Coconut Cream Poke Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting
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This coconut cream poke cake is so moist, and it’s topped with coconut cream whipped cream frosting and sweetened coconut. A Coconut Lover’s DREAM come true!
This Coconut Cream Poke Cake is EPIC. If you don’t fall in love with the cake, the Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting is sure to hook you.
Now, I am here to tell you, that there aren’t many things I don’t eat. I’m really not picky at all. But coconut has never been a favorite of mine.
I love it in Pina Coladas … and suntan lotion … even more, when these two things are put together, but to eat? Not so much.
Now, my husband on the other hand? He LOVES coconut, and I make him this Chocolate Macaroon Cake every year for his birthday.
That cake you see up there? It has a tunnel of coconut throughout the inside. I usually just eat around the coconut, and give that part to him, which is just one more thing he can love about me in the end, right?
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Don’t forget where you found this Coconut Poke Cake recipe! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board before you go!
Well, I have to admit, this cake I made here, it has got me starting a love affair with coconut! I actually ate TWO pieces!! (I know, right?)
When I was asked to bring dessert for the Super Bowl party my brother and sister in law were hosting, and just like my husband, his whole family LOVES coconut. I’ve seen various coconut cake recipes I wanted to try, but honestly, I couldn’t settle on one. In the end, I picked components from each one I liked and this was the finished product!
I will just tell you, that this is BY FAR the BEST frosting I have ever eaten. All I did was switch up my whipped cream frosting just a smidgen and it was PERFECTION with this cake!
Here is my basic Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe. It’s delicious on anything! My first choice? A spoon!
Ingredients in Coconut Cream Poke Cake:
- white cake mix
- instant vanilla pudding
- milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut cream
- eggs, oil
- sweetened coconut flakes
- Plus ingredients for Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting
You will find the complete printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Preparing the Coconut Cream Poke Cake
1. Make sure to grease and flour your cake pans well. This cake is extremely moist, and getting it out of the pans can be a challenge.
2. Using a thicker fork or skewer, poke holes all over the warm cake.
3. Top with coconut cream mixture. I typically only use about 3/4 of the mixture. You could mix up less if desired. But it’s easier to mix when you can purchase the cans in the right ounces. Using all of it will make the cakes a lot wetter, and harder to handle when you layer and frost them.
*try pouring the leftover coconut cream over chocolate ice cream. Yum!
4. After you pour it over the warm cake, use the back of a spoon to spread it over the top. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Use a thin sharp knife and run it around the edge of the cake before flipping it over. I typically flip it over onto a piece of parchment paper, then place it on the plate to center it.
Top the bottom cake layer with frosting and coconut before adding the top layer. Add the top layer, continue to frost the cake, and top with remaining coconut. I like to sprinkle some around the bottom, too.
This cake takes a bit of time to make, as it has quite a few steps. Just know that when you take that first bite? It’ll ALL be worth it!
Just look at it!
Nobody will ever believe that this cake starts with a box cake mix. Why is everyone so against them anyway?? I have recipes for cakes from scratch on my site, but I have nothing against a cake that starts with a box mix. Not ever. This Coconut Pudding Poke Cake that I make, is one of my most popular recipes. Guess what? Box mix.
Same with that Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake I talked about earlier, and this Pineapple Coconut Tunnel Cake that tastes like a Piña Colada? Box mix. How can I hate on the box mix when so many good things come from it?
So Why Boxed Cake Mix?
Guess what? Just because I know how to bake a cake from scratch, doesn’t mean that I need to do that every time I want to bake a cake. It isn’t like my license to blog about recipes will get revoked. As I mentioned, this cake already has multiple steps. Using a cake mix not only helps reduce the number of steps but also assures accurate measures.
Truth be told, the best aspect of a box cake mix? You don’t have to worry about whether or not you perfectly leveled the teaspoon of salt or the couple cups of flour.
It isn’t like a box mix reinvents the ingredients or anything. It just takes the measuring out of the equation. That comes in handy when you need consistency.
And It Is A “Poke Cake” Because?
The poking in “poke” cake helps let the cream mixture drip down into the cake. This makes the cake beyond moist. It makes it moist and delicious! The thing to keep in mind when you poke the cake is making sure it allows even drainage into the poked holes.
