Description
A moist and flavorful pineapple‑coconut poke cake inspired by the classic Piña Colada—with creamy filling and fluffy frosting, easy to make using a cake mix.
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz cake mix (white, vanilla or yellow) — 1 box
- 1 cup crushed pineapple (undrained)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 oz cream of coconut (not coconut cream or coconut milk; sweetened condensed milk can substitute)
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tsp rum extract
- 3.4 oz instant coconut cream pudding mix (or vanilla/french vanilla)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, well drained
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray a 9 × 13 in baking dish with baking spray.
- In a large bowl or mixer, combine cake mix, undrained crushed pineapple, oil, and eggs. Beat on low for 30 s, then medium for 2 min.
- Pour batter into prepared dish, smooth top, and bake 28–33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Using a fork, gently poke holes all over the cake surface.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and rum extract. Pour mixture over the cake, filling the holes. Let rest until liquid is fully absorbed and cake is completely cool.
- For frosting: whisk pudding mix and milk until thickened (~2 min). Fold in whipped topping until smooth, then fold in drained pineapple.
- Evenly frost the cooled cake. Top with toasted coconut if desired. Cut into squares and serve.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 4 days. To freeze, cool completely then seal in freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
Notes
- Ensure you use cream of coconut—not coconut cream or milk. Sweetened condensed milk can substitute.
- Let cake cool completely before frosting to avoid melting.
- For a boozy twist, replace rum extract and 2 Tbsp pineapple juice with 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp real rum (dark, light, or spiced).
- The cake is very moist and delicate—handle gently when slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1/24 of cake)
- Calories: 253 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 213 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg
