The “baking therapy” discussed on this blog refers to my personal experience using baking as a self-help and relaxation tool.”
Hey everybirdy!
Today we are making a very easy and seriously delicious cake. It’s called a Pina Colada Poke Cake. The best part about this recipe is that it doesn’t require any alcohol, so everyone in the family can enjoy a slice!If you’ve never made a poke cake before, you are in for a treat. It’s a very simple process, but it tastes like you spent hours on it. It’s creamy, tropical, and perfect for when you want a dessert that feels like a vacation.
📋 Baking Therapy: The “Poke” Release
There is something oddly satisfying—and a little bit therapeutic—about poking holes all over a fresh, warm cake. It’s a moment where you can let go of any tension from your day. As you pour that sweet coconut mixture over the top and watch it disappear into the cake, it’s a reminder that even when things feel “holy” or messy, we can fill those gaps with something sweet and making it even better than before.
💡 Robby’s Quick Tips
Don’t Fear the Lumps:
When you open your can of cream of coconut, don’t be shocked if it looks separated! Just get it all into the bowl and whisk it until the lumps are gone. It’ll look thin once it’s combined, but that’s exactly what you want.
The Warm Poke:
You want to poke your holes while the cake is still warm. This is the secret to getting all that coconut and pineapple goodness to soak deep into the cake.
The Saturation Point:
When you pour the mixture over the cake, it’s going to look really saturated—almost like too much. But don’t worry! The cake is going to soak it all up like a sponge as it cools.
🛒 The Essentials (What You’ll Need)
Cost: About $0.65 per serving | $10.40 for the whole 9×13 cake!
- 1 Box Butter Recipe Cake Mix (plus the butter, eggs, and water on the box)
- 15.25 oz Can Crushed Pineapple (in juice)
- 15 oz Can Cream of Coconut
- 14 oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 8 oz Cool Whip (thawed)
- 14 oz Package Sweetened Coconut Flakes
Visit my Patreon for a free post featuring the full Walmart price breakdown for this budget-friendly bake!
👩🍳 How to Make It
1. Bake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare the butter cake according to the package directions for a 9×13 pan.
2. Save the Juice:
While the cake is in the oven, drain your crushed pineapple into a bowl. Make sure you save that juice!
3. The Soaking Liquid:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream of coconut, the sweetened condensed milk, and the pineapple juice you just saved. Whisk until it’s smooth.
4. Poke:
Once the cake comes out of the oven and is still warm, take a fork and poke holes all over the top.
5. Pour:
Evenly pour your coconut mixture over the warm cake. Let it sit and soak in completely.
6. Layer it Up:
Once the cake is totally cool, spread the drained crushed pineapple over the top. Then, spread your Cool Whip over the pineapple.
7. Top it Off:
Sprinkle the coconut flakes over the whipped topping. (If you want to be extra fancy, you can toast the coconut first!)
💬 Q&R: Questions & Robby
Q: Can I use a different cake mix?
Robby: You can use a yellow or white cake mix if that’s what you have, but the “Butter Recipe” mix really gives it that rich, bakery-style flavor that pairs so well with the coconut.
Q: Does it have to stay in the fridge?
Robby: Yes! Because of the milk mixture and the Cool Whip, you’ll definitely want to keep this cake refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. It actually tastes even better the next day once the flavors have settled.
Q: What if I don’t like the texture of coconut flakes?
Robby: If you aren’t a fan of the shredded coconut on top, you can leave it off! The cake will still have plenty of Pina Colada flavor from the soak and the pineapple.
💬 Join the Conversation
This cake feels like a tropical vacation in a 9×13 pan!
Leave a comment:
- Toasted or Not? Did you take the extra step to toast your coconut flakes, or do you like them soft?
- Party Favorite: Is this a cake you’d bring to a summer BBQ, or is it strictly for late-night snacking at home?
Final Thoughts
There are a few different steps to this one, but it really is a simple and good recipe. It’s one of those cakes that looks impressive but is actually hard to mess up. I hope you guys like this one as much as I did!
Stay safe and enjoy every bite!
Happy baking!
Similar recipes:
If you are a fan of this recipe feel free to check out more of my cake recipes.
Pina Colada Poke Cake
Ingredients
- box butter recipe cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake softened butter, eggs, water
- 15.25 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
- 15 ounce can cream of coconut
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounce whipped topping thawed Cool Whip
- 14 ounce package sweetened coconut flakes for topping
Directions
- Prepare box butter recipe cake mix along with ingredients needed to make cake (softened butter, eggs, water) according to package directions for a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- While cake is baking, drain 15.25 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice into a bowl (saving the juice).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 15 ounce can cream of coconut, 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk and the drained pineapple juice.
- Once cake is done, take it out of the oven. While cake is still warm, begin poking holes in the top using a fork or other similar size utensil.
- Then pour cream of coconut mixture evenly over cake. It will look pretty saturated. But don’t worry the cake is going to soak it all up.
- Once cake is completely cooled, top it with drained crushed pineapple.
- Then spread 8 ounce whipped topping (thawed) evenly on top.
- Then sprinkle 14 ounce package sweetened coconut flakes on top of the Cool Whip. (Toasting the shredded coconut first is an optional step.)
- Slice and serve. Keep cake refrigerated.
Support the Baking Therapy Mission
Become a member of the Birdhouse on either/both my Kofi and Patreon.
What to expect from Patreon: Budget Breakdown for all of my recipes.
Kofi: Same Budget Breakdown posts on Patreon.
Commissions on Kofi:
[NEW] Recipes for Life Series: I’ve launched a special series of “Pay What You Want” digital recipe cards on my Ko-fi Shop. You can download them for $0, or choose to tip whatever you feel they are worth. It’s my way of making sure everyone has access to a little kitchen therapy, regardless of their budget.
The Bake Doctor! Fix your bakes! Send me a photo/recipe and get a text-based diagnosis to save your next batch.
The Pantry Scavenger! Clear the cupboards! Tell me your “mystery items,” and I’ll find a way to make them delicious.
Hooked on a Baked Good: Whipping up some cute baked good-inspired crochet items. I’ll send you these amazing crochet items (at a small cost for the yarn + shipping). You might also find a one-of-a-kind recipe card.
