Hawaiian Wedding Cake is an easy pineapple poke cake with yellow cake, creamy pudding frosting, crushed pineapple, and toasted coconut. It costs about $10.54 for 14 servings, making it a budget-friendly tropical dessert for Easter, showers, and potlucks.
This is one of my favorite cakes to bring to family gatherings and potlucks because everyone loves the sweet, creamy layers. The pineapple keeps the cake moist, while the fluffy frosting and coconut topping give it a tropical flavor that stands out from traditional sheet cakes. I like to make it the day before so it’s cold and ready to serve when everyone arrives.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Easy to Make: Starts with a yellow cake mix and a box of instant pudding, with no frosting to cook or pipe.
- Budget-Friendly: About $10.54 for the whole pan, or roughly $0.75 a serving.
- Feeds a Crowd: One 9×13 pan serves 14 to 18 at a shower, potluck, or Easter dinner.
- Stays Moist: The pineapple juice soaks into the cake, so it doesn’t dry out even a day later.
After years of baking cakes for family gatherings, I’ve learned that chilling a poke cake gives the flavors time to blend and the frosting time to set. For this Hawaiian Wedding Cake, make sure the cake is completely cool before adding the pineapple and frosting layers. Toasting the coconut adds a little crunch and brings out its sweet, nutty flavor.
If you love tropical desserts, try our Hula Pie and Margarita Cake too.
What is Hawaiian Wedding Cake?
Hawaiian Wedding Cake is a type of poke cake that’s easy to make in a 9×13-inch pan. Layers of crushed pineapple, creamy pudding frosting, and toasted coconut give this yellow cake its sweet, tropical flavor.
Despite its name, this isn’t a tiered wedding cake. It’s a popular dessert for weddings, showers, and potlucks, and you may also see it called Hawaiian Cake or Pineapple Sunshine Cake.
Older community-cookbook versions bake the crushed pineapple right into a from-scratch batter and top it with cream cheese frosting. This version gets the same pineapple-coconut flavor with a box of cake mix and no frosting to make from scratch.
Ingredients
- Crushed Pineapple. Use one 15-ounce can, juice and all. The juice soaks into the poke holes and keeps the cake extra moist. Pineapple packed in 100% juice tastes fresher, but pineapple in syrup works too.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix. Use the small 3.4-ounce box, and make sure it says instant. Cook-and-serve pudding won’t thicken with cold milk. If you have a few extra minutes, try Homemade Vanilla Pudding Recipe.
- Cream Cheese. Soften it on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes. Cold cream cheese leaves little lumps in the frosting that won’t beat out.
- Milk. Use whole or 2% milk. Skim or 1% won’t thicken the pudding as well, and the frosting can turn out loose.
- Sweetened Coconut Flakes. Toasting brings out a nutty flavor and adds crunch on top of the creamy frosting.
- Yellow Cake Mix. Any brand of yellow cake mix will work.
- Whipped Topping. You can use cool whip or Homemade Whipped Cream.
Jump to recipe card below for the complete ingredient list.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. Mix the cake batter according to the package directions in a large bowl.
Step 2. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray first. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Then bake the cake according to the package.
Step 3. While the cake is baking, mix together the topping. Combine the dry pudding mix, milk, and cream cheese and mix with an electric beater or mixer until blended well. Beat until smooth with no lumps of cream cheese. It will thicken as it sits.
Step 4. Carefully fold by hand the mixture and whipped cream. Allow to chill in the refrigerator.
Step 5. While the cake cools, spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until light golden. Watch closely — it goes from golden to burnt fast. Allow the cake to cool completely. Poke holes about 1 inch apart all the way to the bottom of the cake with the round end of a wooden spoon’s handle.
Step 6. Cover the cake in crushed pineapple including the juice. Make sure to spread all of this evenly.
Step 7. Spread the whipped cream mixture in a thick, even layer on the cake.
Step 8. Sprinkle the entire cake with toasted shredded coconut. I like to chill the cake for 30 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use crushed pineapple, not tidbits. Crushed pineapple spreads into a thin, even layer and sinks into the holes. Tidbits sit on top and make the cake hard to slice.
- Cool completely first. If the cake is warm, the frosting will melt and slide.
- Chill the frosting while the cake cools. It keeps thickening in the fridge, so it spreads in a thick layer instead of running into the pineapple.
- Seal the edges. Spread the frosting all the way to the sides of the pan so it covers the pineapple completely.
If Something Goes Wrong
- Frosting is runny: Check that you used instant pudding (not cook-and-serve) and whole or 2% milk. Chill the frosting longer before spreading. It keeps thickening in the fridge.
- Frosting is lumpy: The cream cheese was too cold. Next time, let it soften fully, or beat the cream cheese alone until smooth before adding the pudding mix and milk.
- Frosting slid off: The cake was still warm. Let it cool completely before adding the pineapple and frosting.
- Cake is soggy in the center: The cake may have been underbaked, or it didn’t chill long enough for the juice to soak in evenly. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, and chill before slicing.
- Coconut went soft: It sat on the cake overnight. When making ahead, sprinkle the coconut on right before serving.
Variations
- Maraschino Cherries. Top the cake with maraschino cherries before serving. It adds a pop of color and more flavor.
- Cake Mix. I prefer yellow cake mix but white cake mix is another option.
- Pineapple juice in the cake. For even more pineapple flavor, drain the pineapple and use the juice in place of the water when you mix the cake. Then spread the drained pineapple on top.
- Coconut pudding. Swap the vanilla pudding for coconut cream pudding for a piña colada flavor.
- Chopped Nuts. Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the whipped cream mixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. For smaller gatherings, split the batter between two 8×8-inch pans and use the bake time on the cake mix box for 8-inch pans, checking a few minutes early. Divide the pineapple, frosting, and coconut between the two cakes.
No. The juice is what keeps this cake moist. If you’d like a firmer cake, see the pineapple juice tip in Variations above.
Yes, cover the cake and place in the fridge. It will last up to 3 days.
Making It for a Party
Day before: Bake the cake, poke, add pineapple and frosting. Cover and refrigerate.
Morning of: Toast the coconut and store it in a zip-top bag.
Right before serving: Sprinkle on the coconut (and cherries, if using). One 9×13 pan serves 14–18 at a potluck.
More Delicious Poke Cakes
Try this recipe for Hawaiian wedding cake and please leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
Hawaiian Wedding Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- Ingredients to prepare the cake based on the package instructions.
For the frosting:
- 12 ounces whipped topping
- 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- 15 oz crushed pineapple, not drained
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cups milk 2% or whole
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Mix and bake the cake according to the package in a greased 9×13-inch pan.
- While the cake is in the oven, combine the dry pudding mix, milk, and cream cheese and mix with an electric beater or mixer until blended well and has a smooth consistency.
- Gently fold the mixture and whipped cream together and place in the refrigerator.
- While the cake cools, spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until light golden. Watch closely — it goes from golden to burnt fast.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, poke holes on top of the cake with the round end of a wooden spoon’s handle.
- Spread the crushed pineapple and its juice evenly over the cake.
- Add and spread the whipped topping mixture in a thick, even layer on the cake.
- After frosting the cake, sprinkle or top the entire cake with toasted shredded coconut.
- Serve right away or keep the cake covered and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
