Pina Colada Poke Cake made with a cake mix, crushed pineapple and a delicious, creamy pina colada sauce. Easy poke cake recipe topped with a light, refreshing pineapple pudding topping.
What is Pina Colada Poke Cake?
Poke cakes are cakes that are baked and then (literally) poked, usually by the end of a wooden spoon or the tines of a fork. After that, they are covered with a wet liquid (in this case a creamy pina colada sauce) and then topped with a delicious pineapple pudding “frosting” and then placed in the fridge to chill. This recipe starts with a box cake mix and you only need to add a few more ingredients to make this delicious poke cake recipe.
Ingredients in Pina Colada Poke Cake
Yellow cake mix: Find your favorite boxed yellow cake from the store, just make sure it’s 15.25 ounces as some boxes will be closer to 18 ounces in size and that might throw off the ingredient proportions. If the cake mix is a different size, just make sure to use the egg, oil and water amounts that are listed on the back of the box.
Water: You’ll need 3/4 cups of water to help mix the cake together. The box usually calls for 1 cup water, but there is liquid in the canned pineapple that makes up for the remaining 1/4 cup.
Oil: Use vegetable oil, canola oil or even coconut oil if you prefer. I’ve even used melted butter before and it works great!
Eggs: We need 3 large eggs to work as the binder for this recipe and to hold the cake together.
Crushed pineapple: You’ll need an 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple and make sure you don’t drain it…you need the liquid!
Sweetened condensed milk: Just one (14 oz) can is all you need.
Pina colada mix: This can usually be found near the alcoholic beverages in the grocery store, but it doesn’t have alcohol in it! You’ll only need a cup, so you’ll have plenty left over to blend with some ice and make some yummy virgin Pina Coladas after you are done making your cake!
Cake topping:
Crushed pineapple: One more 8 ounce can, liquid included. The liquid provides the moisture you need to mix with the pudding mix.
Instant vanilla pudding mix: Just one 3.4 ounce box of pudding. Make sure it’s the instant kind, not the kind you cook!
Cool Whip: One small container (8 ounces) of Cool Whip whipped topping. Make sure it is thawed before adding to the other ingredients.
How to make Pina Colada Poke Cake
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, water, eggs, oil and can of crushed pineapple (juice included). Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and bake for 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes and then poke holes all over the top of cake with a fork. Just poke the fork down about halfway through the cake and try to make the holes evenly spaced.
Mix the sweetened condensed milk and pina colada mix together. Pour evenly over the cake.
After the cake is completely cooled, place plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate.
To make the topping, mix the instant pudding and crushed pineapple together in a large bowl. Fold in the Cool Whip and mix until well combined and then spread on top of the chilled cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 2-3 days.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup oil
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple liquid included
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup pina colada mix
Frosting:
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple liquid included
- 8 oz Cool Whip thawed
- 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, water, eggs, oil and can of crushed pineapple (juice included). Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and bake for 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes and then poke holes all over the top of cake with a fork. Just poke the fork down about halfway through the cake and try to make the holes evenly spaced.
- Mix the sweetened condensed milk and pina colada mix together. Pour evenly over the cake.
- After the cake is completely cooled, place plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate.
- To make the topping, mix the instant pudding and crushed pineapple together in a large bowl. Fold in the Cool Whip and mix until well combined and then spread on top of the chilled cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 2-3 days.
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WHAT CAN I USE TO POKE HOLES IN A POKE CAKE?
You can use the back end of a wooden spoon or even a wooden skewer to create the deep holes in a poke cake. You want something smaller than the width of your finger that is capable of poking the cake at least 3/4th of the way through.
HOW LONG IS A POKE CAKE GOOD FOR?
A poke cake lasts about 2 days covered in the fridge. For that reason, I recommend not making this cake more than a day in advance so that it’s still looking and tasting great when you want to serve it.
CAN YOU REPLACE THE COOL WHIP?
Cool Whip is the best “whipped topping” to use in this recipe. However, if you can’t find Cool Whip where you live or you prefer not to use it in recipes, you can use stabilized whipped cream instead. If you just use regular whipped cream, the consistency will be too light and the cream will not hold up very well. It’s very simple to make your own stabilized whipped cream and it just takes a few minutes!
See Homemade Whipped Cream recipes here.
HOW DO YOU MAKE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM?
To make stabilized whipped cream, you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 ounces of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Beat the whipping cream just until soft peaks form.
- Add in the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip on high until mixture is smooth.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 3 days.
A little tip for making whipped cream faster: use a metal bowl and place the bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you make the whipped cream. This will significantly decrease the amount of time that you will need to beat the whipped cream – the process will go much faster!
MORE CAKE RECIPES:
- Easy Vanilla Cake Bites
- Christmas Cranberry Cake
- Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes
- Apple Dump Cake
- Frosted Applesauce Cake
- Peaches and Cream Poke Cake
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
- 90 Second Chocolate Lava Cake
- Birthday Cake Lush Dessert
- Caramel Apple Poke Cake
- Upside Down Peach Cake
- Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Poke Cake
- Easy Chocolate Zebra Cake
- Lemon Pudding Bundt Cake
- Easy Cherry Chocolate Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Key Lime Cake
Pina Colada Poke Cake made with a cake mix, crushed pineapple and a delicious, creamy pina colada sauce. Easy poke cake recipe topped with a light, refreshing pineapple pudding topping.
Healthytofitness says
this dessert is delicious, try it, everyone, I recommended,
Alison says
Thank you!
June says
Where do I find pina colada mix?
Jessica says
In the mixed drinks section- usually on the soda aisle.