• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Tasty Treats and Eats
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Brownies
    • Cake
    • Candy
    • Cheesecake
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Pies and Tarts
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Recipes
      • Brownies
      • Cake
      • Candy
      • Cheesecake
      • Cookies
      • Cupcakes
      • Pies and Tarts
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Cake » Better Than Cake (Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake)

    Better Than Cake (Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake)

    April 13, 2023 by Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats 4 Comments

    292 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Better Than Cake

    The ultimate Better Than Cake! This Chocolate Poke Cake is easy to make with only a few ingredients. An absolutely delicious turtle cake!

    A piece of better than cake with a whipped topping on a white plate with a fork and heath candy bar on the side

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my policy about affiliate links.

    This Better Than Cake is a decadent and indulgent dessert that is incredibly easy to make.

    Moist devil's food cake gets soaked in sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce and topped with whipped topping and heath bar bits!

    A piece of better than cake being lifted from a baking pan of the cake from a spatula

    Whether you serve it to guests or enjoy it yourself, this cake will be sure to wow everyone!

    This Better Than Cake is better than just about everything!

    • Full of Chocolate: Who doesn't like chocolate?! This will satisfy all your chocolate needs!
    • Easy to make: Despite the decadent flavor, Better Than Anything Cake is actually so easy to make. This makes it a great dessert option for busy weeknights or a gathering at the end of a long day, just be sure to account for the chill time!

    Turtle Chocolate Poke Cake Ingredients

    For the cake, you'll need:

    • Devil's food cake mix (plus ingredients on back of box)
    • sweetened condensed milk
    • caramel sauce
    • whipped topping
    • Heath bars
    Ingredients for Better than Cake in bowls on a white background: Devil's food cake mix (plus ingredients on back of box), sweetened condensed milk, caramel sauce, whipped topping, Heath bars

    How to make Turtle Cake

    1. Mix the devils food cake according to the directions on the back of the box and pour into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake accordingly.
    2. When the devils food cake is done baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before the next step.
    3. When the cake is completely cooled, use the end of a wooden mixing spoon to poke about 12 holes evenly spaced on the surface of the cake, stopping just before you touch the bottom of the dish.
    4. Pour the condensed milk over the cake, allowing it to spread and fall into the holes. Using a rubber spatula, spread even more if needed.
    5. Repeat step 4 using the caramel sauce. Cover and allow to chill for 2 hours.
    6. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the cake. Top with Heath bar pieces and place back into the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes before serving.
    Devil's Food Cake batter being beat in a clear bowl for Better Than Cake
    Devil's Food Cake just out of the oven to cool for Better Than Cake
    A Devil's Food Cake with holes poked in the top for better than cake
    Sweetened Condensed Milk being spread over a devil's food cake to make better than cake
    Caramel Sauce being spread over a devil's food cake to make better than cake
    A white baking dish of better than cake before being cut into with whipped topping and crumbled Heath bar on top
    A fork taking a bite out of a piece of better than cake on a white plate

    Tip: The condensed milk and caramel sauce will seep and absorb into the cake. Do not be alarmed if your holes are not filled as much as they were with these ingredients after the chill time. This will not affect the taste. 

    Turtle Cake Recipe substitutions and variations

    Cake Mix: You can make this recipe with pretty much any cake mix. I'm sure it would be yummy with vanilla cake mix or our Homemade White Cake!

    Condensed Milk & Caramel Sauce: We don't recommend substituting the sauces. You might be able to sub chocolate sauce for caramel sauce, but we can't recommend a sub for the sweetened condensed milk!

    Cool Whip: You can use Homemade Sweetened Whipped Cream in place of cool whip!

    Heath Bars: Feel free to use your favorite candy on top. Other chopped candy or even mini chocolate chips would be delicious!

    A piece of better than cake on a white plate with a fork on the side

    How to serve Better Than Anything Cake

    It's best to serve this cake straight from the fridge with plenty of whipped topping and heath pieces on top. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee, Hot Cocoa, or a glass of milk!

    How to store Chocolate Turtle Cake

    Storing: You can store this recipe for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator

    Freezing: This cake does not freeze well. It will turn into a soggy mess!

