Easy Carrot Poke Cake is poked with a delicious cheesecake pudding and topped with pineapple whipped topping. Since we start with a boxed mix and have carrots and pineapple added to the mix, you will never guess it’s not from scratch. Make it for Easter dessert!
Carrot Poke Cake
Easter is just around the corner, and I like for our desserts to be the star of the show. In years past, I have made the most amazing Carrot Cake Cheesecake and also from scratch Carrot Cake. Both are so tasty but require a bit more work than this Carrot Poke Cake.
Making carrot cake from scratch can be a bit time-consuming. So, for our Carrot Poke Cake, I use a spiced cake mix and then add shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, and pineapple juice to doctor up the mix. It’s easy, and the results are always amazing.
Cream cheese and carrot cake are our favorite combination. So, for this poke cake, we used cheesecake pudding to pour into the holes that we poke. The pudding makes it a bit sweeter. So tasty!
For the topping, I use Cool-Whip with crushed pineapple to add a bit of extra flavor. It also takes the Carrot Poke Cake to a whole other level. It’s light and flavorful.
I did not add nuts to our Carrot Poke Cake, as many from scratch recipes do. Instead, I add them for garnish on the top. Crushed pecans as a topping with the Pineapple Whipped topping are perfect.
Ingredients for Carrot Poke Cake
- Spice Cake Mix
- Eggs
- Oil
- Carrots
- Crushed Pineapple
- Vanilla
- Cheesecake Pudding
- Milk
- Cool-Whip
- Crushed Pecans (Optional)
How to Make Carrot Poke Cake
First, wash, peel, and shred two carrots. It should amount to approximately 1 cup of shreds. Do not use store-bought shredded carrots. They will not bake and will stay hard.
Next, drain the crushed pineapple, reserving the juice. Then, place the crushed and drained pineapple on to a plate lined with paper towels. Using additional paper towels, pat and squeeze the pineapple to remove as much moisture as possible.
Now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heavily grease a 9×13 baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, vanilla, eggs, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Next, beat until combined (about 2 minutes).
For the next step, add the 1 cup of shredded fresh carrots and 1 cup of crushed pineapple that has been patted dry. Fold and mix in well.
Add the cake batter to prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Watch for a toothpick inserted coming out clean. Allow the baked cake to cool for 5 minutes. Using the end of a round spoon or something similar, poke large holes throughout the cake. Push to the bottom. Then, allow the poked cake to finish cooling.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cheesecake pudding mix and 2 cups of milk.
Before it thickens too much, pour it over the cake. Using a spatula, be sure the pudding is flowing into the pokes. Then, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a medium-sized bowl, fold together the remaining crushed, drained, and moisture removed pineapple and whipped topping. Next, spread on the top of the chilled poke cake. Then, refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes before serving.
You can make this Easy Carrot Poke Cake ahead of time. Make it the day before and keep refrigerated. I have never tried to freeze it.
Easy Carrot Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 20 oz can Crushed Pineapple divided
- 1 cup shredded Carrots
- 1 box 15.25 oz Spice Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Eggs
- 1 pkg 3 oz Cheesecake Pudding mix
- 2 cup Milk
- 8 oz Whipped Topping Cool Whip
Instructions
- Drain pineapple, reserving juice for later.
- Place pineapple in paper towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Set pineapple aside.
- Place carrots in paper towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Set carrots aside.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Heavily grease 9x13" baking pan. Set aside.
- Combine cake mix, oil, vanilla, 1/2 cup of reserved pineapple juice and eggs in a large bowl.
- Beat until combined.
- Fold in shredded carrots and 1 cup of crushed pineapple that has had moisture removed.
- Transfer to prepared pan.
- Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- After cake has cooled for about 5 minutes, poke large holes into the cake (I use the end of a wooden spatula).
- Allow to finish cooling.
- In a small bowl, combine cheesecake pudding and milk.
- Whisk until combined.
- Immediately spread across cake. Use a spatula to force pudding mixture into holes.
- Chill for about 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine whipped topping and remaining crushed pineapple that has had moisture removed.
- Spread whipped topping mixture on top of cake and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes.
This sounds fabulous! I too love a cream cheese frosting with my cake but I cheesecake filling sounds pretty amazing too. Pinned
The additions of pineapple and cheesecake pudding make this sound extra delicious. Pinning this so I can make! I’m visiting from Inspire Me Monday.
What other pudding flavor can be used in this recipe?
Hi Pat! You could also use vanilla pudding if you would prefer it to the cheesecake. I hope that helps and you give it a try. Have a wonderful rest of your week.
Can you use something other than pineapple if not a pineapple fan?
Hi Susan! You could for sure omit the pineapple all together. If you should do so, add another 3/4 of a cup of water to your cake batter mix. That should work. I hope that helps and you enjoy it!