Piña Colada Poke Cake

If you love the tropical flavor of a piña colada, wait until you meet it in cake form. This piña colada poke cake is soft, extra moist, packed with pineapple coconut flavor, and topped with a fluffy whipped topping that makes every bite taste like summer vacation.

The best part? It starts with a cake mix, so it’s ridiculously easy to pull together for parties, potlucks, and lazy baker emergencies.

What is a Poke Cake?

Why is it called poke cake? The reason is super simple: you’ll poke the cake full of holes so that you can pour the appropriate goodness over top so that it can simply seep into the cake, filling it with flavor. Poke cakes are great for:

• Potlucks – easy to make in a 9×13 pan, easy to transport, and easy to slice for a crowd.
• BBQs and cookouts – the chilled, tropical flavors are a dream after smoky grilled food.
• Summer birthdays – festive, fun, and a great alternative to heavier frosted cakes.
• Baby showers and bridal showers – pretty, light, and just a little bit extra without being fussy.
• Pool parties – because if a dessert could wear sunglasses and carry a tiny umbrella, this would be it.
• Beach-themed parties or luaus – the pineapple-coconut flavor fits right in.
• Make-ahead entertaining – ideal when you need dessert done before guests arrive.
• Beginner bakers & lazy bakers – starts with cake mix, so it’s low stress with high payoff.

Because it’s served cold and made ahead, this pineapple coconut poke cake is one of my favorite low-maintenance desserts for warm-weather entertaining.

Ingredients

Using a box mix and a handful of other ingredients, you will have this piña colada cake recipe ready in no time!

Cake

• White cake mix – choose any brand that you prefer, but make sure that it’s white cake mix and not yellow to preserve the pretty color of the cake.
• Crushed pineapple – for this part of the recipe ensure that your pineapple is not drained to add even more of that pineapple flavor and juiciness to the cake.
• Vegetable oil – the neutral flavor of vegetable oil makes it perfect for this cake so that the pineapple and coconut can take center stage.
• Eggs – most baking recipes recommend using large eggs and this one is no different. Grab your favorite brand, just make sure they’re the large size.

Filling

• Cream of coconut – use cream of coconut which is the kind that is used for mixing drinks. Avoid coconut cream or coconut milk which are not the same thing.
• Pineapple juice – you can get little cans of this at your local grocer in the juice aisle.
• Rum extract – if you don’t already have this on hand, grab some at the store or use real rum instead. See the “Variations” section for how to substitute real rum for extract. You could also use coconut extract or vanilla extract.

Topping

• Instant coconut pudding mix – if you’re finding it a challenge to get this type of pudding, you can always get it from Amazon or swap it out for vanilla.
• Whole milk – make sure to use whole milk. The creaminess that it imparts in the topping is incomparable.
• Whipped topping – choose whichever whipped topping that you prefer. You can scoop it out of a tub, spray the appropriate amount, or make your own easy whipped cream.
• Crushed pineapple – for this part of the recipe you do want to drain your pineapple well in order to get exactly the right texture for your topping.
• Toasted coconut flakes – this garnish is key to take your piña colada poke cake over the top. Toasted flakes boast far more depth of flavor than the untoasted variety.

How To Make Piña Colada Poke Cake

You are gong to love how easy it is to make this piña colada cake that is full of coconut flavor!

1. Prepare oven and baking dish. Preheat the oven and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Make batter. Add the cake mix, crushed pineapple, oil, and eggs to a large bowl. With an electric hand mixer, mix the ingredients to combine before adjusting to medium speed and whipping.
3. Pour into dish. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth out the top of the batter so that it is level.
4. Bake. When a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean, the cake is finished.
5. Cool. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack, while still in the baking dish, for thirty minutes.
6. Poke holes. Use a fork or handle of a wooden spoon to gently poke holes throughout the cake. Avoiding creating crumbles is ideal.
7. Make filling. Whisk together the cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and rum extract in a bowl or a large measuring cup (which may help with pouring).
8. Pour over cake. Pour the mixture evenly over the entire cake. Allow the cake to rest until completely cooled and all of the liquid is absorbed. This should take about 2 hours.
9. Make topping. Place the pudding mix into a medium bowl and add the milk. Whisk to combine until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
10. Fold in whipped cream. Next, fold in the whipped topping until it’s fully incorporated. There should be no streaks of color remaining.
11. Fold in pineapple. Finally, fold in the well-drained crushed pineapple to the topping until completely combined.
12. Frost cake. Smooth the topping over top of the cake then top with toasted coconut.

Variations

We like this easy dessert recipe exactly as written, but there are plenty of ways you could make it your own.

• Pudding – Coconut instant pudding might be a challenge to source. If you can’t find it, just use vanilla or french vanilla instant pudding mix. I’ve even used cherry- like the cherry on top.
• Rum – This tropical cake recipe uses rum extract but if you want to incorporate real rum, use 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup depending on how strong of a rum flavor you want in the cake. If you are using actual rum in place of the extract, subtract and equal amount of pineapple juice listed for the filling. Dark rum, light rum, or spiced rum will all work well.
• Condensed milk – If finding cream of coconut is a challenge, or you just don’t want to use it, substitute one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk instead.
• Toppings – Instead of my suggestions, you could top this piña colada poke cake with just about anything you’d like. A cool whip topping, maraschino cherries or fresh pineapples are all great ideas. Serve it with a scoop of piña colada ice cream too.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store leftovers of this piña colada poke cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. you can eat both cold and room temperature.

Freezing: You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months.  I would wrap with plastic wrap before adding it to a container to prevent freezer burn. 

Commonly Asked Questions

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This piña colada poke cake is an easy tropical dessert made with white cake mix, crushed pineapple, cream of coconut, and a fluffy whipped topping. Moist, light, and packed with pineapple coconut flavor, it’s the perfect make-ahead cake for summer parties, potlucks, and warm-weather entertaining.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 34 minutes mins

Total Time: 49 minutes mins

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Servings: 15

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Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Rubber Spatula
• 9×13 Baking Dish
• Electric Hand Mixer

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 cup crushed pineapple , with juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs

For the filling:

• 15 ounces cream of coconut
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 2 teaspoons rum extract

For the topping:

• 3.4 ounce instant coconut pudding mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces whipped topping
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple well drained
• toasted coconut for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray, set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the 1 box white cake mix, 1 cup crushed pineapple, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs. With an electric hand mixer, mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Place on medium speed and whip for 2 minutes.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 29-34 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Using a fork, gently poke holes all over the cake. Try not to crumble the top of the cake the best you can.
• In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the 15 ounces cream of coconut, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, and 2 teaspoons rum extract. Pour all over the cake. Let it sit until completely cooled and the liquid is absorbed.
• To make the topping, place the 3.4 ounce instant coconut pudding mix into a large bowl. Whisk in the 1 cup whole milk until it starts to thicken.
• Fold in the 8 ounces whipped topping until there are no streaks left. Fold in the well-drained 1/2 cup crushed pineapple. Smooth over the cake.
• Top with toasted coconut for garnish and serve.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!

Notes

Store leftover in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is good served cold or room temperature. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 414 kcal, Carbohydrates: 63 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 35 mg, Sodium: 324 mg, Potassium: 114 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 47 g, Vitamin A: 97 IU, Vitamin C: 3 mg, Calcium: 116 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Calories: 414

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: make-ahead dessert idea, piña colada cake, pina colada poke cake, pineapple coconut cake, pineapple coconut poke cake, summer dessert, tropical poke cake

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