Amazon Associates Disclosure We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Coconut Poke Cake
Cream of Coconut Poke Cake is a rich coconut flavored poke cake soaked in sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut, topped with toasted coconut and cherries.
I have been making one version or another of this moist cake for so long now that I couldn’t even begin to tell you where or when the idea originated.
This is a fairly rich dessert. It’s similar to a tres-leches cake, except it uses cream of coconut as one of the components.
This one is also served right from the pan you baked it in, which can be a blessing for folks like me who can hardly get a small cake out of a pan in one piece.
You can use fat-free sweetened condensed milk and light cream of coconut to reduce some of the calories in this.
I don’t because it is dessert and if I were worried about calories I would probably be skipping Cream of Coconut as a dessert anyway.
Now if you can’t get any cream of coconut, you can order it or you could add coconut extract to some additional sweetened condensed milk.
I would use 2 teaspoons of coconut extract to one additional can of sweetened condensed milk.
This can also be made using a plain white cake made as directed on the box, just remember it will produce a much thinner and airier cake, so reduce the liquid you pour over the hot cake by about half, otherwise, your cake will be swimming.
There is also a good chance you will be eating it out of a bowl with a spoon if you do not reduce the liquid. It will taste good, but won’t be as pretty.
I use the recipe for the cake base from our White Wedding Cake recipe because it holds more liquid before it goes soggy.
You can also skip the cherries, I just use lots of them because they are the favorite part for the DH. I pick them off of my piece and put them on his plate.
For some holiday flair, you could use a combination of red and green cherries. Just be sure to drain your cherries well, on paper towels, prior to placing on the cake.
The largest holes I would poke in my cake would be the size of a chopstick. Any bigger and you will have soggy areas in the cake.
When pouring the milk mixture onto the hot cake start slowly and allow some of the milk to absorb before adding more.
It is best to avoid letting too much liquid run over the sides.
When too much liquid gets under the cake, the bottom becomes soggy.
There will be some liquid that escapes over the sides, and a little is OK, not a flood.
**A friend who does not care for whipped cream asked if it was OK to use a buttercream icing instead.
She tried it and reported back that it was a hit!
I might add some coconut extract rather than almond if you use the buttercream recipe attached to our wedding cake recipe.
MORE 9 X 13 DESSERT RECIPES
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHARE THIS RECIPE
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF NEW POSTS AND NEVER MISS ANOTHER UPDATE
Cream of Coconut Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix Pillsbury Traditional White is our preferred mix, 2 boxes of Jiffy mix is second
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 4 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups cream of coconut
- 16 ounces nondairy whipped topping thawed
- 1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
- 1 jar Maraschino cherries drained, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spray 9 X 13 baking pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Place cake mix, four, and sugar into the bowl of stand mixer. Mix just until combined.
- Add water, yogurt, egg whites, oil, and extracts.
- Mix on low speed until combined.
- Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
- Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated 325 degrees F oven.
- Set time for 45 minutes. If you begin to smell the cake before the timer goes off, check the cake by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs but no wet batter, the cake is done and it needs to be removed from the oven.
- While waiting for the cake to bake, mix together sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once the timer goes off, and you have not removed the cake already because it was done, check the cake for doneness by using the toothpick method.
- If the cake is not done after 35 minutes, continue cooking the cake and checking for doneness every 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how wet the toothpick was when testing the cake.
- Once done, remove from oven.
- Poke holes evenly over the cake using a fork, skewer or chopstick.
- Slowly drizzle milk and cream of coconut mixture over cake, adding more as it is absorbed into the warm cake.
- Once all of the liquid is added to the cake, place in refrigerator until completely cooled.
- Once the cake is cooled, cover with whipped topping, toasted coconut, and cherries.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Can you make this a day ahead and not add the whipped topping, coconut and cherries until just before serving?
Hi!
You can do that without a problem!
Happy Easter!
What type of flour is used
I use unbleached all purpose flour, but regular all purpose flour also works.
Look good
I made this cake for a party it was a Big hit….
Hi Tammy!
I am so happy to hear that it went over well!
Thanks for visiting, trying a recipe and letting us know the outcome!
Beth
I am definitely going to make this cake again. Just came from the supermarket and I was very happy to discover that they again have coconut extract because they stopped carrying it for the longest time. How do I add that I made the cake to the list of 11 people who are listed that made the cake? I
Hi Miriam!
I love coconut extract! I even use it in my coconut meringue pies as an addition to the vanilla.
I think you just go to the pin on pinterest and click that you tried it, then I believe that you get an option of liking it or not liking it.
Beth
I made the coconut cake and it baked with a 3 inch soft center, which I can describe as an unexpected coconut pudding. I added a Jello coconut pudding to the dry mix and used whole eggs, not just whites. Other than that , I followed the recipe and it came out great!!!
Hi Miriam!
Sorry to hear that you had a wet middle. If the cake cooked around the edges but not the middle with the ingredients used as listed, I would suspect it just needed more time in the oven. Since this recipe uses an extender, there is more batter than a standard cake mix and needs a little more time and a lower oven temperature.
4 whole eggs may have made this cake quite moist. 3 whole eggs is what I would have used as a replacement for 4 egg whites, in this recipe or any other white cake recipe.
I know some people add an extra egg for extra moisture to some cake recipes, but this recipe already uses Greek yogurt for that purpose.
I have never added any pudding mix to any of my cake recipes, so I cannot even take a guess on the effect.
If you enjoyed the flavor, I encourage you to give it another try. This one has never failed me as written.
Beth
The cake is GONE. the friend I made it for loved it I will definitely make it again. I didn’t have/ use the cherries just a lot of toasted coconut. I don’t like white cake , always use yellow.however I will take your 3 eggs advice or really use only egg whites. Next time no coconut pudding!!
The recipe IS great and I already have two requests just from the photo I posted
I’m glad your friend enjoyed the cake! Send me an update when you make it again and let me know if the egg reduction works!