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Coconut Cake is one of my very favorite cake recipes to eat and to make. Our delicious Coconut Cake Recipe will be the hit of the party! Learn how to make Coconut Cake with our video and recipe.
COCONUT CAKE
This coconut cake is light and moist with a tasty whipped cream topping covered with delicious coconut flakes. Coconut cake makes the perfect spring cake and is always a crowd pleaser. The family always requests this cake for our Easter Dinner Dessert! I would eat it once a week if I could!
TIPS FOR MAKING POKE CAKES
- I love to make my poke cakes in a clear pan. This way you can see how pretty the cake looks when you serve it up!
- Cake mixes work really well for poke cake recipes because they tend to hold up better to the holes you will be poking into it. They don’t seem to get as crumbly which will make the overall finished cake prettier.
- Poke holes in your cake right after removing it from the oven while your cake is still hot. I like to use the end of a wooden spoon to do the poking. You can poke right along the edge of the cake so it looks prettier through the glass pan.
- Poke cakes are extra moist and delicious because you will be pouring sweetened condensed milk (or pudding, etc.) over the cake. The filling will ooze down into the poked holes making the cake moist and full of flavor.
- After pouring your filling over the cake be sure to refrigerate your cake for at least two hours. This will make the cake nice and cool and seal up the filling into the cake.
- Frost your cake while it is cool. This will allow the frosting to sit nicely on the top of your cake.
Although this Coconut Poke Cake recipe is perfect as is, we have also adapted this cake to be make in two 9-inch cake pans, if that is more of what you are looking for. (Just see recipe notes)
CAN COCONUT CAKE BE FROZEN?
If you want to make your cake ahead for an upcoming event, you can freeze the cake and pull it out of the freezer when you need it. Simply wrap thecaketightly in nonstick aluminum foil. You cake can then be kept in the freezer for up to 4 months. You can frost the cake before or after freezing, but for best results I have found that frosting the cake AFTER it is frozen yields a better result!
DOES THIS CAKE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
I love to eat cold cake. For some reason it tastes richer to me! If your cake has an icing, that contains butter, whipped cream or cream cheese, you should cover your coconut cake andkeep it refrigerated. It will keep better and you won’t have to worry about it spoiling.
HOW TO MAKE COCONUT CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a glass 9 x 13 baking dish with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat a white cake mix with milk, butter and eggs on low speed until moistened.
- Beat for 2-3 minutes longer on medium speed until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and immediately poke holes all over the cake, using the end of a wooden spoon handle.
- Pour can of sweetened condensed milk slowly over the top of the warm cake, using a spatula to spread it evenly as it falls into the poked holes. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Frost the cake with thawed whipped topping. Sprinkle coconut generously over the top.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
COCONUT POKE CAKE RECIPE VIDEO
Watch this Coconut Poke Cake Recipe Video where we show you just how easy this cake recipe is to make. Sometimes it can be helpful to visually see how to make something!
See how easy? Now go and make one for your family! You won’t regret it!
COCONUT POKE CAKE SUPPLIES
- Hand Mixer
- Glass Mixing Bowls
- 9×13 glass baking dish
- Wooden Spoon Set
- Silicone Spatulas
- Cooling Racks
- Hot Pads
- wooden plates
COCONUT POKE CAKE RECIPE
Here is our cake recipe!
Coconut Poke Cake Recipe
Coconut Cake is one of my very favorite cake recipes to eat and to make. Our delicious Coconut Cake Recipe will be the hit of the party! Learn how to make Coconut Cake with our video and recipe.
CourseCakes
CuisineAmerican
Keywordcake recipes, Cakes, coconut cake, coconut cake recipe, coconut poke cake, easter cake, poke cakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1BOXwhite cake mix
- 1cupmilk
- 1/2cupunsalted butter1-2softened
- 3large eggs
- 114 oz. cansweetened condensed milk3
- 116 oz.frozen whipped topping (cool whip)thawed
- 2cupSsweetened coconutshredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a glass 9 x 13 baking dish with baking spray and set aside4.
In a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat a white cake mix with milk, butter and eggs on low speed until moistened.
See AlsoHow to Toast CoconutBeat for 2-3 minutes longer on medium speed until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Pour cake batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top or until you can put a toothpick through the cake and it comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately poke holes all over the cake, using the end of a wooden spoon handle5.
Pour can of sweetened condensed milk slowly over the top of the warm cake, using a spatula to spread it evenly as it falls into the poked holes. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Frost the cake with thawed whipped topping. Sprinkle shredded coconut generously over the top6-7.
Refrigerate leftovers.
Recipe Notes
- I prefer to use unsalted butter to avoid adding more salt to the recipe.
- Soften your butter to room temperature. If you have the time, take the butter out of the fridge and let sit on the counter for 1-2 hours before making this cake recipe. Or, simply place butter in the microwave and soften in 5 second intervals, being very careful not to let the butter melt.
- For a more enhanced coconut flavor, you can easily substitute the sweetened condensed milk for sweetened condensed coconut milk. You can find this in most grocery stores or easily make your own. Simply combine one 14 oz can of full-fat coconut milk and 1/4 cup sugar.
- In this recipe, I use a 9x13 pan to make a sheet cake. However, we adapted this recipe to make this cake in two 9-inch round cake pans.
- If you are using round cake pans, pull out of oven and let cool on wire rack.
- For an enhanced coconut flavor, in a separate bowl, fold in coconut extract into the whipped topping and spread onto cake.
- If you are using round cake pans, transfer layers of cake to a cake stand. Then, divide the whipped topping in half. Dollop half of the whipped topping on top of the cakes and use an icing spatula to smooth it to the edges. Take the remaining frosting and spread it onto the sides of the cake with your icing spatula. Finish it off by sprinkling coconut flakes over the top and sides.
Nutrition Facts
Coconut Poke Cake Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 257Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 291mg13%
Potassium 101mg3%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 20g22%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 263IU5%
Vitamin C 0.002mg0%
Calcium 104mg10%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
FAVORITE CAKE RECIPES
If you love cake, you might want to check out our other delicious cake recipes!
- Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake
- Lemon Cake
- Cinnamon Banana Cake
- Best Banana Cake
- Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- Ombre Cake
- Chocolate Layer Cake
- Earthquake Cake
- Best White Cake
- Strawberry Pound Cake
- Lemon Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Check out our Cake Recipes eBook! 25 delicious cake recipes…several new ones that haven’t been shared yet here on The Idea Room!
