Coconut Poke Cake
An easy and moist coconut poke cake made with cake mix, a creamy coconut soak, and fluffy whipped topping. Make it ahead and serve it cold.
Servings: 12 people
Cost: $15
Ingredients
- 14 ounces white cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk divided 1 cup (for the batter) and 1/2 cup (for the sauce)
- 15 ounces coconut milk rich and creamy
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, eggs, and 1 cup buttermilk. Beat until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 25 minutes, checking at 20. The cake is done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the coconut soak. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk until completely smooth.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven and is still warm, use a fork to poke holes all over the surface, going most of the way down.
- Slowly pour the coconut mixture over the warm cake in a few passes, letting it seep into the holes before adding more.
- Cover the cake and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to serve, spread the thawed Cool Whip evenly over the top of the chilled cake.
- Sprinkle generously with sweetened shredded coconut. Toast it first for more flavor.
- Slice and serve cold.
Notes
How to Store
Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It gets even better the next day as the soak continues to work through the cake. Serve chilled.
Make Ahead
Bake, soak, and chill up to 2 days ahead. Add the Cool Whip and coconut the day you serve.
Freezing
Freeze the soaked cake before topping, wrapped well, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then top before serving.
Coconut Swap
For a sweeter, richer cake, use a 15 ounce can of cream of coconut in place of the coconut milk and reduce the sweetened condensed milk to 1/3 cup.
Full tips and variations are in the coconut poke cake post.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 2mg
