Chocolate coconut cake with cake mix is amazing with toffee on top. How to make a poke cake it is easy, moist, and the best dessert to take to a potluck!
Ok so I needed some baking inspiration today, and came up with this chocolate coconut dessert. While talking with my friend as we power walked on the treadmill, I asked her what quick easy dessert she wanted. This was my creation after our chat! (post may contain affiliate links present)
Chocolate Coconut Cake From Mix
If you loved our White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake but want a fun twist on that, try this! This time you poke the top after it comes out of the oven and then pour sweetened condensed milk on top so it goes into those crevices and soaks in. Oh yes it does! I used the tip of my pastry bag to create the holes which worked perfect, or a large straw does the trick.
Seriously, you can use homemade mix, or boxed. And you just canโt go wrong with coconut, as far as I am concerned anyway. For a quick throw together treat just use Devilโs Food boxed cake mix. If you wanted to switch around the flavors you can occasionally find coconut flavored mix and then use chocolate frosting on top of the cake layer.
No need to count calories on this one, just dig in and get ready for a bit of indulgence people! ๐ My friend I was talking to when brainstorming this idea is not a blogger. I figured she probably found it online somewhere. I searched and the base of what she had made was called better than sex cake, I modified it from there by adding coconut!
Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix โ I like German chocolate or devilโs food cake mix
- Caramel sundae topping or this is How to Make Caramel with Condensed Milk
- Whipped topping โ alternatively you could make chocolate flavor or cream cheese frosting
- Heath bars crushed we love
- Sweetened shredded coconut โ donโt use unsweetened coconut, itโs not as good, then make coconut muffins with some of it for breakfast
Equipment
Large bowl and medium bowl for mixing wet and dry ingredients if youโre using a homemade flour mixture for cake mix. 9ร13โณ cake pan and wire rack to use when done is helpful to ool. You can make slits but making small holes with a boba straw is way better!
Variations
Ingredients that work well on the top would be crushed nuts, chocolate chips, smashed candy bar or Heath toffee that you see here.
Substitutions
Instead of a can of condensed sweetened milk you could use condensed coconut milk if you need a dairy free poke cake recipe
Hereโs a quick step by step but there is a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post too. According to the boxed mix you chose, mix ingredients necessary to make the batter. Pour into prepared pan that is 9ร13โณ in size.
How to Make Chocolate Coconut Poke Cake with Cake Mix
- Bake cake batter as directed on the box
- When a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean, remove.
- Poke holes on the top with a thick straw or knife works too, even a finger can e used.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top making sure it makes it on top of the holes and seeps down to the bottom of the pan / baking sheet.
- Pour jar of caramel on top of that, I use sundae for ice cream from the grocery store
- Sprinkle with crushed Heath bars, or anything sweet, on the very top.
- Put it in the fridge until it has completely cooled for about an hour.
- Frost the cake with whipped topping evenly across the pan and smooth
- Sprinkle toppings on like Heath bar bits, add toasted coconut evenly across the top.
- Put in fridge ideally for a while so it solidifies up in order to slice smoothly.
Our better than sex bars and Smores poke cake is beyond ridiculous and amazing.
I mean you could make this from scratch, the base of the cake but this is a lot easier. It is likely that your guests would never know the difference either so save yourself some time this way. Just like our Chocolate cherry dump cake, it is super simple to throw together in a pinch.
Chocolate Coconut Poke Cake
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix, chocolate, any brand, and all ingredients to make this as directed
- 1 can condensed milk, 14 oz.
- 1 jar caramel sauce, 8-10 oz.
- 1 tub whipped topping, 8 oz.
- 3 Heath bar, toffee, crushed
- 3/4 c coconut
Instructions
- Mix batter and bake your cake as directed on the box. Use a 9ร13 cake pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
- When it is done baking, allow it to cool for about an hour. Then poke holes on the top. You can use a large boba type straw or a knife moving around so the holes go down to the bottom of the pan.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top making sure it makes it on top of the holes and down to the bottom.
- Pour jar of caramel on top of that, sprinkle half of your crushed Heath bars on the very top and put it in the fridge until cooled, about an hour.
- Take out and spread whipped topping evenly across the top, sprinkle remainder of Heath bar bits, followed by your coconut evenly across the top. Put in fridge ideally for another 30-60 minutes. Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Um YES! They are my all time favorite flavors and make an amazing duo for desserts of all kinds. Iโve sprinkled some on top of our air fryer cake recipe for added wow and everyone loves it.
You could call this one either or really. It does have the needed ingredient of coconut in this one and German chocolate. In addition to that you could use a dark chocolate cake mix to get closer to it too.
Yes. This easy poke cake is a great way to do just that. The condensed milk soaked in gives it a warm and gooey texture you would expect with a caramel flavor and coconut and/or graham cracker crumbs sprinkled on top.
You can actually wrap pieces that havenโt been frosted with plastic wrap and keep it on the countertop at room temperature for up to 5 days! This will keep it moist. Storing in the fridge will dry it out even if wrapped tightly.
Youโll likely have the topping on this one already so the best method to keep it moist is to put cellophane over the top and gently touch the top to remove the air. Keep in the fridge and enjoy as soon as possible, next day is best. I mean, we rarely have anything left when we enjoy this one, but that is my two cents on that. ๐
I wonder how this would be with the coconut pecan frosting that usually goes on German chocolate cakes?
amazing