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Ultra-Moist Coconut Poke Cake Recipe

This Coconut Poke Cake recipe is such a special treat and yet it’s so simple to make!

Hands down this Coconut Poke Cake Recipe is the very best and will make you an award winning style dessert that your whole family will love. This is a great dessert to make for state fair competitions too, just sayin!

Coconut Poke Cake Recipe

This dessert is great to make when you need something fantastic but don’t quite have the time to spend making something from scratch. It tastes super fancy but only you, the baker, will need to know how easy it is! Do keep in mind though, that you will need to make it early in the morning (to serve in the evening) or make it the day before you serve it, since it needs to sit for about 12 hours to properly set up.

Be prepared to share the recipe when they ask you, and then shock them with the fact that it’s made from a box cake mix!

Ultra-Moist Coconut Poke Cake Recipe

(makes one 13×9″ pan)

Ingredients:

  • 1 store-bought white cake mix (plus box ingredients)
  • 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 14-ounce can full-fat sweetened condensed milk
  • 8 ounces sweetened whipped cream (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1/2 cup toasted coconut

Instructions:

Preheat the oven and prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.

Coconut Cream for Poke Cake

While the cake is baking, add the coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk to a small pan and place it on the stove over medium heat. Allow this to get warm (not boil), and turn it down to low as soon as it’s warm to the touch. Watch it closely so it doesn’t scorch.

Poking a Cake

When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all around the top (about 1″ apart). I like to use the larger end of a chopstick for this. It works perfectly!

Pouring Cream into Poke Cake Recipe

Carefully pour the warmed liquid into the holes. Take your time doing this, and try not to let too much of the liquid run off the edges. If you can use something with a pour spout, it makes this process much easier.

Poke Cake Recipe

Keep going around the pan, and try to fill the holes as evenly as possible. You’ll have enough liquid to go around the pan a couple of times. Be sure to use all the liquid in the pan even if it looks like too much.

Tightly cover the cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Toasting Coconut

To toast the coconut, add it to a small pan over medium-high heat and cook it until it is lightly browned and fragrant. Be patient, and don’t walk away while doing this. It can burn very quickly, so watch it close.

Frosting Poke Cake

To serve the cake, liberally frost the top with whipped cream.

Sprinkle toasted coconut all over the top, and serve extra on the side for those who want more.

Poke Cake Recipe

This has become one of my hubby’s favorite and most requested desserts. I try to keep the ingredients on hand for those times when I need a dessert in a pinch and I am short on time. (which is quite often!)

Notes:

This cake is incredibly moist. It’s almost magical how the coconut liquid reabsorbs back into the cake, but you want to be sure to let it sit long enough. I’ve taken this out after 6 to 8 hours, and all of the liquid had not reabsorbed. It’s always better to make this cake the day before you want to serve it.

Toasting the coconut is optional, but it adds so much flavor and also makes it a little crispy.

We use a store-bought cake mix to make this a little quicker, but if you have a favorite white cake recipe of your own, go ahead and use it. It would make this even more delicious!

Other favorite Poke Cake recipes: 

 

Meet the author – Keri Lyn

The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. She Saved has become a community for like-minded consumers who appreciate saving money, time and sanity by getting the best deals on quality products and experiences.

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5 Comments

  1. This cake sounds scrumptious. I’m the only one who loves coconut cake in my family but it doesn’t stop me from baking them! I’ve never done it as a Poke cake before. So glad you shared with us at Merry Monday.

  2. I’ve never heard of a Coconut Poke Cake but it sure sounds and looks delicious! Your photos are super! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Blessings, Janet

  3. Poke cake is so easy and fun to make. I usually let the kids help with the poking part. 😛 Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Link Party!

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