This tropical coconut poke cake recipe is so moist and flavorful from the sweet cream of coconut and fluffy coconut whipped cream toppings. Simple to make using a box of cake mix, this easy coconut cake is perfect for any occasion!
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Test Kitchen Review
Juanita
I used thick shredded coconut and this cake was a tropical delight! It reminded me of a tres leches cake, but with a ton of lovely coconut flavor. I made the stabilized whipped cream and stored the cake for 24 hours and it held up wonderfully for our dinner party!
Why I Love This Coconut Poke Cake
- Easy to Make: Using a box of cake mix makes this cake super simple to make and the kids will love getting to help poke holes all over the top.
- Family Recipe: This coconut cake recipe is one of my mom’s famous cake recipes that I remember enjoying every holiday growing up. It is so easy, moist, and creamy you will fall in love at first bite!
- Tropical Flavor: Reminiscent of your favorite beachside drink, this delectable coconut poke cake takes your taste buds on vacation!
- Extremely Moist: This rich tasting, dreamy cake melts in your mouth thanks to a liberal soaking in both sweetened condensed milk and a can of cream of coconut. A layer of coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut takes it over the top!
- Travels Well: Unlike frosted layer cakes, this coconut sheet cake travels particularly well as it’s made in a 9×13 cake pan.
Looking for more coconut desserts? Try this old fashioned coconut cream pie, super creamy tembleque (Puerto Rican coconut pudding) or this pineapple coconut bundt cake!
Key Ingredients
Moist and tender, this coconut cake is a lovely, retro recipe: a can of this, a can of that, a boxed cake mix and voila! Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this coconut poke cake recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- White Cake Mix: Grab your favorite standard-sized box of white cake mix, plus any cake ingredients listed on the box to make the cake.
- Coconut Extract: Just a splash will give your cake the perfect coconut flavor!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Don’t use canned evaporated milk or coconut milk, you need the thickness and sweetness of canned sweetened condesend milk.
- Cream of Coconut: This is also a thick, sweetened canned product made with real pieces of coconut. I use the Coco Lopez brand, usually found next to the drink mixers at the grocery store.
- Heavy Cream: I like to top this cake with a homemade, stabilized whipped cream. However, if you’d prefer to use Cool-Whip, feel free to do so! Do not substitute the heavy cream for half and half, it will not whip up correctly.
- Gelatin: Use powdered, unflavored gelatin, such as Knox brand. This will keep your whip cream fluffy and stop it from collapsing over time.
- Toasted Coconut: Use unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut, whichever you prefer.
How to Make Coconut Poke Cake
This easy coconut cake recipe is perfect for people who don’t have time to bake from scratch. It comes together in about 10 minutes after the cake bakes. So moist and delicious, one will ever guess the shortcut! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Bake the Cake: Mix as directed, spread cake batter in a greased 9×13 pan, and bake following the package directions.
- Poke: Use a chopstick, wooden spoon handle, or toothpick to poke holes all over the top of the warm cake.
- Add milks: Immediately pour the condensed milk and cream of coconut over the cake layer. It will look like a lot of liquid, but the cake will soak it all up. Leave the cake to cool completely while the liquids soak in.
- Frost: Once the cake is cooled to room temperature, it’s time to top it with a nice, thick layer of homemade whipped topping. Spread over the cake in a generous, even layer. Top with toasted, shredded coconut.
- Enjoy: Cover cake and chill in fridge until ready to serve!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Don’t Under Bake: Since the end result is an ultra-moist cake, make sure to bake the cake until it’s fully done. The cake should be golden on top and cooked all the way through until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Make in Advance: This cake can be fully prepared up to 2 or 3 days in advance without sacrificing on flavor or texture. It’s a great make-ahead dessert for parties!
- Double the Coconut: For coconut lovers, add a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of coconut extract to the whipped cream topping for a dreamy coconut whipped cream!
- How to Toast Coconut: Spread shredded coconut on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and toast in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown. Plan to watch closely and shake or stir halfway through for even color.
Coconut Cake Recipe Variations
- Fruit: Sprinkle berries or sliced strawberries or maraschino cherries on top before serving.
- Coconut Pineapple Cake: Drain a small can of crushed pineapple and stir it into the cake before baking. Or, you can add crushed pineapple on top of the cake before the whipped cream layer!
- Pudding: If you prefer your poke cake topped with pudding, whip up a batch of instant coconut pudding according to the package directions. Spread it over the top of the cake before the whipped cream layer.
