This Almond Joy Poke Cake starts with a chocolate cake that gets poked and drizzled with a coconut cream sauce and topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut and sliced almonds. It's a flavor-packed cake perfect for any gathering!
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When people ask what my favorite candy bar is, it's usually a surprise when Almond Joys or Mounds bars are at the top of my list. I get it - not everyone likes coconut, but I can't get enough of it!!!
If you are a fan of coconut and love a good poke cake, you're in for a real treat with this one!! It's got all of the flavors of an Almond Joy candy bar in a 9x13" cake!
What's "Poke Cake?"
If you've never had a poke cake, you need to....like ASAP! A poke cake is a cake (can be any flavor) that has holes poked into it that are filled with some type of syrup or pudding mixture. That sets the tone for a super moist cake that'll get topped with whipped cream or a mousse and other garnishes.
Ingredients Needed
- Chocolate Cake Mix - Devil's food cake mix or dark chocolate cake mix will work great, too! You can also opt to make a homemade chocolate cake baked into a 9x13" pan.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - Do NOT confuse this with evaporated milk! 🙂
- Cream of Coconut - This is the brand I prefer! It can be found at most grocery stores in the wine/liquor section with the mixers. You'll want to be sure to shake it well before measuring.
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut
- Whipped Topping
- Sliced Almonds
How to Make Almond Joy Poke Cake
First, you'll make the cake. As mentioned above, you can use a box mix or make one from scratch. Either way, you'll want to bake it in a greased 9x13" pan.
Once the cake is out of the oven, you'll poke the holes (while it's hot). To do this, you can use the end of a wooden spoon, a meat fork or a thick straw.
Next, you're going to pour a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut over the cake, again while it's still warm. This will allow the mixture to soak into the holes of the cake, bringing lovely moisture and flavor!! Next up is a layer of coconut.
Next up is a layer of whipped topping! I used a frozen (and thawed) tub of Cool Whip, but a stabilized homemade whipped cream would work great, too!
And last but not least, the toasted coconut and almonds!! Though toasting the coconut and almonds is optional, I love the additional depth of flavor and crunch it brings. Once they're toasted, you'll let them cool and then sprinkle them onto the cake.
Does a Poke Cake need to be refrigerated?
Yes, most all poke cakes need to be refrigerated, including this Almond Joy Poke Cake. Simply cover the cake with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days after making.
Try more Poke Cake Recipes!!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
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Almond Joy Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (or devil's food cake mix) and ingredients listed on box to make the cake
- One 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup cream of coconut
- 2 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut divided
- One 8 oz tub whipped topping
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13" pan.
- Prepare the cake according to package instructions for a 9x13" pan and bake.
- While the cake is in the oven, whisk together the cream of coconut and the sweetened condensed milk; set aside.
- Immediately after removing it from the oven, poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon or a sturdy straw.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture over the warm cake and cover with 1 ½ cups of the coconut (save the rest for topping!).
- Let cool for at least two hours.
- *Spread the remaining coconut and slivered almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 325°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown; let cool.
- Spread the whipped topping over the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut and almonds.
Liz Hall says
At my request, my husband made this a few weeks ago. It was decadently delicious! My son who claims he dislikes coconut also loved it!
kelsey says
Awesome! And I love that your son even enjoyed it! 🙂 -Kelsey