Hawaiian Wedding Cake

4.89 from 18 votes

This super easy Hawaiian Wedding Cake is a delicious poke cake oozing with fruity pineapple and coconut flavors in every bite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 3”x3” squares

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

1 box Yellow cake mix (make according to package instructions-usually includes egg(s), oil & water. I used Betty Crocker brand.)
20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup granulated sugar
3 medium sized bananas sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
5.1 oz box Vanilla INSTANT pudding made according to package directions (usually requires 3cups cold milk-follow the 5 minute pudding directions)
8 ounce container Cool whip thawed
½ cup sweet shredded coconut lightly toasted
½ cup walnuts chopped and lightly toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F or according to box cake mix directions.
Spray a 9×13 pan with baker’s spray and then bake cake mix as directed.
Pro-Tip: Mix the egg, oil, and water in your bowl prior to adding your cake’s dry ingredients. This will ensure that you do not over-mix your cake batter and makes for a more tender cake.
While the cake is baking in a medium sauce pan on medium heat, heat the pineapple and sugar just until the sugar dissolves.
When the cake is done baking, remove the baking pan from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top of the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Pro-Tip: It’s best to make the holes in the cake while it is still slightly warm because as it cools, the crust on top of the cake will crumble more easily.
Pour the pineapple mixture over the cake. Spread the pineapple mixture evenly over the cake then allow to cool on the counter for 30 minutes.
Pro-Tip: When you’re pouring the mixture into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the cream fills the holes completely.
Place banana slices in a single layer over the cooled cake.
Make the instant pudding as directed and spread over bananas. Spread Cool Whip over pudding mixture.
Sprinkle with the toasted coconut and nuts.
Pro-tip: To toast your coconut and walnut, line a small cookie sheet with parchment and put it in a 400°F oven for about 3 to 5 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on this so that it does not burn. You can use a dry skillet on medium-high heat to toast the coconut for 3 minutes, pour into a bowl, place the walnuts in the skillet, then repeat. You can garnish each slice with an additional squirt of whipped topping and a maraschino cherry.
Refrigerate assembled cake 1 to 2 hours prior to slicing and serving. This helps the cake set up.
Pro-Tip: If I’m not serving the cake immediately, I tend to wait to put on the garnishes so that they will stay fresh and crunchy and not go stale.

Notes

Storage:

Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This cake needs to stay cold to keep it fresh and moist. If possible, it’s also best to store it without the garnishes, because they will get a bit soggy. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, covered tightly in plastic wrap.

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