Hawaiian Poke Cake Pineapple Coconut (Printable)

Moist yellow cake soaked in coconut and sweetened condensed milk, topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes for a refreshing tropical treat.

# What You Need:

→ Cake Base

01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
04 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
05 - 1/2 cup water

→ Poke & Filling

06 - 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
07 - 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
08 - 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
09 - 1 cup cold milk
10 - 1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from crushed pineapple)

→ Topping & Garnish

11 - 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed
12 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
13 - Fresh pineapple chunks for garnish
14 - Maraschino cherries for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Combine yellow cake mix, eggs, crushed pineapple with juice, vegetable oil, and water in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
03 - Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
04 - Let cake cool for 10 minutes. Using handle of wooden spoon, poke holes all over cake at 1-inch intervals, pressing halfway through.
05 - Whisk sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk in medium bowl until completely blended. Pour slowly over warm cake, ensuring liquid fills holes.
06 - Whisk instant vanilla pudding mix, cold milk, and pineapple juice in separate bowl until thickened, about 2 minutes. Spread evenly over cake.
07 - Cover pan with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until completely cold and set.
08 - Spread thawed whipped topping evenly over chilled cake using offset spatula.
09 - Sprinkle toasted coconut over top of cake. Garnish with fresh pineapple chunks and maraschino cherries if desired.
10 - Cut into 12 squares and serve cold. Store leftovers refrigerated.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cake practically makes itself while you handle the soaking liquids
  • It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen but actually needs zero fancy techniques
  • The combination of sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk creates this incredible custard-like texture that nobody can quite put their finger on
02 -
  • The wooden spoon handle trick beats any fancy cake poking tool you might buy because it creates the perfect sized holes
  • Letting the cake cool those crucial ten minutes before poking means the texture stays intact instead of getting gummy
  • Pouring the soaking liquid slowly rather than dumping it all at once gives the cake time to drink everything up evenly
03 -
  • Use the end of a wooden spoon instead of a chopstick because it creates wider holes that catch more of that delicious soaking mixture
  • Reserve that pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple can even if the recipe only calls for a little, because it's liquid gold for flavor and moisture

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