This decadent Salted Caramel Irish Cream Poke Cake is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert that combines rich caramel flavor, creamy Irish cream liqueur, and fluffy whipped topping in every bite. Using a simple yellow cake mix keeps preparation easy, while the warm cake is infused with a luscious butterscotch pudding mixture that seeps into every hole, creating a moist, indulgent texture.
After chilling, the cake is topped with a silky whipped cream layer flavored with Irish cream and caramel, then finished with a drizzle of salted caramel and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. The result is a bakery-style dessert that tastes luxurious but is surprisingly simple to make—perfect for holidays, potlucks, or whenever you want a show-stopping sweet treat.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Chill Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 (13.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix (such as Betty Crocker®)
- 1 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 (3.5 ounce) package cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding & pie filling mix
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys®), divided
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup salted caramel topping, divided
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper if desired.
- In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, water, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth and no streaks of flour remain, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 21 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- About five minutes before the cake finishes baking, whisk the pudding mix and milk together in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook while whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt and 1/2 cup Irish cream until smooth.
- Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake about 1 inch apart, pushing down to the bottom of the pan.
- Immediately pour the warm pudding mixture over the cake, allowing it to fill all the holes. Let the cake cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, 6 tablespoons caramel topping, and the remaining 3 tablespoons Irish cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Spread the whipped cream mixture evenly over the chilled cake.
- Drizzle the remaining salted caramel topping over the whipped cream layer and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.