Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
This Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake is so delicious and the perfect tropical summertime dessert! All you need is a yellow cake mix, crushed pineapple, coconut cream and vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and shredded coconut!
Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
Hey everyone!
Today’s recipe is a delicious poke cake I made this past weekend and it’s the perfect summertime treat – Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake.
This Hawaiian Poke Cake is so easy to make with a French vanilla cake mix that’s flavored with pineapple juice, and is filled with a delicious vanilla and coconut cream pudding that’s mixed with crushed pineapple.
Top it off with a layer of creamy whipped topping and toasted shredded coconut and you’ll feel like you’re on vacation!
If you wanna learn how to make this delicious summer poke cake, check out my video tutorial over here and don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel!
Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
With both today’s Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake, my Quick Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and my most recent Pina Colada Cake, there seems to be a recurring tropical dessert theme going on at our house and I’m not mad about it!
To me, pineapple and coconut are total summer dessert staples and poke cakes are always the perfect delicious choice for easy entertaining.
If you’re craving something tropical, then save today’s recipe below and give my Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake a try!
What’s So Great About Poke Cakes?
In case poke cakes like this delicious Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake are new to you, I’m here to tell you that they’re basically the best summer cake EVER!
They’re easy to make, and super delicious making them a great dessert choice.
Why is it called a poke cake?
Well, just like the name implies, it’s a cake made by poking holes in the baked cake, and then filled with a jello mixture, pudding, condensed milk, or other sweet filling.
Because it’s filled with something, poke cakes are one of the most moist delicious cakes you can make.
Seriously, they’re SO good!
Are poke cakes easy to make?
Yes! Poke cakes are a great choice for family gatherings, parties, and potlucks because they’re super easy to put together and don’t require a lot of cake decorating skills.
In fact, I love them so much that I’ve shared several other yummy recipes on the blog that I KNOW YOU’LL LOVE.
Check out these Easy Poke Cakes next:
Easy Hawaiian Poke Cake
This pineapple coconut poke cake is SUPER easy to make!
Below I’ve included all the recommended tools and ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious Hawaiian poke cake.
Recommended tools for Hawaiian Poke Cake:
- Deep Dish 9″ x 13″ Cake Pan (This one is SO beautiful from Pioneer Woman and the deep design is perfect for poke cakes!)
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Rubber Spatulas
- Wooden Spoon (Use The End For Poking Holes)
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Cooling Rack
- Colander (For Draining Pineapple)
- Large Baking Sheet
- Cake Icing Spatula
- Plastic Wrap
Must-have ingredients:
- Yellow cake mix (prepare as directed on box with eggs, oil, and sub pineapple juice for the water)
- Crushed pineapple (drain and use juice in sub of water for cake)
- Coconut cream pudding mix
- Vanilla pudding mix
- Milk
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream
Tips for Making Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
Below I’ve included a few important instructions that will help make your Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake taste absolutely amazing!
Save Your Pineapple Juice
Drain your pineapple and use the pineapple juice as the water ingredient in your cake mix.
If for some reason you don’t get a full cup out of your pineapple (which I always do, no problem), you can always add water until it reaches a full cup amount.
Let Your Cake Cool Before Poking
Let your cake cool for about 10-15 minutes after baking before poking the holes in the cake with this wooden spoon.
If you do it immediately the end of the spoon will stick to the cake and make a mess.
Poke Holes Evenly Across Cake
Speaking of poking holes, make sure you space out your holes evenly to ensure you get the pudding filling in every slice.
There’s nothing more disappointing than getting a slice of a poke cake only to find out your piece doesn’t have any of the filling.
Don’t Overmix Your Pudding
Do not overmix your pudding. You don’t want your pudding to be fully set, but instead want it to be a pourable consistency.
If it gets too thick, you can always add a little bit more milk to it to make it the right consistency.
Refrigerate Your Cake Before Topping
After filling the holes and spreading the pudding mixture on top of the cake, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or more before adding the whipped topping layer
Toast Your Coconut
Although you could totally just put untoasted coconut on your cake, I recommend toasting it for a better flavor, texture, and of course it will look prettier!
And best of all, it’s very easy to make.
How to Toast Coconut Flakes:
To prepare, spread your sweetened coconut flakes evenly on a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 minutes at a time, stirring in between, until the coconut flakes are toasted to your desired level.
Yummy Variations/Substitution Ideas
One of the things I love most about this Hawaiian poke cake is how you can play around with the flavors based on your preferences.
Don’t like coconut as much? Switch up the toasted coconut on top for some broiled pineapple slices.
Another great idea would be to add some rum extract to your cake for that yummy pina colada flavor.
Check out my tips section below for some easy and delicious substitution ideas!
Coconut Cream
If you can’t find coconut cream pudding where you live, you can substitute vanilla pudding, cheesecake pudding, or a can of cream of coconut, which you can find in the baking aisle.
Fruit Topping
Shredded coconut, sliced pineapple, or even maraschino cherries can all be added on top, if desired. Feel free to mix and match to your taste preferences!
Cake
You can easily substitute a white cake mix, French vanilla cake mix, coconut cake mix, or pineapple cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix.
How to Store Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
Fridge
Leftover pineapple coconut cake should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. It will last for 3-4 days refrigerated.
