Easy Coconut Cake Mix Dump Cake with Creamy Pudding Layer

Coconut Cake Mix Dump Cake with Creamy Pudding

A box of coconut cake mix can become a layered dessert without making cake batter. Spread prepared coconut pudding in a baking dish, add sweetened condensed milk, then cover it with dry cake mix, melted butter, and shredded coconut. In the oven, the top bakes into a sweet, crumbly crust while the pudding stays creamy underneath.

This is a spoonable coconut cake mix dump cake, not a cake you can slice into neat squares. It is especially good served warm, when the pudding is soft and the coconut on top has just begun to toast. The main trick is getting enough butter across the dry mix so you do not end up with pockets of powder.

Ingredients and equipment

Yield: About 12 servings
Prep time: About 15 minutes
Bake time: 40 to 50 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour, plus cooling time

Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for melting the butter.

• 2 packages (3.4 ounces or 96 grams each) instant coconut cream pudding mix
• 3 cups (710 ml) cold whole milk
• 1 can (14 ounces or 397 grams) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 box (about 15.25 ounces or 432 grams) coconut cake mix
• 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (about 65 grams) sweetened shredded coconut

Check the pudding package before starting. This recipe calls for instant pudding, which thickens after being whisked with cold milk. Cook-and-serve pudding needs a different preparation method. Coconut cream pudding mix is often easier to find than a product labeled simply “coconut pudding”; either works if it is an instant mix of the same size.

Cake mix box sizes vary. A box close to 15 ounces is suitable, but a substantially larger box may need more butter to cover the dry mix. Sweetened shredded coconut gives the topping a chewy texture and browns readily. Unsweetened coconut can be used, though the finished dessert will be less sweet and may brown differently.

How to make the coconut pudding dump cake

1. Heat the oven and prepare the dish. Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. Mix the pudding layer. Whisk the instant pudding mixes with the cold milk for about 2 minutes, or according to the package directions. Let the mixture stand briefly until it begins to thicken, then spread it evenly in the baking dish.

3. Add the condensed milk. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the pudding. It does not need to form a perfectly even layer, but try to distribute it across the dish rather than pouring it all in one spot. Gently spread any large pools with the back of a spoon.

4. Cover with dry cake mix. Sprinkle the coconut cake mix evenly over the creamy layer. Do not prepare the mix according to the box directions, and do not stir it into the pudding. Break up large clumps as you sprinkle.

5. Add butter and coconut. Drizzle the melted butter slowly over the cake mix, paying attention to the corners and edges. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the top.

6. Bake. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the coconut is golden in places, the edges are bubbling, and the top looks mostly set. If the coconut browns too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remaining baking time.

7. Let it rest. Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. The pudding layer will still be soft, but resting makes the dessert easier to scoop.

Spoon the dessert into bowls, reaching down through the topping to get some of the creamy layer in each serving. A small scoop of vanilla ice cream is pleasant with it, though the dessert is rich enough on its own.

Getting the topping right

Dry cake mix is what makes this an easy cake mix dessert, but it also needs a little attention. The butter moistens the powder as the dessert bakes. If most of the butter lands in the center, the edges can remain floury even when the coconut looks toasted.

Sprinkle the mix in a thin, even layer and pour the butter in narrow passes across the entire surface. You do not need to stir the layers together. If you notice a small dry patch near the end of baking, you can dab it with a little melted butter and return the dish to the oven for a few minutes. Check the topping before adding more: a pale spot is not necessarily dry, and the surface will firm up as it cools.

The pudding layer should bubble around the edges, but it will not turn into a firm custard in the oven. Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and body; it is not a substitute for the milk used to prepare the instant pudding. Using only condensed milk with the pudding powder would make a much thicker, sweeter mixture.

This dessert is best judged by its top and edges rather than by inserting a toothpick. A toothpick will pass into the pudding and come out wet even when the topping is baked. Look for toasted coconut, a surface without broad patches of loose powder, and visible bubbling at the sides of the dish.

Serving and storing leftovers

The contrast between warm pudding and a lightly crisp topping is strongest on the day the dessert is made. After refrigeration, moisture from the pudding softens the cake-mix layer. The leftovers still taste good, but they will be more like a chilled pudding dessert with a tender coconut topping.

Cover the dish and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking. Eat them within 3 to 4 days. Serve portions cold, or warm them briefly in the microwave until heated through. Reheating will soften the topping further, so use the oven if you prefer a drier surface: place a portion in an oven-safe dish and warm it at 325°F (165°C) until hot.

For a gathering, bake the dessert shortly before serving if possible. It needs a short rest, but it does not need to cool completely. Set out a large spoon rather than a cake server, and expect generous, uneven scoops. That soft pudding beneath the coconut topping is the point of this cake-mix shortcut.