What is a Poke Cake we hear you ask? Well, pretty much as it sounds. This poke cake recipe is a delicious apple traybake with holes poked in it and gooey caramel poured over the top allowing the yummy sauce to soak into the cake and infuse every bite. This is Caramel Apple Poke Cake is a great bake for Halloween parties, afternoon tea with friends or simply an comforting Autumnal treat on a cold day.
18 ingredients9 steps
Nut Free
Method
Step 1
Begin by making the cake. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170° Fan/ Gas Mark 5. Grease and line a rectangular tin measuring 23 x 33 x 5 cm with baking parchment.
Step 2
Cream together the butter and sugar and then add the eggs, one at a time with a spoonful of flour to stop it curdling.
Ingredients for this step
Unsalted butter (softened)(270g)
Billington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar(270g)
Egg(s) (free range) (large)(5)
Step 3
Add the vanilla and mixed spice and beat well. Fold in the flour, baking powder, milk and lastly the chopped, drained apples.
Ingredients for this step
Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract(1 1/2 tsp)
Ground mixed spice(2 tsp)
Allinson's Self Raising Flour(270g)
Baking powder(1 tsp)
Milk (whole)(2 1/2 tbsp)
Apple pie filling (tinned, drained, chopped coarsely)(395g)
Step 4
Pour into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden and springy. When cooked allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Step 5
While the cake cools, make the caramel sauce by melting the sugar, syrup and butter in a heavy based pan over a moderate heat. Allow the mixture to bubble for about 3 minutes and then remove from the heat and stir in the cream and vanilla. Put this to one side and allow to cool to room temperature.
Ingredients for this step
Billington's Unrefined Light Muscovado Sugar(50g)
Silver Spoon Golden Syrup(100g)
Unsalted butter (softened)(35g)
Single cream(80ml)
Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract(1/2 tsp)
Step 6
While the caramel is cooling make the icing. Using a stand mixer or wooden spoon, work the butter and icing sugar until they come together. You can add some of the cream cheese to help this along.
Ingredients for this step
Unsalted butter (softened)(90g)
Silver Spoon Icing Sugar(300g)
Step 7
Once the mixture has fully combined add the cinnamon and cream cheese and beat together until soft. Take care not to overbeat though as this mixture can go runny. Put the icing in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Ingredients for this step
Cinnamon (ground)(1 tsp)
Cream cheese (chilled)(300g)
Step 8
Remove the cooled cake from the tin. Using a straw, poke holes all over the cake that go ¾ through the cake. Drizzle half of your cooled caramel into the holes.
Step 9
When you are ready to serve the cake, spread your cream cheese frosting over the top and drizzle with the remaining caramel.
Ingredients
MetricImperial
For the Cake
270gUnsalted butter (softened)
270gBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
5Egg(s) (free range) (large)
1 1/2 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
2 tspGround mixed spice
270gAllinson's Self Raising Flour
1 tspBaking powder
2 1/2 tbspMilk (whole)
395gApple pie filling (tinned, drained, chopped coarsely)
For the Caramel
50gBillington's Unrefined Light Muscovado Sugar
100gSilver Spoon Golden Syrup
35gUnsalted butter (softened)
80mlSingle cream
1/2 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
For the Frosting
300gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar
90gUnsalted butter (softened)
300gCream cheese (chilled)
1 tspCinnamon (ground)
Nutritional information per 179g serving
Energy 713cal
Fat 39g
of which Saturates 24g
Carbohydrates 81g
of which Sugars 63g
Protein 8.1g
Salt 0.72g
1 Baker Ratings
This cake has been declared the best cake ever tasted by several of my friends. It is always a hit.
