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This tropical mango poke cake is the perfect marriage of tropical Hawaiian flavors and a fun southern classic dessert. It’s perfect for National Hawaiian Foods Week!

Every year when the weather turns warm and summer rolls in I remember my time in southern Virginia and all the amazing people I was fortunate enough to meet during my years as a preschool teacher. My favorite people, though, have to be the Hawaiian family I met at the very last school I worked in before moving on to a new job.

They were such warm, welcoming people and legit the best cooks ever. I spent lots of time at their house, especially during the summer, and watched my friend and coworker make the most amazing food. Roasts, pulled pork, chili. All with unbelievable Hawaiian southern flavor profile mashups.

None better than a fruity poke cake. The perfect blend of tropical Hawaiian flavors and southern charm in a classic poke cake. A sweet, moist cake filled with your favorite fruit, poked full of holes, layered with homemade vanilla pudding, and topped with a light and fresh whipped cream.

PLUS, this crazy easy poke cake is made from a boxed mix! (I know I don’t share recipes with boxed mixes much but I’m channeling my friend here, plus it makes it the easiest cake ev-er. Trust me.)

So when King’s Hawaiian sent me their exclusive Hawaiian Foods Kit in honor of the bipartisan Resolution passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on May 25, 2016 declaring the second week in June as National Hawaiian Foods Week. I knew I had to make this cake to celebrate National Hawaiian Foods Week!!

Diced mangos + volcano water (I mean how awesome is it to drink water from a volcano?!) + butter + a boxed cake mix = the easiest cake you’ll never want to share.

I’ve made this cake with pineapple before, too but it’ll work with whatever your favorite diced fruit or pie filling is. My mom especially likes cherry!

I liked the look and taste of the diced mango but if you want a smoother texture you can also puree them before folding into the batter.

Hawaii has such a diverse, unique culture and I loved the time I was able to spend with my friends learning more about their history, customs, and fusion of flavors from all the different backgrounds that make up the Hawaiian heritage!

The week of June 11 – 17th is National Hawaiian Foods Week. One week to honor Hawaii’s contributions to the culinary heritage of the United States and raise awareness of Hawaiian foods. How are you going to celebrate?

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Tropical Mango Poke Cake

Yield: 0

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 Yellow Vanilla Cake Mix
• 1 15 oz can of diced mango in light syrup
• 4 Tbs butter,, melted
• 1/4 cup Waiakea Water
• 1 8 oz container whipped topping,, for frosting

For the Pudding

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup flour,, sifted
• 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a glass 9x13 baking dish.
2. In a medium sized glass bowl melt the butter, then add the cake mix and water, mixing well. 
3. Fold in the diced (or pureed) mangos and stir until the batter comes together. The batter should be quite thick but if you need to thin it with some water you can add some more a Tbs at a time to reach desired consistency.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until center of the cake springs back when touched. 
5. While the cake is baking, make the pudding by adding milk, sifted flour, and sugar to a saucepan and heating over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. 
6. Allow mixture to cool for about 20 minutes and then cover with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap down onto the surface of the pudding to keep it from forming a skin. 
7. Allow both the pudding and the cake to cool completely (about 2 hours) and then poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
8. Spoon the pudding over the cake and spread it out with a spatula. You want it to evenly coat the cake but not be too thick. You may not need all of the pudding.
9. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then top with whipped topping. Cut into squares and serve!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.