Creamy, dreamy and keto! Low carb coconut cream poke cake. This tender, delicious dessert is low carb and grain-free. Here’s to a healthy treat!
This poke cake thing has cast a spell over me, I think. Heretofore, I didn’t care overly much for them and I didn’t really get the appeal. I suppose it’s because my first introduction to them was the kind that used icky sugar-free Jello and was an abnormal shade of pink on the inside. I’ve never been much of a Jello fan, even when I could eat the kind with sugar. I think I was served too many boxed gelatin desserts at the camps I used to attend every summer. Whenever I saw the wobbly blobs of brightly coloured, overly sweetened Jello coming my way, I sighed with disappointment. Offer me anything but Jello, please. Chocolate, cookies, pudding, ice cream, but please, no more Jello!
But poke cakes are so much more than boxed white cake mix with strawberry Jello poured over them these days. Really creative versions started catching my eye on Pinterest, these amazingly moist cakes with mounds of creamy frosting. I’ve seen Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake, Cannoli Poke Cake, Pina Colada Poke Cake, Triple Chocolate Poke Cake, Carrot Cake Poke Cake, Samoa Poke Cake, Apple Pie Poke Cake. Seriously, head to Pinterest and type “poke cake” into the search box and you will be aghast at all the amazing variations. Go on, I dare you. You won’t be able to tear your little eyes away. You may get lost in Poke Cake Land, gazing at all the delicious creations, forever. Well, there could be worse ways to go, I guess.
Many of these creations may indeed still be made with boxed mixes. Boxed cake mix, boxed pudding, boxed Jello, I don’t know. I don’t usually even click through to the recipe because none of these poke cakes are appropriate for a low carb or gluten-free diet. But I can still find plenty of inspiration for making creative and healthy poke cakes. I foresee a whole line of these, my dears. I don’t think I can help myself.
This lovely light cake is based on my low carb Coconut Cream Pie Recipe. Although I did top mine with whipped cream, you could make it completely dairy-free by topping it with some coconut whipped cream.
Also be sure to check out this creamy Dairy-Free Coconut Custard from What the Fork. It should be easy to make low carb with your favourite sweetener and some xanthan gum.
Coconut Cream Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/3 cup unflavoured whey protein powder or egg white powder for dairy-free
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut Cream:
- 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 tsp coconut extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
Topping:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut lightly toasted
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan (if using an 8x8 inch, the cake will need to bake a bit longer).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, shredded coconut, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder and salt. Stir in coconut oil, egg whites, nut milk and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Spread batter in prepared baking pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until set and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes, then poke with a skewer at 1/2 inch intervals all over cake.
Coconut Cream:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk and sweetener and bring to just a simmer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolk. Slowly stir in about 1/3 of the hot coconut milk, whisking continuously. Then slowly whisk egg mixture back into hot coconut milk.
- Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, whisking continuously, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in coconut extract and vanilla extract. Sprinkle surface with xanthan gum and whisk briskly to combine.
- Pour mixture evenly over cooled cake, shaking gently from side to side to get as much mixture into the poke holes as possible.
- Refrigerate 2 hours until completely cooled.
Topping:
- Whip cream with powdered sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread over chilled cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
- *For a dairy-free version, you can make coconut whipped cream by refrigerating a can of coconut milk overnight and scooping out the thick cream from the top the next day. Whip with sweetener and vanilla extract until firm.
Sandra says
Can you substitute canned Coconut Cream for Coconut Milk?
Carolyn says
Sure.
ariadna says
I do not have whey protein. Can I skip this ingredient?
Carolyn says
Not if you want it to rise properly.
cathy says
Can you make this with vanilla whey or does it need to be unflavored?
Carolyn says
You can but sometimes vanilla protein powders have a very strong vanilla flavour.
Dawnj says
We had this for dessert tonight and oh my it lived up to its legend! Thought it was devine. Would it be plausible to make your “chocolate peppermint pound cake” (w/o peppermint), poke holes, pour over the holes your caramel sauce recipe, topping with walnuts or pecans and chocolate ganache?
Kimberley says
I have a dumb question; sorry. The coconut oil. Is that 1/2 cup measured out solid and then melted? Or should I melt some and measure a 1/2 cup? It does it all equal out? I’m not crazy right, there would be a difference, no?
Carolyn says
It’s not going to make a huge difference but I usually measure when a bit softened so I can pack it into the cup… then I melt.
Christine says
I made this for my dad’s birthday. There were about 15 people and I knew someone was bringing a full sugar cake, so I assumed this would be plenty and I’d have leftovers. This disappeared FAST, while the other cake had plenty of leftovers. Nobody there was a low-carber and I didn’t tell anyone a thing until after they devoured it. Nobody could believe this was low carb, even the kids. Every adult asked for the recipe. I’ve made a lot of your recipes and my family has enjoyed them, but this was far and away the biggest hit yet!! I made the Boston Cream Poke Cake last weekend and it was delicious but the Coconut Cake set the bar really high. I want to try a poke cake in every variety possible LOL!!! Thank you so much for helping make my dad’s birthday so special!!
Kell says
Made this today – very good. I couldn’t really tell where the custard was, though I worked real hard to get it in the holes, the consistency looked just like your photo. The cake was quite crumbly but tasty. I only had milk chocolate flavored whey protein powder so the cake is also an interesting color. 😀 The whipped cream and toasted coconut really topped it off perfectly, who doesn’t like whipped cream!
Kell says
I’m thinking of making this for Thanksgiving – could I substitute banana extract instead of the coconut or vanilla? I always loved a banana coconut cream pie — and I’m trying keto so no bananas for me.
Carolyn says
Yes, it would be lovely!
Kell says
Thanks for quick reply!
Becky Hardin says
This is one of my favorite poke cakes! Yum
Julie Blanner says
I always love finding new poke cakes! This was delicious and so full of flavor.
Stephanie says
So delicious! I could eat this every day!
Cheryl S says
THIS CAKE WAS A BIG HIT WITH MY MOM WHEN I MADE IT FOR HER BIRTHDAY!!
Taylor says
Love that whipped cream topping on top! So light and fluffy!
Cheryl says
2 questions, When the recipe calls for 1 large egg and 1 large egg white is that just 1 egg or 1 egg plus the white from another egg? Also what brand of whey powder do you use and where do i buy this?
Carolyn says
Hi Cheryl…. It’s one large WHOLE egg, and then one additional egg white from another egg. Hope that makes it more clear. I use Tera’s Whey a lot but I recently purchased this one and really like it. https://amzn.to/2NozeDp
Suzy says
Such a delicious cake! The flavor was perfect!!
Aimee Shugarman says
This turned out just like the photos. The taste was amazing too!