This decadent poke cake is a stunner — moist vanilla cake soaked in Irish Cream, layered with gooey caramel and topped with fluffy whipped cream and a salty-sweet caramel drizzle. Ideal for St. Patrick’s Day, holidays, or whenever you need a dessert that is rich, creamy, and nothing short of completely scrumptious!
Ingredients
Cake Base:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix (15.25 oz.) (+ ingredients for cake as listed on box: eggs, oil, water)
- ½ cup Irish Cream liqueur (such as Baileys)
- ½ cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade), plus more for drizzle
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Irish Cream liqueur (optional) – 2 tbsp
Assembly & Garnish:
- ¼ cup caramel sauce (to drizzle)
- Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
- Toasted pecans or chocolate shavings, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Bake the Cake:
- Oven should be preheated to 350°F (175°C). Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make open cake batter according to the box. Pour into the pan and bake for 25–30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes.
Poke & Soak:
- Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the warm cake.
- In a bowl, blend ½ cup caramel sauce and ½ cup Irish Cream. Drizzle over the cake slowly, allowing the mixture to seep into the holes.
Chill:
- Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour to set and flavor.
Make the Topping:
- Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar, vanilla, and Irish Cream (if using) until stiff peaks form.
Assemble & Garnish:
- Top the cooled cake with whipped cream. Finishing with the rest of the caramel sauce and sea salt. Toss in pecans or chocolate shavings, as a good topping, if you like.
Tips & Variations
🍀 Alcohol-Free: Substitute Irish Cream with coffee + 1 tsp vanilla extract.
🍫 Choco-Caramel Twist: Mix chocolate chips into the batter, or swirl melted chocolate into the caramel.
🧂 Salted Caramel Hack: Store-bought salted caramel sauce works extra-well here.
🎂 Layer It: Make it a trifle by layering cubes of cake, whipped cream and caramel in glasses.
🌰 Nutty Crunch: Gently fold in crushed toffee bits or toasted coconut to the whipped cream.
Serving & Storage
- Serve: Cut into squares and enjoy raw! Goes great with coffee or extra Baileys drizzled on top.
- Store: Covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days (whipped cream may soften over time).
Final Thoughts
This cake is the paradise of a caramel-lover — boozy, buttery and offset by that salty jolt. It’s a bloc of flavor every one of your friends can get on board with and it sounds fancy while being made with very little effort. Feel free to use different liqueurs, or you can switch out vanilla cake for chocolate for a change.
Tried it? Show us your #SaltedCaramelMagic creation! 🍰💖