Kentucky Butter Poke Cake is light, fluffy, and has a sensational taste! This butter pecan cake recipe is made using a boxed cake mix and a few other simple ingredients, making it easy to prepare.
This Kentucky butter cake is known for its rich flavors, which are achieved by using a combination of butter, cream cheese, and pecans. With a sweet and creamy sauce poured over the cake, creating a moist and flavorful dessert, this butter pecan cake is sure to become a favorite among family and friends.
Poke Cake- A simple and delightful dessert for any occasion
Poke cake is a classic dessert that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. It’s made by poking holes in a cake and filling it with a sweet sauce or filling, which seeps into the cake and adds extra flavor and moisture. One of the most popular variations of poke cake is the Kentucky Butter Poke Cake, which is made with a boxed cake mix and a few simple ingredients.
It’s perfect for any occasion, from a casual family gathering to a fancy dinner party. Plus, it’s so easy to make that even novice bakers can whip it up in no time. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert for a weeknight dinner or a show-stopping treat for a special occasion, poke cake is the way to go.
Why you’ll love this Butter Pecan Cake
- Simple ingredients. From the boxed cake mix to the homemade cream cheese topping, you will need less than 10 ingredients in total and many of them are probably in your home already. This means that this cake recipe is one you can whip up without a large trip to the grocery store.
- Toasted pecans. With about 5 minutes of stirring some pecans in a skillet, you can create an incredible depth of flavor and sweetness which pairs wonderfully with the buttery cake.
- Versatile recipe. If desired, you can add up to ½ cup of shredded coconut to the pecans while they are toasting to give this cake an even stronger flavor combination in every bite.
Kentucky Butter Cake Ingredients
Cake Mix: You will need one 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix for this recipe. If you want a stronger butter flavor then you can use butter-flavored cake mix. Remember that you are only using the dry box mix, you are not preparing it according to the package directions.
Buttermilk: Use 1 cup of buttermilk to add richness and moisture to the cake.
Cream cheese: Adding 4-ounces of softened cream cheese to the cake batter gives it a dense texture, similar to pound cake.
Eggs: 2 large eggs will help bind the cake ingredients together.
Topping
Cream cheese: You will need one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese to make the glaze creamy and rich.
Butter: Adding in ½ cup of softened butter will make the frosting extra flavorful and give it great shine.
Vanilla extract: Enhance the flavors in this cake topping by using 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Powdered sugar: Make the glaze sweet by adding 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar.
Milk: Using ¼ cup of milk will make the glaze the perfect consistency.
Pecans: You need 1 cup of chopped pecans to add an incredible crunch to this cake. Other nuts like walnuts or sliced almonds would taste great too.
How to make Kentucky Butter Poke Cake
Prep
To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then spray the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set it aside for future use.
Batter & bake
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, buttermilk, 4-ounces of softened cream cheese, and the two eggs, until well combined.
Next, pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
Once the cake is done baking, set it aside to cool.
Toppings
While the cake is cooling, prepare the toppings.
Place the pecans into a small (dry) skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stir them for about 4-5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Be careful not to let them burn. Once browned, remove the skillet from the heat and allow the pecans to cool for a few minutes.
Next, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and 8-ounces of cream cheese, whisk together until smooth. Then, add in the vanilla extract and the milk, stir until combined.
After that, whisk in the powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
Assemble
Using the bottom of a wooden spoon or a large straw (like a smoothie straw), poke holes into the cake all over and down to the bottom of the pan.
Proceed to pour the glaze over the top and spread it around to cover the entire surface of the cake.
Immediately top the cake with the toasted pecans, sprinkle evening over the whole cake.
Chill
Then place the cake into the fridge to chill for about 1 ½ hours.
Once chilled, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Variations of Butter Pecan Poke Cake
Butter pecan poke cake is a versatile dessert that can be customized to suit different tastes. Here are a few variations that can be tried:
- Chocolate Butter Pecan Poke Cake: This variation adds a layer of chocolate ganache on top of the butter pecan cake. The ganache is made by heating heavy cream and pouring it over chopped chocolate. The chocolate mixture is then spread over the cake, giving it a rich and decadent flavor.