Yield: 12 servings
Coconut Poke Cake Recipe
⭐️Test Kitchen Approved!⭐️This moist and decadent Coconut Poke Cake recipe is so easy to make using boxed cake mix. Similar to a tres leches cake, this coconut cake is topped with cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk and sweet whipped cream! This cake is great made up to a couple of days ahead and travels well, making it perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 1 (14.25 oz) box white cake mix, plus ingredients needed to bake cake according to box
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
Stabilized Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin, the powdered kind
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups shredded coconut, toasted
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Instructions
- Whisk together cake batter according to package directions and add coconut extract. Bake cake according to directions in a greased 9×13 cake pan, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While cake is still hot from baking, poke tons of holes with a toothpick, chopstick, or fork on top of the cake. Slowly pour sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut on top of cake. (Don't get nervous if it looks like a lot of liquid sitting on the sides. The cake will soak it all up!)
- Once cake has cooled to room temperature, add the gelatin and water to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Gelatin should be completely dissolved, stir to combine once more and set aside.
- In a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until it starts to look foamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until soft peaks form.
- Turn your mixer (or beaters) to low and slowly stream in the gelatin mixture. (If your gelatin has harden, microwave again for just a couple of seconds to loosen it.) Turn the beaters back to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Frost cake with whipped cream and top with toasted shredded coconut. Store in the fridge until ready to serve!
Notes
Store: Store leftover sheet cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Make in Advance: This cake can be fully prepared up to 2 or 3 days in advance without sacrificing on flavor or texture. It’s a great make-ahead dessert for parties!
Cool Whip: If you would prefer, you can skip the stabilized whipped cream and use cool whip instead. You will need about 12 oz of cool whip to top the cake.
Double the Coconut: For coconut lovers, add a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of coconut extract to the whipped cream topping for a dreamy coconut whipped cream!
How to Toast Coconut: Spread shredded coconut on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and toast in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown. Plan to watch closely and shake or stir halfway through for even color.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 661kcal, Carbohydrates: 84g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 67mg, Sodium: 352mg, Potassium: 255mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 68g, Vitamin A: 817IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 202mg, Iron: 1mg
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This recipe is absolutely amazing! I am not a big fan of coconut cake my neighbor made this recipe she gave me a piece and I was blown away. So I asked her for the recipe she sent me the link to this Pinterest now I have made this cake twice back to back for family functions and my brother-in-law who cannot pay me a compliment he told my sister when she gave him a piece of cake “this cake is phenomenal! Where did it come from?”
The only thing I changed up when I made this is I had decided to make homemade whip cream to put on top instead of Cool Whip made it even way better.
The homemade whip cream recipe I also got off Pinterest.
Can this cake be stacked up
Christmas morning making this cake to take with family to Tenn. House smells wonderful
Bonny
Just baked this cake and it’s AWESOME! You’re right, it’s like the tres leches but less work and it tastes great! I will use it in the holidays for sure. Thanks for sharing this.
This sounds awesome and I would love to make it for my daughter’s birthday party! How far ahead do you think I can make it?
Looks awesome! And finally…a blog that posts a recipe WITH a printer option!! Printing NOW 🙂 and making tonight!
I’ve made this many times, but with one difference. I mix in a small box of instant coconut pudding, plus a few tablespoons of milk with the whipped topping before putting it on the cake. It adds a bit more coconut to the overload.
I love this recipe! I added Moscato wine to the white cake batter and a little bit to the homemade whipped cream as well. The Moscato really richened the coconut dlavor without overpowering it. I also added sliced almonds and white chocolate chips to the topping because I didn’t have the patience to toast the coconut, but I still wanted the added texture.
I really like coconut, but most people around me don’t! So I almost never bake anything coconut-ty. Wah waaah. I wish I was there to share this with you!
oh my goodness i need this in my life. And in my belly.
I tried this out last summer; it’s known as my ugly cake. I thought I made a mistake in the recipe and covered it up with sliced bananas and fresh coconut “whip cream” Definately, a dinner party hit.
I made this cake for my Mom’s birthday. She is in LOVE with coconut and is now in love with this cake! I received so many compliments and people texting me that they want me to make it again! I love your blog!!!!
Awesome! So happy to hear that someone made it and loved it! 🙂
Looks divine… condensed milk is an awesome touch.
This looks wonderful 🙂 I love coconut cake, this recipe sounds perfect!
I love sheet cake – and I like this variation on the usual chocolate sheet cake!
Box cake = my friend 🙂 looks delish girl (no suprise there – you baking queen!)
I will def be making this. I love coconut! YUM!
Oh this is perfect…Love recipes that are passed down like this!
Have a feeling this may become a staple at our backyard barbecues this summer!!
Look at how light and pretty this looks! Swooning, wish I had some now!