Rolo Poke Cake

This Rolo Poke Cake is a delicious chocolate and caramel taste explosion with caramel sauce and a chocolate drizzle. This is a poke cake for the record books!

Rolo Poke Cake

Rolo Poke Cake

While this is one fantastic cake, some tastes or occasions call for something of a different variety. For those times, don’t forget to try this Jello Poke Cake, and this super yummy Carrot Cake!

It never fails. Each September my oldest daughter makes a request for her birthday treat. Years ago it was 6 layers of princess castle and related grandious cakes, but in recent years her requests are more specific to specific flavours.

One example is the Root Beer Cupcakes made to celebrate her birthday last year, and so many other cakes and cupcakes which were featured here year after year.

A few days prior to her September 2017 birthday party she decided a chocolate bar was the featured for this years dessert, and went back and forth on which particular one.

Finally she settled on Rolo – and Rolo Poke Cake was made to celebrate her 13th birthday.

A cake, with Chocolate and whipped cream

Let me tell you, it was once again a birthday dessert for the record books.

If you recall, earlier this summer I scored a great deal on box cake mix, so while I could have made this cake by scratch – I wanted to start using them up.

I’m never one to knock box cake mix, because when paired with the right frosting and flavours – you just can’t beat the taste and convenience. Moist, fluffy and delicious!

A piece of poke cake on a plate, with Chocolate and Caramel and whipped cream

For this recipe I decided to make my own caramel sauce to pour into the cake holes, the star feature of poke cakes.

Since Rolo is all about chocolate and caramel, I thought this would be a nice touch.


How to Make Rolo Poke Cake

You’ll need the following simple ingredients to make this poke cake recipe. The full detailed instructions are ont he printable recipe card below.

  • sweetened condensed milk
  • box cake mix
  • whipped topping
  • Rolo pieces
  • milk
  • cocoa powder
  • sugar
  • butter
A slice of cake on a plate, with Chocolate Poke Cake

How to make caramel sauce without cream

There’s a few ways to make caramel sauce, but again convenience was key – so I made it with just sweetened condensed milk.

Did you know that simmering the can for a couple of hours {yes, the entire intact can}, makes caramel sauce?

It’s so delicious and simple that I’m tempted to always have a ready-made can on hand for when the need calls.

A piece of chocolate cake on a plate, with Poke Cake and whipped Cream and rolo chocolate

Now all this Rolo cake needed was a light whipped topping and chocolate hot fudge sauce to drizzle on top. Don’t forget the Rolo pieces!

So this cake takes a few steps to make and some pre-planning to make the caramel sauce – but it’s simple to piece together.

This poke cake recipe – a chocolate and caramel taste explosion, people!

Storage:

If you have poke cake leftovers, store in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Enjoy is rolo dessert recipe and make sure to try our other poke cake recipes. For instance, this Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake is truly amazing!

This Rolo Poke Cake is a delicious chocolate and carmel taste explosion with caramel sauce and a chocolate drizzle.
Rolo Poke Cake

Rolo Poke Cake

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 3 hours

This Rolo Poke Cake is a delicious chocolate and carmel taste explosion with caramel sauce and a chocolate drizzle. 

Ingredients

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 box cake mix
  • 2-3 cups whipped topping
  • 12 Rolo pieces, quartered
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter

Instructions

FOR CARAMEL FILLER:

  1. You can make the caramel ahead of time so that it's ready when it comes time to make this poke cake. To make, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place the can of sweetened condensed milk, unopened, in the boiling water. Cover and let simmer 2-3 hours, topping off water as needed so the can is always completely immersed. Turn the can every half hour to prevent scorching. Allow the can to cool a bit before opening carefully, open can and serve.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE HOT FUDGE:

  1. Whisk together sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan and add the milk and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until it comes to a boil. Continue boiling for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool some before drizzling.

FOR CAKE:

  1. Bake 1 box cake mix in a 9x13" pan, as per package instructions.
  2. Once the cake is done and still warm, poke holes into the cake using the end of a wooden spoon
  3. Pour the warm caramel sauce onto the cake, filling all the holes. For frosting and serving, it's best if the caramel sauce has set and thickened a bit, so you can put the cake into the refrigerator for a bit at this time.
  4. Spread whipped topping over the cake and sprinkle Rolo bits onto the top
  5. Drizzle top of cake with the chocolate hot fudge sauce
  6. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 12 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Saturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 123mgCarbohydrates: 39gSugar: 38gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

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

27 Comments

  1. Can comfirm, this tastes better than it looks (and it looks AMAZING!). And I totally agree with not making it from scratch. Not that I made mine at all, actually. It tastes so much sweeter when someone else makes it for you 🙂

  2. Oh wow this looks absolutely amazing, I think I am going to make this for my mother she would love something like this, thanks for sharing a great and easy recipe!

  3. This is an awesome looking cake and it sounds so deliciously decadent….my favorite kind.I am going to have to pin it for future cake baking and don’t think I will be disappointed when I try it.YUM!!

  4. Wow,i’m certainly looking forward to trying this sinfully delicious looking dessert!

  5. You had me at the word Rolo! Looks good and the recipe reads like one I could make!

  6. I love making poke cakes. This one sounds absolutely delicious. My kids would gobble it up!

  7. WoW !!! This looks and sounds sooooo delicious. The diet can wait another few days right

  8. wow! this looks absolutely incredible! definitely will be trying this recipe! thank you so much for sharing, looks amazing! 😀

  9. Decadence is what I see 🙂 I love using box cake mixes and adding to them too. In fact tomorrow I am making Spice Cake Mix with can pumpkin instead of the oil etc as instructed…cupcakes. Love the easy of this recipe 🙂 but I’m worried since I have no will power I will eat the whole thing ;( lol

  10. This cake looks so delicious and for a chocolate lover like me, this is perfect. I would love to make this for the holidays.

  11. This looks fantastic. We usually have a chocolate based dessert at christmas maybe I’ll make this this year!

  12. This recipe is surely on my save list 🙂 it sounds delicious and simple to make and I know my kids will go nuts …next family meal guess whats for desert ..mmmmmmmmm TY Tammi love your recipes ..simple yet they are awesome

  13. You need to try the pecan cake and put skor pieces in the holes with the condensed milk then whatever topping. Soooooo good.

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