Salted Caramel Irish Cream Poke Cake

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 1 package yellow cake mix , 13.25-ounce
• 1 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• 0.33 cups canola oil
• 1 package cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding & pie filling mix , 3.5 ounce
• 1.75 cups whole milk
• 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 0.5 cups Irish cream liqueur
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 0.5 cups salted caramel topping
• flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, if desired.

2. 2

   Beat cake mix, water, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed until no streaks of flour remain, about 2 minutes. Rinse beaters clean.

3. 3

   Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.

4. 4

   Bake in the the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 21 to 25 minutes.

5. 5

   Five minutes before cake is done, whisk together pudding mix and milk in a saucepan; heat over medium, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add salt and 1/2 cup of the Irish cream and whisk vigorously until smooth.

6. 6

   Poke holes immediately into the warm cake with the round handle of a wooden spoon. (Holes should be at 1-inch intervals and extend down to the bottom of the baking dish.)

7. 7

   Immediately pour pudding mixture evenly over the warm cake, making sure to fill all the holes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

8. 8

   Combine heavy cream, 6 tablespoons caramel topping, and remaining 3 tablespoons Irish cream in a large bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate until needed.

9. 9

   Spread whipped cream evenly over cooled cake.

10. 10

    Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons salted caramel topping. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.