- Caramel Butter Pecan Poke Cake: This variation adds a layer of caramel sauce on top of the cake. The caramel sauce is made by heating sugar, butter, and cream until it thickens. The sauce is then poured over the cake, giving it a sweet and sticky texture.
- Maple Butter Pecan Poke Cake: This variation adds a layer of maple syrup on top of the cake. The syrup is made by heating maple syrup and butter until it thickens. The mixture is then poured over the cake, giving it a warm and comforting flavor.
Kentucky Butter Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 oz cream cheese ½ brick, softened
- 2 eggs
Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese 1 brick, softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Batter & bake: Beat the cake mix, buttermilk, 4-ounces of softened cream cheese and the 2 eggs with an electric mixer, until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cake aside to cool.
- Toppings: Toast pecans by cooking them in a small skillet on medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes. Stir often. Pecans will begin to be fragrant and turn slightly darker in color. remove them from heat and let cool.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and 8-ounces of cream cheese, whisk together until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla extract and the milk, stir until combined. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Assemble: Using the bottom of a wooden spoon or large straw (like a smoothie straw) poke holes into the cake. Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake spreading around as needed. Immediately top with the toasted pecans, sprinkle evenly over the whole cake.
- Refrigerate 1 hour 30 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
How long is Kentucky Butter Cake good for?
This Butter Poke Cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you want to store it for a longer period, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before freezing. Frozen cake can be stored for up to 3 months.
Kentucky Butter Cake vs Gooey Butter Cake
While both cakes feature butter there is a distinct difference between the two. A Gooey Butter Cake (also known as a chess cake) is a dense, flat cake that almost looks like lemon bars. A Kentucky Butter Cake is a taller, pound cake made by creaming ingredients together to create a lighter volume. While both cakes are delicious they are very different, so feel free to choose both to bring to your next party.
Can I make Kentucky Poke Cake in a bundt pan?
Yes, just make the recipe according to the directions listed above and place it into a greased and floured bundt pan (10-12 cup size pan). Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick can come out clean. Allow cooling in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Then poke with holes and add topping over the cake.
WHAT IS A POKE CAKE?
A poke cake is a cake that has been baked in a large pan (usually a 9×13 baking dish) then after cooling, it’s literally poked either with the back end of a wooden spoon, a toothpick, the tines of a fork, or even a clean finger. After that, a liquid (usually pudding or jello) is poured over the top so that it can soak into the cake. Poke cakes are almost always topped off with some whipped cream spread over the top and chilled for a few hours before serving.
Try more of our favorite and delicious Poke Cake Recipes here:
- ORANGE CREAMSICLE POKE CAKE
- OREO POKE CAKE
- EGGNOG POKE CAKE
- CARAMEL PUMPKIN POKE CAKE
- COCOA PUFFS PUDDING POKE CAKE
- FERRERO ROCHER POKE CAKE
- MINT CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE
- ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE
- CARAMEL APPLE POKE CAKE
- LEMON STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE
- FRUITY PEBBLES POKE CAKE
- PEANUT BUTTER POKE CAKE
- PINA COLADA POKE CAKE
Kentucky Butter Poke Cake is a combination of pound cake and poke cake, making every bite the perfect dessert with amazing flavors and texture. This butter pecan cake recipe comes together quickly and easily, the minimal ingredients make it great for any occasion!
Sherri Truett says
Love it!!!!!!!!
Nicole says
Thanks for letting us know!
Lysa says
I love this recipe! Can I use almond milk or soy milk instead of regular milk in it?
Nicole says
Yes you can!
Anita GAMBRELL says
I made this last night and it is the best cake I ever had!!!
Nicole says
High praise, thank you!
Kathy says
The cake is in the oven right now and it smells heavenly! Can’t wait for dessert tonight!
Nicole says
Enjoy! 🙂
April says
So what do you think about adding a lemon twist to this? Using lemon cake mix, adding lemon flavoring to the icing, and perhaps a bit of lemon zest sprinkled on top
Nicole says
Ohh you had me at lemon! 🙂
Sue Tawwater says
I really love the cake portion…..don ‘t care for the cream cheese icing. I believe I will try the cake portion with a caramel icing or something different next time.
Thank you all for sharing this recipe and going through the pains of perfecting it.
Jessica says
Oooh I love the idea of using a caramel icing! Let me know how that turns out!