Description
Irresistible butter pecan praline poke cake delights dessert enthusiasts with Southern charm. Layers of moist cake drenched in caramel sauce promise a sweet, indulgent experience you won’t forget.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box butter pecan cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) water
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (120 g / 4 oz) sour cream
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (30 g / 1 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) chopped pecans, toasted
- ½ cup (50 g / 1.75 oz) crushed pralines (optional for extra crunch)
Instructions
- Cake Preparation: Combine butter pecan cake mix with eggs, water, oil, and sour cream in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the batter reaches a silky, homogeneous consistency.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan, spreading evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 25-30 minutes, verifying doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Cake Perforation: Immediately after baking, create numerous holes across the cake’s surface using a wooden spoon handle while the cake remains warm.
- Caramel Infusion: Merge caramel sauce with sweetened condensed milk, then delicately cascade this luscious blend over the perforated cake, allowing it to deeply penetrate the internal channels.
- Cooling and Setting: Let the cake equilibrate to room temperature, ensuring complete caramel absorption and structural integrity.
- Cream Topping: Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks emerge, maintaining a delicate, voluminous texture.
- Decorative Finishing: Spread the whipped cream uniformly across the cake’s surface, then generously garnish with toasted pecans and crushed pralines for a sophisticated presentation.
- Chilling and Serving: Refrigerate for at least one hour to harmonize flavors and achieve optimal serving consistency. Slice and serve thoroughly chilled for maximum indulgence.
Notes
- Prevent Cake Dryness: Avoid overbaking by checking doneness early; the toothpick test ensures a moist interior without burning the edges.
- Master Hole Creation: Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a fork to create uniform, evenly spaced holes that allow maximum caramel absorption throughout the cake.
- Optimize Cream Texture: Whip heavy cream just until stiff peaks form, stopping immediately to prevent turning the cream into butter, which compromises its silky smoothness.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Toast pecans before adding them as a topping to release their natural oils and intensify their nutty, rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg