Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

This Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake starts with a white cake mix, infused with a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting! It takes just like cinnamon rolls.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

CINNAMON BUN POKE CAKE

I’ve learned that there’s one thing better than classic cake, and thats poke cake. This Strawberry Jello Poke Cake is perfect for summer, as is our fall favourite Pumpkin Spice Poke Cake.

One day I wanted to make a dessert, and was leaning toward our Rolo Poke Cake. Yet I was also madly craving cinnamon buns.

Just as I was about to pull out our recipe for Cinnamon Bun Cake, I had the brilliant idea of combining my favourite parts of these recipes into one.

Turns out it was the best decision, because I made a poke cake that was sinfully delicious.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon

This easy cinnamon roll poke cake has all of the flavors of a cinnamon roll but with less effort. It’s a fantastic addition to our easy cake recipes collection.

This cake recipe is incredibly moist, has a sweet cinnamon filling, and it melts in your mouth!


What is a Poke Cake?

Poke cakes are just cakes that have had holes poked in them, then filling or liquid is poured into those holes.

The reason poke cakes are so loved, is because extra flavor is infused throughout the fluffy cake. This way, each bite is incredible. Poke cakes make an incredibly tasty dessert.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake:

Making this cinnamon poke cake recipe starts with baking a white cake from a box of cake mix. (combine cake mix with instructions and cook as per directions).

Sure, you can make your own, yet I’ve never been disappointed with doctoring a simple box cake mix, so you may as well save yourself some time in the kitchen.

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this cinnamon roll poke cake recipe, the filling, and the delicious frosting. The full recipe is below along with a printable recipe card.

  • Box of White Cake Mix, along with ingredients as per package to make
  • Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Cream Cheese, room temperature
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Icing Sugar (Confectioners Sugar)
  • Milk

After making the white cake (in a cake pan) according to the dry cake mix package directions, allow the cake to cool completely in the baking pan.

While the cake is cooling, get the delectable cinnamon roll filling ready by stirring together the icing ingredients together in a medium bowl.

You can do this with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on medium speed. Combine until smooth, and set aside.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

After the cake cools, use the handle of a wooden spoon and poke holes in the cake a few inches apart from one another. Space them a few inches apart and make sure to not poke all the way to the bottom of the cake.

Pour batter (the filling mixture) into the holes. It doesn’t have to be precise, just try to move along from hole to hole. If there’s any remaining, I just dump in the middle and top of cake, and allow it to flow where it wants.

Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake Frosting

Next is the frosting for this cinnamon roll cake, and this one is a cream cheese based icing that I make when I need a stiffer icing than our Dream Whip Icing that isn’t too sweet. This homemade cream cheese frosting is similar to the one I use for our incredible Carrot Cake.

For the frosting you’ll need a package of softened cream cheese, softened butter, sweetened condensed milk, icing sugar, vanilla extract and a just a little bit of milk.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Use an electric mixer and cream together, and then spread the icing on the entire cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with some ground cinnamon for added taste and look. Voila!

To Store: Place in an airtight container (or cover with aluminum foil) and keep at room temperature or in the fridge for 4 days.

This is the best cinnamon roll poke cake. It has all the taste of a cinnamon bun, yet without that heavy dough. Instead, it’s in the form of a light moist cake. It’s one epic poke cake!

This best cinnamon bun poke cake really is the perfect way to indulge your cinnamon roll craving. It has become one of our favorite desserts ever.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Poke Cake

Moist cake, buttery cinnamon sugar filling and a delicious cream cheese frosting. When I think of perfect cake recipes, this one definitely comes to mind.

It’s the ideal winter poke cake recipe to join our favorite summer and fall poke cake recipes. This delicious cinnamon roll poke cake is definitely a must-make dessert!

More Great Recipes to Try:

A piece of cake on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

This Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake starts with a white cake mix, infused with a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

  • 1 Pkg White Cake Mix, along with ingredients per package to make

FOR THE FILLING

  • 1/2 cup Butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 1 8oz pkg Cream Cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Icing Sugar
  • 4 tbsp Milk

Instructions

  1. Using a box of white cake mix, follow the package directions and make one cake in a 9x13 baking pan.
  2. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool, while still in the pan. This might take 20-30 minutes.
  3. While the cake is cooling, make the filling by combining all 'filling ingredients' in a bowl. Stir until smooth and set aside.
  4. When cake is cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes in the cake a few inches apart from one another. Make sure to not poke holes all the way to the bottom of the cake. You'll probably get about 20-30 holes in your cake.
  5. Pour the filling into the holes of the cake. If there is reserve after all the holes are filled, just continue to pour anywhere on the cake.
  6. Allow cake to sit while you make the frosting.
  7. To make the frosting, use an electric mixer and cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add in the condensed milk, icing sugar, vanilla, and milk - and combine again until smooth.
  8. Using a spatula, frost the entire cake. Top with sprinkled ground cinnamon, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • - This cake can be refrigerated. Re-serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 420Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 236mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 0gSugar: 44gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

A close up of a slice of cake and ice cream on a plate, with Cinnamon Roll

9 Comments

  1. I have made this before and you are right it’s very good and if you don’t have time to make cinnamon rolls, this cake is just as good and a whole lot easier!

  2. I have made the Strawberry Jello poke cakes in the past but thanks for this! It sounds marvelous and I happen to have a white cake mix in the cupboard I should use up. I will make this for a gathering I’m going to within a week.

  3. This looks so delicious! I love anything cinnamon….I will try making this during the Christmas holidays.

  4. This would be such a lovely treat to have on Christmas day with a hot cup of coffee with Bailey’s in it. Yum!

  5. I’ve never made a poke cake before. It seems it’s the perfect way to make a box mix cake a bit more exciting.

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