1-Start your chocolate caramel poke cake by preheating the oven to 350°F, which sets the stage for even baking. To prepare the cake, first combine the milk and lemon juice in a bowl and let it sit to thicken, creating a simple sour milk base. Then, mix the dry ingredients flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder in another bowl before adding the eggs, cooled coffee, soured milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat the batter for about 2 minutes until smooth, pour it into a greased 9×13 inch pan, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

2-After baking, let the cake cool for 15 minutes while it’s still warm, then use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over it. Pour the mixture of sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce over the holes to let it soak in and boost the moisture and flavor. Once that’s done, chill the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight so the tastes meld together perfectly.

3-Before serving, top it with whipped topping or whipped cream, drizzle on more caramel and chocolate sauces, and add garnishes like chopped chocolate or toffee bits for a finishing touch. If you’re short on time, you can make this faster with a boxed chocolate cake mix, just follow the package instructions and proceed with the poking and soaking steps. Remember, coffee can be swapped with water to change the flavor, but avoid coffee syrup as it might dry out the cake.