Easy Coconut Cream Pie Dump Cake Recipe with Coconut Pudding

Coconut Cream Pie Dump Cake

Coconut cream pie dump cake gives you the coconut-and-vanilla flavor of the pie in a spoonable baked dessert. Instant coconut pudding and sweetened condensed milk form a soft base, while dry cake mix, butter, and shredded coconut bake into a golden topping. There’s no crust to roll or custard to cook on the stove.

This is a dump cake, so the layers stay distinct. The pudding mixture goes into the dish first; the cake mix is scattered over it, not stirred in. After baking, the dessert needs time to cool. Warm from the oven, the filling is too loose for a tidy square, but it’s good served with a spoon.

Ingredients and equipment

Yield: About 12 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 45 to 55 minutes
Cooling time: At least 2 hours
Equipment: 9-by-13-inch baking dish, mixing bowl, whisk

• 2 packages (3.4 ounces or about 96 g each) instant coconut cream pudding mix
• 3 cups (710 ml) cold whole milk
• 1 can (14 ounces or about 397 g) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 box (about 15.25 ounces or 432 g) yellow cake mix
• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (about 85 g) sweetened shredded coconut
• Whipped cream, for serving, optional

Use instant pudding mix, not cook-and-serve pudding. The two products require different preparation, and cook-and-serve pudding will not thicken as directed here. Check the package size as well: pudding mixes vary by brand, and the recipe calls for two standard 3.4-ounce packages.

Yellow cake mix makes a mild, buttery topping. White cake mix also works if you prefer a lighter vanilla flavor. Sweetened shredded coconut is the soft, moist kind commonly sold in baking bags. Large coconut flakes brown differently and won’t give the topping quite the same texture.

How to make coconut cream pie dump cake

Mix the creamy layer

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

Whisk the instant pudding mix with the cold milk in a large bowl for about 2 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until evenly combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it level.

The condensed milk adds sweetness and body, but it does not replace the cold milk needed to prepare the instant pudding. The mixture may still look softer than finished pudding when it goes into the pan.

Add the topping without stirring

Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pudding layer. Break up any large clumps with your fingers as you go. Pour the melted butter slowly across the surface, trying to cover as much of the cake mix as possible. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the top.

Do not stir the layers together. The dry mix needs to sit above the pudding so it can form a topping. Take a moment to check for large, pale patches of uncovered cake mix before the dish goes into the oven. A few small dry-looking spots are less troublesome than a thick mound of powder.

Bake, cool, and serve

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the coconut and cake topping are golden brown and the edges are bubbling. The center may still move slightly if you nudge the dish; it will firm up as it cools. If the coconut is browning too quickly before the rest of the top looks baked, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remaining time.

Set the dish on a rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours before serving. For firmer portions, refrigerate it after it has cooled to room temperature. Cut into squares with a serving spatula, or spoon it into bowls if you prefer a softer serving. Add whipped cream just before serving, if using.

What to expect from the texture

Despite the name, this coconut cream pie cake does not slice like a pie with a pastry crust. The bottom is creamy and pudding-like, and the top is a tender cake layer with toasted coconut. The boundary between them may be uneven, which is normal for a layered dump cake.

The topping also won’t have the uniform crumb of a cake made by mixing batter. Butter moistens the dry cake mix from above, while moisture from the pudding reaches it from below. Spreading the mix in an even layer gives both a better chance to reach it. Dumping the whole box into one spot and leaving it there can produce a pocket of dry powder.

Cooling changes the dessert noticeably. A hot serving is soft enough to scoop, with a filling that may run across the plate. After a few hours in the refrigerator, it holds together better, though it remains more delicate than a cake square. If neat slices are the goal, make it ahead and serve it chilled.

Small changes that work

For a stronger coconut flavor, use coconut extract in place of the vanilla, but start with ¼ teaspoon. Coconut extract can be assertive, and brands differ. Taste the pudding mixture before layering it if you’re unsure. The shredded coconut already contributes flavor as well as texture.

You can toast a little extra coconut separately and scatter it over the whipped cream at serving time. This gives a crisp finish, especially after the cake has been refrigerated and the baked topping has softened. Toast coconut in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, and remove it as soon as it turns light gold. It can go from toasted to burnt quickly.

For a less sweet serving, leave off the whipped cream or use unsweetened whipped cream. The pudding mix, condensed milk, cake mix, and shredded coconut all contain sugar, so this is a rich dessert even without a topping. Substituting unsweetened shredded coconut will reduce some sweetness, but it also changes the texture of the baked surface.

Storage and make-ahead notes

Because the dessert contains milk and prepared pudding, cover and refrigerate leftovers promptly. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The coconut topping will gradually soften, but the flavor holds up well.

You can bake the cake the day before serving. Let it cool, cover the dish, and refrigerate it overnight. Add whipped cream to individual portions rather than spreading it over the whole cake in advance; that keeps the topping visible and makes leftovers easier to store.

Serve chilled or let a portion sit at room temperature briefly to take off the refrigerator chill. Reheating is possible, but it softens the pudding layer and makes the dessert harder to slice. For the clearest contrast between creamy filling and golden topping, cool the cake fully and add the whipped cream at the table.