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This Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake is a super moist pumpkin cake topped with a sweet apple cider glaze that seeps into the cake, plus a cream cheese frosting.
This Fall (aka ‘Pumpkin Season’), be sure to make room on the dessert table for this amazing Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake.
You’ll start by baking a super moist and delicious pumpkin cake – which is pretty darn delicious served on its own. But – to add even more Fall flavor – we poked holes in the cake, then poured a hot, rich apple cider syrup over the top. The cider syrup seeps into the cake a bit, but also creates a sweet glaze layer over the top of the cake.
Then – to add even more decadence to this Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake, we topped it with a silky cream cheese frosting once the cake and glaze had a chance to cool.
This Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake is so good because it’s sweet – but not overly sweet. The soft and spicy pumpkin cake is perfectly balanced by the apple cider glaze and the tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting.
We brought this Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake to a neighborhood football party a few weeks ago. Sadly, our hometown team lost the game – but everyone cheered up as they ate this amazing cake. One of the kids at the party declared it “heavenly!”
You may enjoy these other Fall cakes:
- Sweet Potato and Apple Cake
- Best Apple Cake Ever
- Hartford Election Cake
- Apple Cider Poke Pound Cake
- New England Apple Cider Cake
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Pumpkin Cider Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cider Poke Filling
1/2 gallon of fresh apple cider
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cake
Butter to grease a 9×13-inch pan or glass dish
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15–ounce can 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8th teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Before you start the cake, pour ½ gallon of cider into a 4-quart non-stick pot and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced to one cup, about 45-50 minutes. When it gets down to the one cup, it will be thick and syrupy.
Once it is reduced to one cup, stir in butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Remove from heat and set aside.
While cider is cooking down, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan or casserole dish.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whip attachment, beat eggs until pale in color, about a minute or two. Add sugar and again, beat until light in color, about another minute or two.
Add vanilla, pumpkin and oil and beat until combined, scraping sides and mixing again.
In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice then hand whisk to combine.
With mixer running, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape bowl and whisk one last time.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes. (The batter cooks up so moist that the tooth pick test doesn’t work. The cake needs the whole 35 minutes, rotated about half way through).
Just before the cake comes out of the oven, reheat the filling.
Remove the cake from the oven and with the handle of a wooden spoon (skinny handle), poke a few dozen holes in the cake then pour over the hot filling. Most will seep into the cake and some will sit on top.
Cool then refrigerate to cool completely.
Once completely cooled, make the frosting by placing the cream cheese and butter into the bowl of a mixer and with paddle attachment, beat to incorporate the two together.
Mix in vanilla and salt then with mixer running on low, slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar. Scrape the bowl and mix again until completely creamy and smooth.
Spoon all of the frosting onto the cooled cake and smooth with an offset spatula. Cut into 12, 18 or 24 pieces.
Cake can be served or refrigerated until ready.
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Can I use King Arthur boiled cider and use the amount that is equivalent to the after boiled cider reduces to?
Hi Carol – I’m not at all familiar with the King Arthur boiled cider. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Very good cake! Pumpkin, cider and cream cheese flavors were spot on…amazing…will make again, and again, and again!
Thanks Laurie – Glad the recipe was a hit!
Apple cider is on the list! I can’t even imagine what my house is going to smell like while it is baking in the oven. Who needs fall scented candles when you have a recipe like this….AND it’s edible Ü
Your house is going to smell amazing Tracy! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the cake!