Coconut Poke Cake

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Moist coconut poke cake combines a homemade coconut cake, coconut filling, and coconut whipped cream in one cake. Perfect for coconut lovers!

A slice of coconut poke cake on a scalloped plate.

This easy coconut cream poke cake starts with a simple homemade cake, is topped with a quick coconut-flavored filling, and delicious coconut whipped topping. If you'd prefer to use a cake mix, the directions for that are also listed below.

This cake makes a great holiday dessert, and it's easy to make ahead of time. It's the perfect cake for coconut lovers!

Ingredient notes

Ingredients for coconut poke cake in dishes.

Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat buttermilk will work. If you can't find buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute.
Vegetable oil: Or a similar neutral oil.
Hot water: The water should just be tap hot, not boiling.
Sweetened condensed milk: Regular or low-fat sweetened condensed milk will work.
Cream of coconut: Cream of coconut is different than coconut milk. It's usually found in the drink mixer section in the grocery store.

How to make coconut poke cake (from scratch)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan. Set aside.

Wet ingredients for coconut poke cake in a mixing bowl.

To make the cake batter, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, coconut extract, and eggs to a large bowl. Whisk until well-combined.

Wet ingredients whisked into dry ingredients for coconut poke cake.

Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, and whisk just until combined. Do not overmix.

Whisk in the hot water until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, and use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and the cream. To make the filling, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and the cream of coconut.

Coconut filling poured on top of coconut cake.

Mix cream of coconut mixture until well-combined. Gradually pour over the top of the cake, stopping to allow the mixture to soak into the holes before continuing.

Top tip >> If you end up with the filling pooling around the edges, gently push the filling into the holes with a rubber spatula.

Let the cake cool to room temperature.

Top tip >> Make sure that the cake is cool. If you try to frost a hot cake (or warm cake) with whipped cream, the whipped cream will melt.

To make the topping, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and coconut extract to a large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to incorporate the powdered sugar.

Increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.
Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

A slice of coconut poke cake on a plate with a bite missing.

Recipe FAQS

Can I use a boxed cake mix?

You can use a white or yellow cake mix in place of making the cake portion from scratch. Simply make the cake as-directed on your cake mix box, adding in the 1.5 tablespoons of coconut extract with your wet ingredients.
Once you've baked the cake according to your package directions, you can continue with the filling and topping recipes.

What is cream of coconut?

Cream of coconut is a thick, sweet, coconut-flavored liquid. It's similar to sweetened condensed milk that has coconut flavoring in it.

What can I substitute for cream of coconut?

If you can't find cream of coconut (it's usually near the mix-ins for alcoholic drinks), you can make your own substitute. Simply mix sweetened condensed milk with coconut flavoring to taste.

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

Absolutely! I think the cake tastes even better on the second day. To make the cake ahead of time, make as-directed. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

A bite of poke cake next to a piece of coconut poke cake.

How to store

Coconut poke cake should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.

More poke cake recipes!

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