    An overhead shot of two white plates with a piece of better than cake on each plates with the white baking dish of the cake on the side

    Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake FAQs

    Why is my poke cake soggy?

    If you pour the condensed milk and caramel sauce on the cake when it is still warm, it may have soaked up too much.

    Why is it called poke cake?

    Because you poke holes in the cake to allow the filling to seep into the cake, making a super moist and flavorful cake! You can also check out our post on How To Keep Cake Moist And How To Fix Dry Cake!

    What is the best way to poke holes in a poke cake?

    Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes on the surface of the cake, stopping just before you touch the bottom of the dish.

    Other easy cake recipes:

    • Chocolate Fudge Cake
    • Chocolate Bundt Cake
    • Best White Cake
    • Strawberry Chocolate Bundt Cake
    A piece of better than cake with a whipped topping on a white plate with a fork and heath candy bar on the side

    Better Than Cake

    The ultimate Better Than Cake! This Chocolate Poke Cake is easy to make with only a few ingredients. An absolutely delicious turtle cake!
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: better than cake, chocolate poke cake, turtle cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Chill Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 258kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 15 oz box Devil’s Food cake mix plus ingredients on back of box
    • 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 cup caramel sauce
    • 12 oz frozen whipped topping (1 ½ tubs Cool Whip)
    • ¾ cup chopped Heath bars about 3 bars, chopped

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven according to the temperature on the back of the devils food cake box for a 9x13 dish. Mix the devils food cake according to the directions on the back of the box and pour into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake accordingly.
    • When the devils food cake is done baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before the next step.
    • When the cake is completely cooled, use the end of a wooden mixing spoon to poke hole on the surface of the cake, stopping just before you touch the bottom of the dish. Poke about 24 holes, evenly spaced out.
    • Pour the condensed milk over the cake, allowing it to spread and fall into the holes. Using a rubber spatula, spread even more if needed.
    • Repeat step 4 using the caramel sauce.
    • Cover and allow the cake to chill for 2 hours before the next step.
    • When the cake has completed chilling, spread the whipped topping over the cake. Some whipped topping may seep into the holes, this is okay. Be sure to spread enough so that no holes appear and your cake surface is evenly and filled with whipped topping.
    • Top with Heath bar pieces and place back into the refrigerator to chill for an additional 30 minutes before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1square | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    « Best Chocolate Black Bean Brownies Recipe
    Easy M&M Brownies Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Terri

      April 11, 2023 at 1:25 am

      The instructions say to poke 12 evenly spaced holes in the cake but the picture shows 24 holes. Does the number of holes effect the end result?

      Reply
      • Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats

        April 12, 2023 at 12:46 pm

        No it doesn't! That's a typo - I recommend 24 but you can do as many as you like!

        Reply
      • Jess

        April 16, 2023 at 10:25 pm

        Would it be okay to mix together the condensed milk and the caramel sauce together and then pour it all over the cake at once?

        Reply
        • Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats

          April 17, 2023 at 8:24 pm

          I haven't tried it. I don't think it would make much of a difference, but there's also no need to mix them together and dirty another container 🙂

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Hi, I'm Liz! On Tasty Treats & Eats you'll find simple, delicious desserts that you can enjoy in no time!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • No Bake Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake
    • A bowl of bananas foster with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on it with a gold spoon on the side with bananas in the background
      Easy Bananas Foster Dessert
    • 3 brownies on a small plate
      Easy M&M Brownies Recipe
    • One black bean brownie on a white background with mini chocolate chips and more brownies in the background
      Best Chocolate Black Bean Brownies Recipe

    Seasonal

    • An overhead shot of a lemon bundt cake on a white plate with lemons on the side on a grey background
      Moist Lemon Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
    • A slice of raspberry pound cake on a white plate with gold forks, raspberry, and more slices on the side on a grey background
      Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
    • overhead of coffee cake
      Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake
    • A close up of of white cake recipe with a fork taking a bite out of it
      Best White Cake Recipe from Scratch

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About
    • Contact
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Tasty Treats and Eats

    ↑ back to top