Freezer
This Hawaiian poke cake can be frozen for up to 3 months; To freeze, let the cake chill completely before wrapping with plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Once ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake Recipe
PrintEasy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
This Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake is so delicious! All you need is a cake mix, crushed pineapple, coconut cream and vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and shredded coconut!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking (Oven)
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box French vanilla or yellow cake mix (prepare as directed on box with eggs, oil, and sub pineapple juice for the water)
- 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained (use juice in sub of water for cake)
- 1 3.4 oz package coconut cream instant pudding mix*
- 1 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix
- 4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted in oven*
- 1 16 oz container frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip) or 3 cups fresh whipped cream
- Maraschino cherries and/or pineapple slices, for garnish if desired
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a deep dish 9×13 pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, prepare cake mix according to the box directions with eggs, oil, and substitute 1 cup of pineapple juice drained from your crushed pineapple instead of water. If you don’t have enough to make 1 cup, add water to make the full cup.
-
Bake in the oven as instructed on cake box or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
-
Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.
-
Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake evenly spaced apart.
-
With an electric hand mixer or whisk, beat together milk and pudding mix until it starts to slightly thicken but is still pourable. Stir in the drained pineapple and mix until combined. Pour mixture over warm cake, making sure pudding mixture goes into poked holes. You will have a nice layer of pudding on top, but depending on the size and depth of your dish, you might have some leftover pudding. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour.
- *While the cake is refrigerated, spread your sweetened coconut flakes evenly on a large baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 minutes at a time until they reach your desired toast level.
-
Once set, spread a layer of whipped topping and top with toasted shredded coconut. If desired, garnish with pineapple slices or maraschino cherries.
Notes
Storage Instructions:
Fridge – Leftover cake should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. It will last for 3-4 days refrigerated.
Freezer – This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months; To freeze, let the cake chill completely before wrapping with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Once ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Coconut Cream Pudding Substitutions – If you can’t find coconut cream pudding where you live, you can substitute vanilla pudding, cheesecake pudding, or a can of cream of coconut, which you can find in the baking aisle.
MORE PINEAPPLE DESSERTS YOU’LL LOVE:
- Crushed Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Luscious Strawberry Pineapple Cake
- Easy Coconut Pineapple Bread
- Best Ever Pina Colada Cake
- Easy Pineapple Upside Down Dump Cake
More Popular Desserts:
- Mom’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Oreo Brownie Trifle
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for my Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake! Do you love pineapple and coconut? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by! – Cara
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how early can you frost it before serving?
You can frost it anytime after the pudding has set up in the cake, I would just wait to add the toasted coconut right before, as it tends to get a little soggy if you add it in advance.
Haven’t tried yet but could you substitute half of milk with cream of coconut?
You probably could, but that’s going to create a much thicker pudding since coconut cream contains more fat in it. If it’s too thick you might want to thin it out with some water.
Did I see you add eggs? It wasn’t included in the recipe.
Yes, you are supposed to prepare the cake mix as directed on the box with eggs, oil, and use the drained pineapple juice in place of the water. I apologize for any confusion and have updated the recipe and recipe card to make those instructions clearer.
Can this be made the day before without getting soggy?
Yes, it’s actually good to soak the cake overnight. I would recommend waiting to add the toasted coconut on top until you are ready to serve so that it will be fresh.
Hi Cara, I have a Hawaiian party this coming Friday and want to make this. It seems very easy and looks delicious! When it comes to the pudding, do I mix them both together in one bowl? I did find the coconut cream pudding.? I also accidentally bought the pineapple rings, rather than the crushed. Does it really make a difference? Thanks!
Yes, you combine them both with the 4 cups of milk. Normally you would then combine that with the drained crushed pineapple but since you have rings instead, you can either cut them up and mix it in, or save for garnishing the top of the cake. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this and took it to a neighborhood luaoe ,it was a hit ! It definitely fit the occasion ,not one bite left .Thanks for this delicious treat!
You’re very welcome! So glad everyone enjoyed it, and I really appreciate the 5 star rating!
Thoughts on doing two packages of the coconut pudding vs one vanilla & one coconut?
Thanks!
It will just have a stronger coconut flavor but equally delicious. Enjoy!
Our family loved this cool summer dessert. Will definitely make it again. Thank you.
You’re very welcome! So glad you all enjoyed it and thank you for the 5 star rating! 🙂
Such and easy and delicious recipe.I did have to thin the pudding with milk because I over beat it.I had quite a bit of pudding left over. I actually took a little off of the cake because there was so much. I did use a 13×9 pan. I sprinkled the toasted coconut on top and added some crushed pecans.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Tasha! Great idea with adding some crushed pecans. And yes, if the 13×9 pan isn’t deep, you will have some leftover pudding. My kids always enjoy snacking on it, so they don’t complain -haha.
Can u make this in a Bundt pan.
I’ve never personally tried it, but it should work. The only difference would be the baking times. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Really want to make . Cannot find the coconut creme pudding . Any substitute flavor I can use . Thank you
Hi Mikey! Sorry to hear you’re having trouble finding the pudding – I’ve noticed my local Walmart has stopped carrying it as well. Not sure which state you’re located but I’ve had luck finding it at Food Lion. If you still can’t locate it, you can always substitute another box of vanilla pudding, cheesecake pudding, or a can of cream of coconut if you want a stronger coconut flavor. Hope you love the cake once you make it!
Hi! How much of the cream of coconut should I sub for the instant pudding? I can’t find the coconut instant pudding either! Thank you 🙂
Hi Ana, you will use one can of cream of coconut. I believe it’s a 13 or 14 oz size can. You can also substitute cheesecake pudding or vanilla pudding, if you prefer that instead.
This was extremely easy and very delicious!!
Thank you, Betty! So glad you enjoyed it!