freezes well and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

I love how the caramel and chocolate shine through in this turtle dessert, and it looks like turtle candy when you cut into it! Caramel and chocolate lovers will surely ask for seconds of this decadent turtle poke cake treat.

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Turtle Poke Cake

5 from 3 votes

This fabulous turtle poke cake is just packed with chocolate, gooey caramel, and pecans, just like the candy of the same name.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup water, room temperature
• ½ cup canola oil
• 14 ounces caramel sauce, ice cream topping
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 16 ounces chocolate fudge frosting
• 8 ounces Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
• ¼ cup pecans, chopped
• good quality chocolate sauce and caramel sauce in a squeeze container, for garnish (I used Ghirardelli premium sauces)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with baker’s spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, mix the yellow cake mix, eggs, water and canola oil for 2 minutes. This is based on the directions on the back of the box.
• Pour the yellow cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes.
• While the cake is baking you will combine, in a small bowl with a pour spout, the 14-ounce jar of caramel sauce and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until completely combined.
• When the cake comes out of the oven you will use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the hot cake. Slowly pour the caramel and sweetened condensed milk mixture evenly over the top of the warm cake. Make sure to get the caramel sauce into all the holes. Allow the cake to cool on the counter for at least 1 hour to allow the caramel sauce to be absorbed into the cake.
• While your cake is cooling on the counter you will make your frosting by adding the chocolate fudge frosting to a large bowl and whipping it on medium speed for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
• Fold the thawed Cool Whip whipped topping into the fluffy chocolate fudge frosting. Make sure there are no streaks of whipped topping in your frosting. You can store your chocolate fudge whipped topping in the refrigerator until your cake has cooled completely on the counter.
• Once cooled, spread the chocolate fudge whipping frosting evenly over the top of the caramel cake.
• Garnish the top of the turtle poke cake with a drizzle pattern of the caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours but up to overnight.

Notes

• The eggs, water, and canola oil in the ingredients may vary depending on the brand of cake mix you are using.
• You will note that there are 2 different forms of caramel in this chocolate turtle poke cake recipe. For the 14-ounce jar, any brand you would use for an ice cream sauce will work great. You want it to be pourable for this recipe. I highly recommend using a thicker caramel sauce to drizzle onto the top for garnish, along with a good quality chocolate sauce. The ones in the squeeze containers work great for this recipe and can be stored in your refrigerator to use for other applications. They make great coffee or hot cocoa toppers. 
• 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.
• When you’re pouring the cream into the holes of the cake, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles, and make sure the caramel fills the holes completely.
• We used the Cool Whip whipped topping to lighten up the chocolate fudge frosting for this recipe, but if you prefer a richer chocolate frosting, you can omit the whipped topping and use two containers of the chocolate fudge frosting to frost the cake. Alternatively, you can use the milk chocolate version if that is your preference.
• This turtle cake recipe is best when it has had plenty of time to allow the cake to absorb the wonderful caramel sauce to make it a very moist cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 521mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 2mg

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