Praline Poke Cake
Pralines are one of my favorite treats to get when traveling down South. I haven’t been able to find a candy store in Pennsylvania or a recipe that accurately captures the buttery caramel and the crunchy pecans I know and love.
This praline poke cake is the next best thing. It features a doctored-up cake mix, a buttery filling, and a sauce that is just to die for.
It is perfect for dessert at home or for potlucks and picnics. Dig into a taste of the South!
Why I Love This Cake
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Cake Mix: The ease of using cake mix combines with my secret ingredients to make it taste fresh.
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Layers of Flavor: Cake + Sauce+ Topping=Layers of delicious flavor and textures.
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No Fancy Equipment Needed: No mixer needed, just mix with a wooden spoon.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
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Butter: Use butter instead of oil for a moist cake with rich flavor.
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Milk: Replace water with milk for a moist and tender cake.
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Tony Chachere's Praline Honey Ham Marinade: My secret ingredient. This adds wonderful notes of butter and caramel along. You can also use the Butter flavor for a spicy kick. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week. Leftovers? Use it to make Bananas Foster or Moose Munch.
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Sweetened Condensed Milk: This features milk with less water and more sugar. Avoid evaporated milk which doesn’t have added sugar. Look for it in the baking aisle near the cake mixes.
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Pecans: If you’re not a pecan fan, walnuts can also be used.
How To Make A Praline Cake
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Prep Work: Line a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick foil.
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Make Cake: Combine all cake ingredients. Stir until just combined.
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Bake: Bake for 23-28 minutes.
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Fill: Poke holes into the cake. Pour or inject marinade into the holes.
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Top: Combine sweetened condensed milk and butter marinade. Heat, and then spoon over cake. Garnish with pecans.
Leftovers
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Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Freezing: Freeze the entire cake or individual slices for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Tips and Tricks
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Foil: Line your pan with foil for easy removal and cleanup.
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Doneness: This cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If you see raw cake batter, keep baking in 2-3 minute increments.
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Poking Holes: Poke holes around 2 inches apart using a wooden spoon. If they are too far apart you won’t have enough filling, if they’re too close your cake may fall apart.
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Inject: Instead of pouring, you can use the included tool to inject the marinade into the cake. Super fun to get the kids involved with!
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Transport: Bake in an aluminum 9x13 pan so you don’t have to worry about taking your dish home from a party or relative.
More Cakes To Try
📖 Recipe
Praline Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 Box Pecan Cake Mix
- ¾ Cup Butter Melted
- ¼ Cup Tony Chachere's Honey Ham Praline Injectable Marinade
- 4 Whole Eggs
- 1 Cup Whole Milk
For the Filling:
- ½ Cup Tony Chachere's Honey Ham Praline Marinade
For the Topping
- 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Tony Chachere's Honey Ham Praline Injectable Marinade
- ¾ Cup Pecans Roughly Chopped
Instructions
For the Cake
- Line a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick foil.
- In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour into a prepared pan. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
For the Filling:
- Cool cake slightly for 3-5 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake around 2 inches apart.
- Pour or inject marinade into the holes.
For the Topping
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and butter marinade. Heat for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through and slightly thickened.
- Spoon over cake and garnish with pecans.
Nutrition
where do you get that honey ham marinade? or is there a recipe for it? this recipe looks good!
Hi Rhonda!
Good question! You can find it in the marinade/sauces aisle at your grocery store.