Why You’ll Love this Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with Buttery Pour
When the air turns crisp and leaves begin to change, nothing satisfies my fall cravings quite like this Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with its warm buttery pour. The rich combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom creates that perfect autumn flavor profile we all dream about.
Those tiny holes you poke allow the decadent brown sugar-butter sauce to seep deep into every bite, creating a moist, gooey texture that simply melts in your mouth. No dry cake here, folks.
The molasses adds depth while the buttery sauce transforms an ordinary spice cake into something magical. Perfect with coffee on a chilly morning or topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Can you imagine anything more comforting?
What Ingredients are in Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with Buttery Pour?
This fall-spiced poke cake is the perfect autumn dessert, combining warm spices with a decadent buttery pour that soaks into every bite. The recipe creates a moist, richly flavored cake that’s impressive enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight treat. And the best part? That butter sauce that gets poured over the hot cake, creating pockets of sweet, buttery goodness throughout.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (for cake)
- 3/4 cup water (for cake)
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (for buttery pour)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/3 cup water (for buttery pour)
When shopping for these ingredients, quality matters, especially for the spices and molasses. Fresh spices will give you that robust fall flavor that makes this cake special. And while the recipe doesn’t specify, a dark molasses will provide the deepest flavor. You might already have most of these staples in your pantry, which makes this cake not only delicious but also convenient when you’re craving something sweet with those comforting autumn flavors.
How to Make this Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with Buttery Pour
To make this cozy fall-spiced poke cake, start by preheating your oven to 350° and preparing a 12-cup fluted pan with baking spray and flour (Baker’s Joy works perfectly here).
In a large bowl, combine 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom. This warm spice blend is what gives our cake that quintessential autumn flavor that makes you want to curl up with a blanket.
Next, grab your mixing bowl and beat together ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar, ¾ cup water, ¾ cup oil, ¾ cup molasses, and 2 eggs for about 3 minutes until well combined. The molasses adds such a deep, rich flavor that really makes this cake special.
Stir the dry ingredients into this wet mixture until you have a smooth batter, then pour it into your prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake is working its magic in the oven, prepare the buttery pour sauce by combining 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, ½ cup butter, and ⅓ cup water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the butter melts completely.
Once your cake is done baking, don’t let it cool! While it’s still hot, take a long-tined fork and prick the cake deeply all over, making holes about every inch. This step is essential—it creates little channels for the buttery sauce to seep into.
Then, spoon the hot buttery sauce over the hot cake, still in the pan. You’ll see the sauce disappearing into those little holes, infusing every bite with sweet, buttery goodness. For the best results, consider using a premium cast iron pan that distributes heat evenly for a perfectly baked cake. Let the cake stand in the pan to soak up all that deliciousness before serving.
Those warm spices combined with the sweet butter sauce? Pure autumn comfort on a plate.
Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with Buttery Pour Substitutions and Variations
Many home bakers ask me about making this fall-spiced poke cake their own, and I’m happy to share some easy swaps and creative variations that work beautifully. Don’t have molasses? Try maple syrup or honey instead, though you’ll get a milder flavor profile. For a dairy-free version, swap the butter in the pour with coconut oil, which adds a subtle tropical note that pairs surprisingly well with the spices.
Want to dial up the autumn vibes? Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to the batter, reducing the water by 1/4 cup to maintain moisture balance. And for texture lovers, folding in 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts gives delightful crunch. Can’t find cardamom? No worries—a pinch of allspice works nicely in its place.
What to Serve with Fall-Spiced Poke Cake with Buttery Pour
When serving this decadent fall-spiced poke cake, I’m always thinking about what complements those warm autumn flavors without overwhelming them. A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream, perhaps with a hint of vanilla or bourbon, creates the perfect cooling contrast to the spicy cake.
For beverages, nothing beats a hot cup of chai tea or a strong coffee. The spice notes in both echo what’s in the cake, creating a lovely harmony. And if you’re feeling particularly indulgent, a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream melting into the buttery sauce? Heaven.
Fresh apple slices or pear wedges also make wonderful accompaniments, their crisp freshness cutting through the rich, sweet cake. Trust me, your guests will be scraping their plates clean.
Final Thoughts
What makes this cake truly special isn’t just the moist, flavorful crumb—it’s that buttery brown sugar sauce that soaks into every nook and cranny. Can you imagine anything more satisfying than watching that golden elixir disappear into the warm cake?
I love how forgiving this recipe is, too. Forgot to soften butter? No problem. Kitchen smelling like heaven while baking? That’s just a bonus. Trust me, your family will be hovering around the kitchen, wondering when they can indulge.