If you do it haphazardly and leave sections un-poked, then plan on those sections of the cake being much drier. The best way to poke the cake so it absorbs evenly? You can start in the center then poke to the edge and work your way around, like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Or, start in the center and spin the cake around as you poke from the inside out and create a “pinwheel” spiral of pokes.
Other Favorite Coconut Recipes:
- Jamaican Coconut Sweet Rice
- Coconut Mug Cake for One
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Coconut Muddy Buddies
- Coconut Key Lime No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup
But it’s time to give you what you came here for. Let’s make this Coconut Cream Poke Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting. Shall we?
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Coconut Cream Poke Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting
This coconut cream poke cake is so moist, and it’s topped with coconut cream whipped cream frosting and sweetened coconut. A Coconut Lover’s DREAM come true!
Servings: 9 " layer cake
Calories: 528kcal
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup oil
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- "Poke" Cream:
- 1- 15 ounce can coconut cream
- 1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- Frosting:
- 1- 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 - 9" cake pans.
- In your mixer, combine all of the ingredients for the cake for about 30 seconds, then beat for 2 minutes.
- Distribute evenly in each cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Combine ingredients for cream and set aside.
- While cakes are warm poke holes all over with a large fork or skewer.
- Pour cream mixture over the top of the cakes.
- Place in the refrigerator for about 5 hours, or overnight is even better.
- To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese, sugar and extracts until smooth.
- Then, with the whisk attachment, slowly add the whipping cream and whip until stiff peaks form.
- To remove the cakes from their pans: This is a little tricky. I took a thin knife and ran it around the edge, and I sat the bottom of the pan in hot water for a minute or two, to loosen it up. I flipped it out onto a piece of waxed paper, then flipped it again onto my plate.
- Top with bottom layer with a little frosting, and about 1/2 cup of coconut.
- Place the second layer on top, frost, and top with remaining coconut.
Notes
- 1. This cake would be super easy to make as a 9x13, so if you're not looking for the presentation of the layers, I would recommend it! If you are making in a 9x13 you wouldn't have to worry about removing the layers from the pans after the cream mixture is added, just frost and top with coconut, and you're done!!
- 2. I got to thinking that every cake mix isn't the same, so the rule of thumb: Replace water with milk, add pudding of choice, add extract and leave the eggs and oil as per instructions on the box of cake mix!
- 3. Start with about 3/4 of the cream mixture. If the cakes are too wet, it makes them hard to move and stack.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 331mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 47g
This cake looks so moist and delicious, I need to try it!
I have never made a poke cake before, but I am DYING to try because this looks so good!! Putting this on my to-do list! 🙂
This cake is outstanding! It is moist and a great balance of flavors.. I loved it and will now ask for it on my birthday.
Poke cakes are so moist! Really love the coconut flavor of this one!
I love coconut to making awesome dishes. and this looks like one special too. A delicious cake and awesome presentation. A must try recipe.
I love coconut flavoured desserts, and this is a great one. Perfect for sharing with friends and family.
In the Notes, #2 – you state “leave the eggs and oil as per instructions on the box of cake mix”. Does this mean do not add the eggs and oil mentioned on the box of cake mix? Therefore, ignore that instruction on the cake box, and follow your ingredients in the recipe – 1.25 cup of milk, 1/3 cup of oil and 3 egg whites. And no water. I just want to be sure I understand this correctly. Thank you.
Sorry for the confusion. Go ahead and make it, just as the recipe states. The note section was put there because over time, ounces on the cake mixes can change.
I love the icing for this cake!!! So much so this may be the icing I use for other cakes and such just modified. I haven’t tasted it yet but if the cake is as good as the icing, this is going to be a hit!
We love the cake, too, but the frosting is JUST SO AMAZING!! Like “stop eating it with a spoon so you have some for the cake amazing!” 🙂
This cake is delicious and so pretty! Being an older cook, here are a few things I did. I actually used two cake mixes to make 3 nice layers (I had one extra layer I froze for later. I added an extra 4oz. Cream cheese and 1/4 C sugar to stretch the frosting a little. I also used parchment paper in the pans and after poking, let the sit for about 15 minutes, turned them out into cutting boards parchment side down, refrigerated for several hours and then frosted them. The parchment paper makes a difference. Don’t grease the sides of the pans and your cake will rise better! Great cake. (I have a photo if you’d like to see it)