Description
Indulge in the decadent layers of our Caramel Toffee Crunch Cake, a delightful poke cake featuring moist yellow cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk and caramel, topped with whipped cream, crunchy toffee bits, and pecans. This easy-to-make dessert combines creamy caramel flavor with a satisfying crunch, perfect for any celebration or casual gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base
- 1 box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box: eggs, oil, water)
Soaking & Topping
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
- 1 (8-ounce) tub whipped topping (thawed)
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the yellow cake mix according to the package directions and pour the batter into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 25-30 minutes. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Poke the Cake: Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes evenly all over the warm cake. The holes allow the sweetened condensed milk to soak deeply into the cake, creating rich moistness.
- Add Sweetened Condensed Milk and Caramel: Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, letting it seep into the holes. Then drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, so the liquids absorb and set.
- Apply Whipped Topping: Once cooled, spread the thawed whipped topping evenly over the top of the cake, covering the entire surface smoothly.
- Garnish: Sprinkle toffee bits and chopped pecans evenly across the whipped topping. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce for extra flavor and finish with a pinch of sea salt if desired for a sweet-salty contrast.
- Chill & Serve: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and the topping to set firmly before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a richer caramel flavor, consider using homemade caramel sauce instead of store-bought.
- This cake can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated for convenience.
- To add more crunch, sprinkle crushed pretzels or chopped toffee bars on top just before serving.
