This pumpkin chocolate chip poke cake is filled with melty chocolate chips and topped with a light whipped mascarpone frosting. The intensity of the pumpkin paired with the light topping makes for an irresistible cake!!

There are so many cakes that I would say were my favorite – but none are quite like this cake. It’s like the cake that you may forget about from time to time, but always proves itself to be a front-runner every time you make it.

What You’ll Love About This Poke Cake:

Delicious pumpkin flavor. We’re officially declaring it’s fall time, just so that we can enjoy this amazing cake.
A cinnamon spice whipped frosting that will literally BLOW you away. Also, it includes mascarpone cheese, which makes for a delicious light flavor.
It’s sweet, but not TOO sweet. The pumpkin and chocolate chips balance the intense sweetness of the condensed milk SO well!!
Honestly, while it’s not a complicated cake, it’s just too good to be true. You’ll know what we’re talking about when you make it for yourself.

What Is Poke Cake?

Poke cake is named after the method of poking holes in the cake after it’s baked and pouring condensed milk over the cake. This makes for a dense but delicious texture, and sweetens the cake as it absorbs the milk. It’s different than a normal cake recipe, but it’s such an easy way to mix it up a little bit!

Do Poke Cakes Need To Be Refrigerated?

Poke cakes should definitely be refrigerated, especially when you use jello or pudding in the cake instead of condensed milk. While this pumpkin chocolate chip poke cake recipe uses milk, we still recommend storing in the fridge or freezer. We usually prefer the taste of this cake colder rather than warmer!!

How To Make Poke Cake

There are a few things about poke cake that you do differently. Here’s our tips on how to make the BEST poke cake ever!!

Use a fork or the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in your cake. You can do this right after it comes out of the oven.
Wait until your cake is fairly cool (it doesn’t have to be cold, though) before putting in the condensed milk mixture. Store in the fridge to let the cake take in the moisture.
If you feel like the milk is flooding the cake on one side or there’s too much, take a knife and spread the milk around a little bit more, to make sure there’s an even coating.
The cake will be ready to frost once most of the milk has disappeared. You don’t want to frost when there is a lot of milk sitting on top of the cake.

That’s about it!! It’s a simple process that makes your cake sooo delicious.

How Long Does Poke Cake Keep In The Fridge?

Poke cake should be eaten the same day that it’s made – because it has sweetened condensed milk in it, it needs to be cooled in the fridge for the best taste. It keeps in the fridge for only a few days – so if you’re saving some for later, it might be wise to store in the freezer in an airtight container. This cake will keep in the freezer for a few weeks!