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Coconut Cream Poke Cake

Look at those pockets of coconut cream!

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Okay, this cake is so dense and rich and dreamy it’s not even funny. Tons of flavor? Check. Great texture? Double check. Tropical oasis? Check, check, check. When you need a creamy, decadent cake that will forever win people over, this coconut cream poke cake is the one to turn to. Using a standard white cake mix as your base, along with the aforementioned coconut cream for extra added flavor, you do what’s standard for a poke cake and use a wooden spoon to poke tons of holes in your cake while it’s still hot.

Next, and the order of these steps is important, you mix up a batch of coconut cream pudding (including more coconut cream for flavor and creaminess!) and pour that into the holes you just made in your cake. Whether you top it with frozen whipped topping at this stage or you let it set before adding it, the important thing is to let your cake cool, giving it time for the pudding to settle into the cake and set, giving you bursts of coconut cream-y goodness in every bite! To top it all off, a healthy sprinkle of toasted coconut gives this dish a bit more flavor and crunchy texture, taking it to the next level and ensuring its place in your dessert rotation.

Whether you make this for the ultimate summer cook-off or you need a reminder that the summer months aren’t too far away and make this in January, there’s no bad time for it. You could switch up flavor combinations and add pineapple or mango, but we love the undiluted coconut flavor that we get with each bite; that’s why adding the coconut cream is so important. We prefer it to coconut extract, since it’s less artificial tasting, plus incorporating it into both the cake and the pudding makes for a double whammy when you bite into it later! Trust us, you can’t go wrong with this and you’ll be so glad you made it!

Serves 9-12

2 hours

4.6
Rated 4.6 out of 5
Rated by 72 reviewers
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you're making mealtime meaningful.
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Ingredients
  • Cake:
  • 1 (15.25 oz.) package white cake mix
  • 1 (15 oz.) can coconut cream, divided into 2, 1/2-cup portions
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Filling:
  • 2 (3.4 oz) packages instant coconut cream pudding
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • Topping:
  • 1/2 (16 oz.) package frozen whipped topping
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted, optional
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk cake mix with 1/2 cup coconut cream, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Stir in vanilla extract, then pour batter into greased baking dish and place in oven.
  3. Bake for 30-32 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
  4. Remove from oven and use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over cake.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding packages, milk and 1/2 cup coconut cream. Before mixture starts to set, pour over cake, making sure to get into the holes you poked.
  6. Top with frozen whipped topping and toasted shredded coconut, then place cake in refrigerator to set.
  7. Once set, slice, serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Delightful E Made