Pineapple Poke Cakern

Name: Pineapple Poke Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 320 min
Ingredients: 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix ((your favorite brand)); 20 ounces crushed pineapple in 100% juice,; ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, (melted and cooled); 3 large eggs, (room temperature); 6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix; 3 cups cold whole milk; 8 ounces whipped topping, (thawed)

a close-up shot of a slice of Pineapple Poke Cake with a piece taken by a fork

A pineapple poke cake is a moist, delicious cake infused with vanilla pudding that will take you on a tropical vacation.

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Table of Contents

Pineapple Poke Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Pineapple Poke Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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This refreshingly delicious pineapple poke cake is a fluffy and flavorful cake that is sure to please any crowd! It starts with a moist cake base infused with sweet pineapple and filled with creamy vanilla pudding throughout before being topped with fluffy whipped topping.

Pineapple Poke Cake Ingredients

Pineapple Poke Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

The flavor of pineapple poke cake is truly unique – the moist cake base combines perfectly with the sweet pineapple and the creamy pudding that is poured into all of the nooks and crannies to create an extra moist cake.

Every bite of this cake is packed with tropical sweetness and a hint of tanginess from the juicy pineapple.

To make this yummy dessert, you’ll need:

For The Pineapple Cake:

1 (15.25-ounce) box of yellow cake mix (your favorite brand)
1 (20-ounce) can of crushed pineapple in 100% juice, divided into ⅔ cup and ⅓ cup of pineapple (drain pineapple and reserve the pineapple juice)
½ cup of salted sweet cream butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, room temperature

For The Pudding Layer And Whipped Topping Frosting:

2 (3.4-ounce) boxes of instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups of cold whole milk
1 (8-ounce) container of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

Substitutions And Additions

BUTTER: You can substitute vegetable oil for melted butter in the cake.

TOPPINGS: You can add shredded coconut and top each slice with a maraschino cherry. That will change the cake from a pineapple poke cake to a pina colada poke cake.

CAKE: You could also use a vanilla or white cake mix instead of a yellow boxed cake mix in this easy recipe.

How To Make This Pineapple Poke Cake Recipe

A poke cake is such a simple dessert to make, especially since it starts with a boxed cake mix. Replace the called-for mix-ins on the box with our recipe and bake the cake.

The next part of a poke cake is to poke holes all over the cake so that you can pour the pudding into it, filling the cake with extra flavor.

Finally, top the cake with whipped topping, and you are good to go!

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 9×13 baking dish with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version). Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Add the cake mix, 1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice, ⅔ cup of the crushed canned pineapple, melted butter, and eggs to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Use a handheld electric mixer on medium speed to mix together the cake batter until smooth.

Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

cake mix, pineapple juice, pineapple, butter, and eggs mixed in a bowl

STEP THREE: Once the cake is completely cool, use the rounded handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake about 1 inch apart.

STEP FOUR: Add the pudding mix and the cold milk to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use the hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and pudding.

Mix just until combined. Pour the pudding mixture into the holes in the cooled cake and then spread the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.

PRO TIP:

You can add 1½ cups of the pudding to a disposable piping bag and pipe the pudding directly into each hole. Then simply smooth out the remaining pudding over the top of the cake.

pudding mixture poured into holes and spread into the cake

STEP FIVE: Add the remaining crushed pineapple to the thawed whipped topping. Stir to combine.

crushed pineapples stirred to the thawed whipped topping

STEP SIX: Use an offset spatula or silicone spatula to spread the pineapple whipped topping over the pudding layer.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight. Just before serving, slice the cake into 3 slices x 5 slices, giving 15 slices.

PRO TIP:

Make sure you don’t skip the chilling step. It’s important to give the pudding time to set and soak into the cake before serving it.

pineapple whipped topping spread over the pudding layer

How To Serve

You can serve pineapple pudding poke cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit.

Alternatively, you could also top the cake with caramel sauce or hot fudge sauce for an extra sweet treat. If you want to add some crunch to the dessert, adding chopped nuts like almonds or walnuts would be a great choice.

Our coconut poke cake and turtle poke cake are two more of these fantastic desserts to try.

MORE POKE CAKE RECIPES

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Jello Poke Cake

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Chocolate Poke Cake

Storage

Here are a few handy tips to keep your cake tasting just as scrumptious as when it first came out of the oven.

IN THE FRIDGE: After the cake has cooled, cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Properly stored, the cake will stay delicious in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

IN THE FREEZER: This easy recipe freezes well and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

a close up shot of a slice of Pineapple Poke Cake on a spatula

You will be in pineapple heaven with this delectable pineapple poke cake. It’s so incredibly moist due to the pudding that seeps into all the holes in the cake, and the tangy, tropical flavor will transport you to warmer temperatures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a poke cake?

Poke cake recipes create an easy cake you poke holes into while it’s still hot after baking. The holes are then filled with a liquid or filling — like condensed milk, pureed fruit, chocolate cream, or pudding. It makes a moist and delicious cake.

What do you use to poke holes in poke cake?

The end of a wooden spoon handle or a wooden skewer is the best size to poke holes in the cake.

Can I freeze this poke cake?

This easy pineapple poke cake recipe freezes well and will last in the freezer for up to three months.

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