Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
This Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake is like a dessert staycation. It begins with a super simple vanilla cake that’s filled with coconut cream pudding and crushed pineapple mixture. After chilling, frost the top with whipped topping and sprinkled with toasted macadamia nuts and coconut to complete the flavor profile.
Easy Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake Recipe
Poke cakes, are one of those simple to make luscious desserts that seem to appeal to the masses. This island inspired version remains ever popular with visitors. Since poke cakes are made in sheet cake form they’re perfect potluck fare as they can be packed up and taken to office parties, picnics or backyard gatherings. Bakers of all skill levels can be successful making any poke cake flavor. How to make Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Cake – Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box in a 13×9 inch baking pan using the amounts of water, oil and eggs. Bake per the instructions.
- Poke Holes – Use the handle of a wooden spoon to immediately poke holes over the entire cake. The holes need to be fairly large.
- Filling – Whip together pudding with 4 cups of cold half and half until thickened but still pourable.
- Pineapple – Mix 1 cup of pudding mixture with the crushed pineapple in a small bowl.
- Combine – Pour this over the cake and spread into the holes while the cake is still hot.
- Top with Remaining Pudding – Immediately spread the remaining pudding mixture on top.
- Refrigerator – Place into the refrigerator and cool.
- Once cooled frost with whipped topping. Garnish with macadamia nuts and flaked coconut.
- Store chilled until serving.
How to Make the BEST Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake: One box french vanilla or butter cake mix plus eggs, oil and water (or pineapple juice from crushed pineapple to equal the same amount of water.) to prepare, instant coconut cream instant pudding, crushed pineapple, half and half, chopped macadamia nuts, sweetened flaked shredded coconut and whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip or similar)
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer or a hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, large bowl, sheet pan, 13×9 inch cake pan, rubber spatula, wooden spoon or similar to poke holes in the cake.
- If you’re unable to find instant coconut cream pudding mix you can use vanilla pudding, instead. When doing so, use the same amount of half and half, adding 2 teaspoons of coconut extract. Once prepared per the recipe add 2/3 cup of additional shredded coconut to the pudding mixture. Mix the coconut in by hand then proceed with the recipe.
- Some brands of flaked coconut have longer shreds than others. If needed, you can pulse it just a couple of times in a food processor to make the texture more fine. Don’t overdo it.
- It’s well worth the small amount of effort that it takes to toast the macadamia nuts for the scrumptious flavor. How long do you toast nuts in the oven? Spread the macadamia nuts in a single layer on a sheet pan and into a preheated 350°F oven. Roast for 6-8 minutes or just until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- This cake is meant to be simple by design hence the reason it begins with a cake mix and ends with whipped topping. The whipped topping is more stable than fresh whipped cream for make ahead preparation.
- If you anticipate the cake will be eaten in one day you could use fresh whipped cream. To make homemade whipped cream: Chill a large bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes. To the bowl add 1 pint (2 cups) of heavy cream with 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Beat on medium high speed while gradually adding 1/4-1/3 cup granulated sugar to sweeten. Beat until stiff peaks form them chill until frosting the cake.
- If you prefer to make your own cake you can! Checkout my recipe for Old Fashioned Butter Cake here.
- You can easily make this cake one day in advance and store in the refrigerator until serving.
- Store prepared Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Poke Cake Recipes to Make
- Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake is dressed to impress.
- Salted Caramel Poke Cake features toasted coconut to expand the flavor profile.
- Rocky Road Fudge Poke Cake is ooey gooey good.
- Key Lime Poke Cake is ideal for spring gatherings and summer cookouts.
- Caramel Apple Poke Cake taste just like fall.
- Lemon Burst Poke Cake packs citrus flavor in every bite.
- Boston Cream Poke Cake from Six Sisters Stuff.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake
Servings: 16 pieces
Calories: 411kcal
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box French vanilla or Butter cake mix plus ingredients to prepare
- 2 3.4 oz boxes coconut cream instant pudding mix
- 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple drained
- 4 cup half and half
- 16 oz frozen whipped topping thawed
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box in a 13×9 inch baking pan. Use the amounts of water, oil and eggs on the package. Bake according to directions.
