This moist and delicious strawberry poke cake made with fresh mashed berries and creamy homemade whipped cream is sure to be a hit at your next family gathering! Budget-friendly with simple ingredients, you’ll want to make it all berry season long.
You know how much we like baking cakes in the Crumbs house (especially since my teenage daughter took up baking)!
We have a few different favorite cake recipes from scratch like this Chocolate Cake Mix, Yellow Cake Recipe, and Lemon Cake Mix.
This strawberry poke cake recipe uses my amazing lemon cake mix recipe (you also could use the yellow cake mix too, for variation) as the base. Then it’s topped with delicious real fruit and creamy homemade whipped topping for a light, creamy, fresh dessert bursting with flavor.
However you mix it up, you’ll want to enjoy this strawberry poke cake as often as possible during berry season!
WHY MAKE STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE
Trust me, this is the BEST strawberry poke cake recipe ever!
- It’s so easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients.
- Healthier than other strawberry jello poke cake recipes you might find – no boxed cake mixes or store-bought strawberry flavor puddings with long lists of unrecognizable ingredients.
- Super moist and flavorful with the fresh strawberry sauce and zesty lemon flavor of the cake. Yum!
- A budget-friendly dessert perfect for sharing at BBQs and events. Your friends and family will fall completely in love!
STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Mashed Strawberries. Use fresh strawberries or frozen, slightly mashed. Thaw frozen strawberries before using them in the homemade strawberry sauce.
- Sugar. I prefer Turbinado sugar.
- Gelatin. This is optional but can help thicken up the strawberry layer if you prefer.
- Homemade Lemon Cake Mix or Yellow Cake Mix. The base for the strawberry poke cake. You’ll need flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, unsalted butter, milk, lemon extract, and eggs.
- Homemade Whipped Cream. The top layer of stawberry poke cake, and we’re making a sweetened version. Add powdered sugar to heavy whipping cream and you’ll have a delicious whipped topping perfect for spreading. (Better than cool whip!)
STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. Combine 4 cups mashed strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed) with ½ cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon of gelatin (optional). Let sit while preparing the cake. The strawberries will release some of their juices, making for a yummy liquid layer that will soak into the strawberry poke cake.
Step 2. Prepare 1 batch of Homemade Lemon Cake Mix in a large mixing bowl as directed. