Name: Carrot Cake Poke Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 15.25 oz box Duncan Hines Carrot cake mix (plus ingredients to prepare (eggs, oil, water)); 2 3.4 oz boxes instant cheesecake pudding mix (or instant vanilla pudding could be used.); 3 cups cold whole milk or half & half (if using non-dairy, use 2 ½ cups); 16 oz whipped cream, like Cool Whip (or 4 cups fresh sweetened whipped cream); 1 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped up); Caramel sauce

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Carrot Cake Poke Cake is a light and creamy dessert sure to please the family! Serve this easy poke cake whenever you're craving carrot cake filled with a luscious creamy cheesecake pudding and topped with whipped cream! This is a popular recipe when Easter rolls around!

We love poke cakes so much, you may want to check out our delectable roundup 25 Dreamy Pudding Poke Cakes You Shouldn't Live Without!

What is a Poke Cake?

A poke cake is one of the best luscious cakes that you can ever make. The reason it is called a poke cake is because you poke holes into the finished cake to add in your filling of choice, using the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes randomly through the cake about an inch apart.

Which means, you can mix and match any cake mix with any flavor of pudding, and top it with whipped cream or your favorite frosting, plus add extra toppings, like caramel sauce and pecans like we did with this carrot cake poke cake!

What is Carrot Cake Poke Cake with Cheesecake Pudding?

Our Carrot Cake Poke Cake starts out with using a boxed carrot cake mix (I used Duncan Hines) for a quick and easy shortcut. It's a really good cake mix and after the cake is baked, the carrots in the cake aren't hard and chewy! We also took instant cheesecake pudding and made pudding and filled the poked holes with the cheesecake pudding and then we layered fluffy whipped cream on top!

When you're ready to serve, just add some crunchy pecans or walnuts and drizzle some caramel sauce on top, to make it extra amazing!

Super easy and dreamy! The hardest part is waiting on the cake to chill in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours or overnight.

Why We Love Poke Cakes!

Easy to make using a cake mix, instant pudding and whipped cream for this carrot poke cake recipe!
Can make the day before serving it!
The prep is super easy and quick once you make the cake!
Tastes delicious, because who doesn't love carrot cake and cheesecake pudding together!
Perfect for Easter, Spring-time, Thanksgiving and whenever you're craving carrot cake! Potlucks too!

Ingredients You Need

1 15.25 oz box Duncan Hines Carrot cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare (eggs, oil, water)
2 3.4 oz boxes instant cheesecake pudding mix
3 cups cold whole milk or half & half (if using non-dairy, use 2 ½ cups)
16 oz whipped cream (or 4 cups fresh sweetened whipped cream)
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped up
Caramel sauce

How to Make Carrot Poke Cake Recipe (with Cheesecake Pudding, Whipped Cream, Caramel Drizzles & Pecans)

Prepare the carrot cake per the instructions on the box in a 9x13 inch pan. Immediately after removing from the oven, use the handle of a wooden spoon or similar to poke holes all over the cake.
In a medium mixing bowl, whip together the cheesecake pudding mixes with cold milk until thickened but still pourable. Spread over the cake and into the holes. Chill until pudding sets, then add whipped topping.
To frost, spread the whipped topping or fresh whipped cream on top of the pudding layer.
When ready to serve, sprinkle some pecans or walnuts over the top and drizzle some caramel sauce on top and enjoy!!

Want More Cream Cheese Flavor?

For more cream cheese flavor, you can beat together 2 blocks of softened cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy, then add the (4 cups/16 ounces) whipped topping and mix together for the top layer. More easy cream cheese flavor!

Store leftover poke cake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. After that it may become soggy with a funky cake texture, however with this cake mix, you may be able to add an extra day in the fridge because of the Duncan Hines cake texture.

Storing Carrot Cake Poke Cake

Store poke cake in the fridge in a tightly covered sealed container. Since pudding and whipped cream are in the recipe, it needs to be refrigerated.

This carrot poke cake recipe will have you hoppin' with tasty bites of delicious cake with cheesecake pudding, whipped cream and caramel! You won't be able to resist!

More Irresistible Desserts!