- Remove the cake from the oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to immediately poke holes over the entire cake. The holes need to be fairly large.
- Filling: Use a hand mixer and whip together both packages of pudding with 4 cups of cold half and half. Whip until the pudding begins to slightly thicken but is still pourable.
- Mix 1 cup of pudding mixture with the crushed pineapple in a small bowl. Pour this over the cake and spread into the holes while the cake is still hot.
- Immediately spread the remaining pudding mixture on top. Place into the refrigerator and cool then frost the top with whipped topping.
- Sprinkle with macadamia nuts and flaked coconut to garnish.
- Store chilled until serving.
Notes
- To toast the macadamia nuts: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes or just until lightly golden and fragrant. Cool completely before using.
- If you’re unable to find instant coconut cream pudding mix you can use vanilla pudding, instead. When doing so, use the same amount of half and half, adding 2 teaspoons of coconut extract. Once prepared per the recipe add 2/3 cup of additional shredded coconut to the pudding mixture. Mix the coconut in by hand then proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi there
I would love to make this recipe but live in Australia and we don’t have cool whip or coconut cream pudding. What could I use to replace these. Thanks
You could adapt this recipe using a homemade coconut custard and fresh whipped cream in the same amounts. Thanks for visiting!
I make a similar cake that is just coconut and use coconut cream. You know the kind for making piniacolodas. Its really good. that should be an awesome substitute. Its in the alcohol section at the grocery store
So I’m making this just as directed. But ended up with way to much pudding! And for some reason the pudding on top is just not thickening. Looks like a pool on top of the cake. I punch big holes. I’m not sure if this is going to settled into the cake eventually? Cant top it with the cool whip until the pooling goes down. I feel like this one was a big FAIL! Not as good as other recipes I’ve used in the past 🙁 Huge bummer. Hopefully it ends up tasting good at least.🤷♀️
If the pudding isn’t thickened it needed to be beaten longer and likely why there seems to be too much. If you allow the cake to cool and the pudding to set it should be OK. This cake has been tested many times and it works but, you do need to follow each step.
In general, I do not try recipes that are less than a 4 1/2 star rating. My husband came across this recipe and wanted me to make it because it sounded good. This is a 5 star recipe in our opinion. Very nice as written. A nice light taste! Enjoyed very much! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed!
Where do you add the whipped topping ?
From the instructions: Immediately spread the remaining pudding on top. Place into the refrigerator and cool to the touch then frost with whipped topping.
Hi! I really want to make this cake, and I bought all the ingredients, but unfortunately I couldn’t find macadamia nuts anywhere. I read that you could try and substitute cashews for them, so I bought some cashews instead. Do you think this will affect the cake a lot? Will it taste different or worse?
Hi Courtney, you can use cashews or even almonds, it will still be delish.
I made this cake for a Luau in Illinois that our church family was having. It was a hit. It was gone before all the other deserts. Oh my Goodness, it is super yummy.
How exciting, I’m delighted you loved it!
This is so good. Second time making it. For 2 of my 4 sons. They all loved it. A good cool refreshing dessert not to sweet. Perfect for the hot weather or anytime. Thank You so much for sharing. 5 stars.
I love this cake, I’m delighted your family is enjoying it, too. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
I’m not usually a fan of how instant pudding tastes. Is it possible to use the cook and serve kind?
Oh sure, you can adapt this easily using that.
This recipe was awesome. I made it pretty exact, but used banana pudding (with milk) because I could not find coconut. I also toasted the coconut as per another comment. Not only is this super easy but, it tasted delicious. Very light and not too sweet.
Wonderful, I’m delighted you loved this one!
I also am confused by the comment about “she allowed the pudding to form a film on top before frosting.” The directions say to cool the cake completely before frosting – thus, the pudding will skin over, if it is cooled completely. What am I missing here?
