Note from Tiffany: This is Kate’s recipe and post, but I couldn’t wait to make this cake! So I’ve added a few notes and photos of my own here too.
It doesn’t really feel like fall here yet, but I figure that as soon as kids are back in school, all things fall are fair game. Including pumpkin! I’ve been playing with pumpkin recipes for a while, and this was by far my favorite creation. I’d been trying to nail down a recipe for pumpkin cake to try, but when I couldn’t find one that included everything I wanted, I just went ahead and created my own. I love that it only needed a few ingredients and I loved that since it’s made in the slow cooker, I could set it up before company came and then serve a nice warm dessert after we’d all finished dinner.
If you wrapped all the goodness of fall up in one dessert, you’d get this cake. It’s a super moist chocolate pumpkin cake that’s cooked with a creamy caramel sauce. The caramel starts out onto and as it cooks it works its way to the bottom, creating a deliciously sticky layer. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it’s fall heaven!
Tiffany’s note: I think you can see in the photos that Kate’s caramel sauce was more saucy and mine turned out more gooey (it set up more). I think that’s because mine cooked for 3 hours on high and in a pretty big crockpot. If I’d used a smaller crock, I think that would have kept the sauce from setting up. I think a 4 quart crock is a better size for this recipe. Even though the caramel set up a bit, it was still delicious.
If you want to make this (and I know you do!), here’s what you’ll need:
Tiffany’s note: The recipe calls for a 5 oz can of evaporated milk. I didn’t notice that, so I used a regular (12 oz, I think) can and it worked fine. In fact, because my caramel turned out firmer I think the extra liquid probably was necessary for me.
Also, you don’t have to turn the crock upside down and flip the cake out on a plate. You can just dip from the crock. It’s easier to just dip it out.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Sauce in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 16 oz. can pumpkin
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 5 oz. can evaporated milk
Instructions
- Grease the crock of the slow cooker very well.
- In a bowl, mix together the chocolate cake mix, cinnamon and pumpkin until all cake mix is wet. Stir in water until well combined. Spread evenly in the crock.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk until well combined. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then pour over the cake mix in the crock.
- Cook on high for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, until the top springs back when lightly touched. Turn off, remove lid and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Run a knife along the edge of the crock to loosen the cake. Invert the crock over a serving platter and let the cake drop out. Spoon any remaining caramel sauce over the top of the cake.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Kate is a home cook living and working in New Jersey. In addition to sharing recipes with Eat at Home readers, she blogs her cooking adventures at Kate’s Recipe Box. When she’s not in the kitchen, you can find her reading or tending to her garden.
This sounds great! I’ve been wanting to make a dessert in my slow cooker, so I think I will need to try this out soon. I’m not ready for Fall, but I’m all for pumpkin!
This looks like the most amazing thing I have ever seen in life. All of my favorite flavors all in one dish!!!
Britt @ One&20
oooo love chocolate with pumpkin and I love chocolate with caramel! This would be a hit here!
I need to make this soon! I love all the flavors in this!
The recipe reads one 5 oz can evaporated milk. Is that correct? Should it be one 15 oz can of evaporated milk?
A 5 oz. can is correct! My store sells them – they’re near the big cans. If you can’t find them, 1/2 cup plus a little bit will work just fine too!
Thank you for the response. The difference in the amount of evaporated milk may explain the difference in the caramel sauce between Tiffany and Kate’s cakes.
I wondered that too, but I actually used more liquid than Kate and my sauce was much thicker.
Nina, I didn’t even see that it’s a 5 oz can. I used a regular sized can for mine and it worked fine. Interesting! I’m going to make a note on the post about this. Thanks for pointing it out.
This was delicious! Easy! Kind of guilt free! I used more than 5oz but not quite the entire large can of evap milk and it was perfect!!
Do you think I could bake this in the oven?
Monica, I would think so. I’m not sure how long it would take. I’d start checking it after 30-35 minutes, but it might take longer than that. If you try it, let us know how it works!
Hi! I’m sorry if this question seems ridiculous. I dont bake much. Where is the caramel in this recipe?
Kelly, the ingredients come together while it’s baking in the crockpot to make a caramel like sauce. Kind of like magic 🙂
I have been looking for a crockpot dessert to bring to Thanksgiving and I think this is it. I noticed you said you cooked this in a larger crockpot but that a 4-quart would be the perfect size. I have a 6-quart crockpot. Will this recipe be okay for it? I don’t want to bring a disaster to dinner!
Kathleen, the 6 quart will work fine. That’s what I used to make it. It will just need the shorter cooking time.
what size crockpot are you using???Thank you think I wil make and take to Thanksgiving dinner!!!!!!
I used a 6 quart but I think a 4 quart is better for this recipe.
Hello,
Am I able to use German Chocolate Cake and what happens if I end up utilizing the entire 12 oz can of the evaporated milk?