Coconut Poke Cake
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Made with just 5 ingredients (including a box cake mix), this easy coconut poke cake recipe is oh-so-moist, sweet, and a traditional Southern holiday cake.
Around these parts, we call this my Daddy’s coconut cake, because he’s a and it’s his favorite cake at Christmas time and Easter. Luckily, none of us complain because it’s just divine beyond compare. It’s another great refrigerator cake recipe, which means you can make it up to three days ahead of time and then let it sit in the fridge. It will just grow moister and more delicious with every passing minute. There’s nothing like tender and moist coconut topping on a soft and fluffy piece of cake.
Coconut around the holidays is a tradition in the South, especially coconut cakes! Back in the old days that was the only time of the year you could get such an exotic thing as coconut in these parts (well, in Alabama anyway). So, it’s no surprise this coconut poke cake recipe is just one of four on my blog! You can also check out my Grandmama’s coconut cake with 7-minute frosting, my key lime coconut sheet cake, and Miss Patsy’s too easy coconut cake.
You only need 5 ingredients and a little bit of time to whip up this coconut poke cake. Once you bake the yellow cake mix, you’re going to poke holes in the warm cake and top it with a deliciously creamy and sweet combination of ingredients: sugar, whipped topping, sour cream, and coconut. Then you let it chill and let all of those delicious flavors soak into the cake. It’s no wonder it’s a family favorite right? My mouth is already watering over here, so let’s get bakin’!
For the complete listing of all recipes I have posted to the Holiday Baking Category (including gift mixes), click here.
Recipe Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix
- Flaked coconut (you can use any kind of coconut, including canned coconut).
- Sour cream
- Whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
- Sugar
How to Make Coconut Poke Cake
We’re making a coconut sheet cake today, so prepare your pan by lightly greasing it with cooking spray.
Then you’re going to need to bake a yellow cake. Just get a boxed mix like I do or use your favorite recipe.
The cake isn’t that important as the icing is our key player here. I used a yellow boxed mix and made the according to the package directions.
While the cake is warm, we need to assemble our topping. So place all icing ingredients (sugar, , whipped topping, and sour ) in a mixing bowl.
Mix until well blended.
Poke holes in the warm cake with a fork.
in the pan for about 10 minutes and then spread the icing over the top of the entire cake.
Spread over, cover, and refrigerate!
You can make this as a layer cake but I find it is much easier to deal with (and store in the fridge) as a sheet cake.
YUM!
Storage
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Because there’s sugar in the frosting, the cake will also freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- You can use the box cake mix (including white cake mix) or pound cake recipe of your choice. You could even use a chocolate cake mix to make and top the cake with shaved chocolate. YUM. Or how about a strawberry cake mix with fresh strawberries?
- If you like, you can toast some coconut flakes quickly in the oven (keep an eye on them as they brown quickly) and sprinkle the toasted coconut over the poke cake before serving.
- For added coconut flavor, add 1.5 teaspoons of coconut extract to the whipped cream topping.
- Some coconut cake recipes substitute sour cream and sugar for 1 can of coconut cream (NOT coconut milk, folks). If you prefer this method, go ahead. Another option (if that’s too much coconut flavor) is to opt for a can of sweetened condensed milk instead.
Check out these other holiday favorites:
Southern Plate’s Must-Make Christmas Cookies
Coconut Macaroons Recipe (3 Ingredients Only)
Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whipped topping
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 12 ounces shredded coconut
Instructions
- Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions and bake it in a 9x13-inch pan.1 box yellow cake mix
- Combine the sugar, sour cream, whipped topping, and shredded coconut in a mixing bowl. Blend well and chill.2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups whipped topping, 16 ounces sour cream, 12 ounces shredded coconut
- Poke holes all over the top of the warm cake and pour the coconut mixture over the cake (after it has rested in the pan for about 10 minutes).
- Cover well and refrigerate for 1-3 days before serving. Store in refrigerator.
This is also yummy if you add key lime juice to the frosting!!
just made this, It was wonderful, I will say though, its Much, much better after sitting in the fridge for 2 days, although it got ate before then in my house, after 2 days there was still plenty left and my goodness, much better after sitting a few days.
Someone asked above about using Splenda instead of sugar in the frosting, and I just wanted to mention that I did and it worked very well. My frosting was on the thick side (not wet-looking like Christy’s) but after less than 24 hours in the fridge, the cake (2 boxes of Jiffy yellow cake mix) was surprisingly moist. I didn’t think it would be because I didn’t use the sugar. Because I have to limit sugar, I would make it this way for myself again. This is one incredible coconut cake!
MY MOMMA’S FAVORITE CAKE IS COCONUT CAKE TOO. I ALWAYS MAKE HER ONE FOR HER BIRTHDAY. I ALWAYS POKE HOLES IN THE CAKE AND I POUR CREAM OF COCONUT OVER THE WARM CAKE. TALKIN BOUT GOOD!!!!
Thank You Christy, Sounds wonderful! Not sure I’d be able to wait for holidays.
IT’S NOT FAIR!!!!!!! This looks absolutely delicious!!!! I’m diabetic and can’t have it!! 🙁
Do you have one thats diabetic friendly?????
Dot, I’m diabetic too. I used Pillbury sugar free cake mix for this recipe & also used 1 c. sugar & 1 c. Splenda for the icing, It turned out great. I also made the cake in 2 8×8 inch pans. I gave one cake to my daughter so she & her family can enjoy it too. Next time I make this cake, I’ll try using all Splenda for the icing & if I make it for church dinner I may do a bowl cake. I hope this helps you. Good luck, Sheila
This recipe was posted in December of 2008, so a comment in July of 2010 may be lost in the mists of time, but I wanted to share another title for this cake. While I was sorting through a file “discontinued” recipes, what’s this?, old news clips, notes on envelopes, and miscellaneous cooking ideas that were used as bookmarks in old cookbooks from estate sales, I found a recipe for “WAIT CAKE” on a yellowed and well thumbed piece of rag paper that newspapers used to use. Since the “customers” for this cake had to wait three days to eat it, that seems like a really good name for it.