Not necessarily. You should let the cake cool completely.That doesn’t mean set it into the fridge overnight or a long period uncovered. You have to use good judgement. Once it cools you can place plastic wrap on the pudding to prevent the film or frost it with cool whip then chill until serving.
I just made cake it’s in refrigerator setting now. It made a lot of Pudding it was hard to use it all.
It may be you needed more holes,be generous.
Melissa. I made this cake a couple times about about 25 yrs ago. Redid my recipe notebook & lost the recipe. Have tried to find it for years. This is the closest to my recipe that I have found. The difference is I used a jelly roll pan, spread the crushed pineapple on the warm cake & then added the pudding , cool whip , & toasted coconut, no nuts.It was actually better the longer it sat in the fridge at least aday I also have frozen it because the jelly roll pan makes a lot. So glad I found your recipe because it made me realize that it was almost identical to mine which I couldn’t remember all the ingredients. Whew…so sorry that was such a lnog comment Jeanne
Hi Jeanne, thank you for sharing your memory and I love how you describe you made your version. I agree, this cake gets better and better the longer it sits. I’m delighted you found this one and can add it back to your recipe file. Visit anytime!
Are you able to remove the cake from the pan prior to poking holes and pouring the pudding mixture, or would that create a mess by allowing the mixture to spill over the brim of the cake when you pour it?
I wouldn’t recommend that as the cake is straight out of the oven and may break.
In the instance of that comment, she allowed the pudding to form a film on top before frosting. You have to wait until the cake cools before frosting with whipped topping. I myself have never had that happen so, follow the directions as written.
I am sorry. Am confused by the comment that the whipped topping slide off and was a result of waiting to long to frost it? Recipe says to wait til set.. so how long is to long?
Do you know if this cake freezes well?
I usually don’t freeze this cake, but my thought is it would do fine.
Hi Melissa – That’s exactly what I did wrong. I should have put the whip topping on top of the pudding mixture but I waited. I will be making this again. I did spot another one of your recipes that Im anxious to try – Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Lush!!
Thanks again for getting back to me so quickly!!
Best, Ann
Oh great mystery solved. I’m a bit obsessed with the combination of coconut and pineapple, Ann. that’s one of my favorites as well.
This cake looks awesome!! My husband is requesting a coconut cake for Fathers Day. Can this cake be made the day before or would it be too soggy?
Thanks!!
It can be made a day ahead without any issues. Send my best birthday wishes to him.
Fantastic – I will post again after the get-together and will let you know how everybody liked it!! Thanks again for getting right back to me
It’s my pleasure, I hope you all enjoy this cake!
This cake was absolutely delicious!! I also added toasted pecans on top with the coconut. My only problem was when I went to cut the cake, the top layer started to slide off. Im thinking it might be 1 of 2 things I did wrong. Possibly the cake wasn’t cold enough when I put on the cool whip or I used pineapple tidbits instead of shredded pineapple. Any tips would be appreciated since I do plan to make this again. Everyone loved it!!
Hi Ann, I assume you mean the whipped topping slid from the pudding layer? If you frosted after the pudding set that could have been the issue. Otherwise, I’m not sure if the tidbits would have caused a problem and I can’t recall ever having that issue myself. Glad you liked this one!
Can you freeze this after it’s made/
I never have, if you try it let me know how it goes.
Used coconut milk for 1/2&1/2. Made it more conconut. Cannot wait to serves cake. Thank you. My husband loves poke cakes. Cannot wait to try the other recipes too.
Welcome Carol, adding more coconut is always a good decision. Enjoy!
I was only able to find the Coconut Cream Cook and Serve pudding- not instant. Is there a way to use that instead?
You can prepare it and cool then proceed with the recipe.
This recipe sounds delishous but I am a diabetic – could you give me directions how to make it diabetic friendly?
Hi Paula. if you’ve had success in the past with lower sugar cake mixes, puddings and whipped toppings feel free to adapt.