Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake (Printer-Friendly)
Moist cake studded with gooey cinnamon pockets and topped with cream cheese frosting — ideal for brunch or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla or white cake mix
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1 cup milk
04 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil
05 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Filling
06 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
09 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
03 - Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
04 - While the cake bakes, combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter until a thick paste forms.
05 - Remove cake from oven and immediately use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes over the surface, spacing about 1 inch apart. Spoon or drizzle the cinnamon filling over the warm cake, letting it seep into the holes.
06 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the baking dish.
07 - In a clean mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy.
08 - Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice into squares and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get all the gooey cinnamon roll flavor in a fraction of the time right from a single pan.
- The cinnamon filling seeps into every bite, and the cream cheese frosting melts over each slice like a dreamy cloud.
02 -
- If the cake is too hot when you frost, the icing will slip off the top and leave you with a melty mess.
- Poking the holes while the cake is still hot guarantees the filling melts in for gooey perfection.
03 -
- For extra gooey pockets, poke deeper and add the filling while the cake is as hot as you dare handle.
- Let the frosted cake chill for half an hour to get super neat slices that don’t smudge.