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Carrot Poke Cake
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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!
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!
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!!
Carrot Poke Cake
Amazingly Moist Carrot Cake Stuffed with Carrots, Coconut, Pineapple, Topped with a Buttermilk Glaze and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
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.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 695kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 5gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 410mgPotassium: 239mgFiber: 3gSugar: 85gVitamin A: 4390IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1.8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Recipe adapted from: Life’s Simple Measures
I can’t seem to get the recipe for the carrot cake to come up. I get a picture & description, but that’s all. I got all the rest of the recipes for poke cakes, just not this one. And I know my husband would absolutely LOVE this!!!
You should be able to see it. I’m not sure why you can’t. Are you clicking the Click here to continue reading button?
Thanks Julie! Don’t know what I was doing wrong, but got it now!! Thank you so much for your help! Looks yummy!!
If I make this on Friday, will it still be good to serve on a Easter Sunday?
Can I skip the coconut? Hubby loves carrot cake but hates coconut!!
I Don’t know if it would hold up without the coconut. My hubs also hates coconut and I brought this to work and didn’t tell the guys it was in it and everyone couldn’t believe it!
Oh, my, this is bound to become my new favorite carrot cake. I love soaking cakes with syrup.
Thanks Laura!
Your gooey cinnamon carrot cake sounds soooo good.
I am not sure about one thing though. Do you drain
the can of crushed pineapple before adding it to
the cake ingredients?
Thank you for the yummy recipes!
Don’t drain it!
Seriously?? Carrot Carrot Poke Cake?? Your recipes speak right to my heart Julie (and my thighs!) 😉 This sounds so amazing!!!
Haha Thanks Jen!
I love that this is totally homemade! Looks and sounds fabulous!!
Thanks Cathy!
You’re killing me. I love carrot cake. It’s one of my favorites… Mmm…
Thanks Maggie!
Does it have to be refigerated?
The reason it’s recommended to be in the fridge is because of the cream cheese frosting! It’s up to you!
This sounds so amazing. I printed it after seeing it at Mix it up Monday and can’t wait for a special occasion to make it. (or else I’ll eat it all myself!) Thanks so much for linking up at Weekend Potluck. Please come again soon.
Why do you need baking soda in the glaze? I thought it was a leavener…I’m a bit of a newbie to some things. Maybe I’m missing something. 🙂
I believe it reacts with the acid in the buttermilk to neutralize some of the tang.
Sounds great!
I love the cake and the glaze. Please share this on my foodie friday linky.
This looks amazing! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
Hi,
I followed you over from Our Delightful Home Linky and this looks so delicious! I would love to invite you to share this, and any other posts you would like to, at my Creative Thursday Link Party at http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Linky Opens Wednesday night at 9pm.
Have a great day,
Michelle