Carrot Poke Cake
65 Comments
Posted: 03/28/20
Updated: 07/13/23
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Looking for a new twist on carrot cake? This delicious Gooey Cinnamon Carrot Poke Cake is loaded with carrots, coconut and pineapple. Then topped with a buttermilk glaze and cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s the BEST!! Make it for Easter today.
This Gooey Cinnamon Carrot Poke Cake is INSANE. It’s is over the top. It is that cake where you say, “Gimme a fork.” Then demolish the whole entire thing. Well, maybe not that whole thing, but I sure did think about it!
Contents
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Making the Carrot Poke Cake!
The homemade carrot cake is loaded with carrots, pineapple and coconut. After it takes a quick trip to the oven it’s bathed in a buttermilk glaze and then topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Don’t forget that toasted coconut on top. Seriously. I’m dying, drooling and thinking about running to the kitchen right now to make it!
Cake
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9” cake pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.
- Combine – Slowly add in dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in carrots, coconut and pineapple. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed.
Glaze
- Cook – In a medium sized saucepan combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and baking soda over medium heat. Vigorously stir mixture for about 8 minutes. The glaze with turn a light amber color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract; set aside.
Prep Cake
- Poke Holes – Remove cake from oven and immediately poke holes in the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar.
- Glaze – Pour buttermilk glaze over the top of the hot cake. Let cake cool completely.
Frosting
- Cream – In a mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Mix – Add brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract to creamed mixture and beat until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Spread – Evenly spread frosting over cooled cake. Top with toasted coconut.
Expert Tips
- To toast coconut on the stove top simply place coconut in skillet and cook over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until flakes are mostly golden brown.
- To toast coconut in the oven preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread coconut on baking sheet in thin layer. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. They brown quickly so watching them closely!
- To toast coconut in the microwave spread coconut on microwave safe plate in thin layer. Microwave it in 30 second increment, stirring each time, until coconut is mostly golden brown.
- To make a homemade buttermilk simply place 1 Tbsp white vinegar in a one cup measuring cup. Top off measuring cup with milk. Gently stir and let mixture sit about five minutes. This allows the milk to slightly curdle giving it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.
- We recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator to keep it set.
Helpful Tools!
A few essential kitchen tools make this recipe easier. This is what we use to make this quick and easy carrot cake.
More easy Poke Cakes!
- Quick and easy chocolate poke cake topped with caramel icing makes this Better Than Sex Cake to-die-for!
- This Strawberry Vanilla Poke Cake starts with a boxed mix and is topped with Strawberry Jell-O, vanilla pudding and Cool Whip!
- Oreos lovers unite over a quick and easy Oreo Poke Cake! Chocolate Cake on the bottom them topped with Cool Whip and Crushed Oreos!
- Make 4th of July Poke Cake for all of your patriotic holidays!
WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW:
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Try it and love it? Rate it, please!!!? Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day! If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Carrot Poke Cake
Amazingly Moist Carrot Cake Stuffed with Carrots, Coconut, Pineapple, Topped with a Buttermilk Glaze and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
pieces
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 c. buttermilk
- 3/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 c. peeled and grated carrots
- 1 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple drained
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. buttermilk
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 c. butter softened
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 c. powdered sugar
Topping
- 1/4 c. toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13×9 in pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. For cake, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Place eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sugar in a large bowl and mix until smooth. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in carrots, coconut, and pineapple. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed.
- While the cake is baking prepare the glaze. Add sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and baking soda to medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Vigorously stir mixture for about 8 minutes. The glaze with turn a light amber color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside until ready to use.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately poke holes in cake. Pour the buttermilk glaze evenly over the top of the hot cake. Let cake cool completely.
- For the frosting mix together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled cake. Top with toasted coconut.
Tips
- To toast coconut on the stove top simply place coconut in skillet and cook over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until flakes are mostly golden brown.
- To toast coconut in the oven preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread coconut on baking sheet in thin layer. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes, stirring once half way through baking. They brown quickly so watching them closely!
- To toast coconut in the microwave spread coconut on microwave safe plate in thin layer. Microwave it in 30 second increment, stirring each time, until coconut is mostly golden brown.
- To make a homemade buttermilk simply place 1 Tbsp white vinegar in a one cup measuring cup. Top off measuring cup with milk. Gently stir and let mixture sit about five minutes. This allows the milk to slightly curdle giving it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.
- We recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator to keep it set.
Video
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1, Calories: 695kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 108g (36%), Protein: 5g (10%), Fat: 28g (43%), Saturated Fat: 20g (125%), Cholesterol: 57mg (19%), Sodium: 410mg (18%), Potassium: 239mg (7%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 85g (94%), Vitamin A: 4390IU (88%), Vitamin C: 2.5mg (3%), Calcium: 53mg (5%), Iron: 1.8mg (10%)
Recipe adapted from: Life’s Simple Measures
Chelsea says
This is my FAVORITE cake to make! My extended family requests it at nearly every family event. SO YUMMY!!
Courtney says
Yay!! It’s the perfect dessert for Easter too. So glad your entire family loves it!! Thank you for rating this recipe and for the wonderful comment. 😊
Dorian says
I a frequent baker and have tried hundreds of cake recipes over the years. Made this for Thanksgiving and it was one of the best cakes I ever had. Everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing!
B says
Wanting to make this tonight. Can I ask what the corn syrup does in recipe? Thanks
Julie Evink says
It’s a sweetener.
Carol G. says
OH DOES THIS LOOK GOOOOD. And no box cake! But seeing as I don’t handle sugar well, I bet it would even be great with the without the frosting and glaze and a dollop of real whip cream beaten without sugar.
Joanne Hubbard says
This is the ABSOLUTE BEST carrot cake recipe ever!!!!!
Julie Evink says
Awesome Joanne! Thanks so much for commenting!
Sean says
Can you omit the pineapple?
Julie Evink says
No it will change the recipe.
Lois Van Nest says
This is such a lovely carrot cake, will definitely make again,its extra special,it’s a keeper recipe 😊thanks!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Lois!
Amelia B. says
This cake was perfect and by far the best carrot cake that I’ve ever had! It was so moist and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting was a huge hit. I loved making it and it was super simple. I will definitely be making this again.
Michelle Sperr says
Hi Amelia! Thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad to hear that you loved this recipe and that it wasn’t only easy but delicious!
Kathy Bird says
This is the best carrot cake recipe! I made it for Easter and there were several requests for the recipe. I am glad I read the comments so I knew to drain the crushed pineapple. I was careful to continue stirring the sauce while cooking on the stove and it did turn to a light brown caramel color. I used the handle of a wooden spoon to polk the holes in the cake and they did seem quite large but all the better to soak in the sauce once it was pored over the cake. It is so moist and the frosting is delicious! I highly recommend this recipe!
Michelle Sperr says
So glad you and your company loved this recipe Kathy!!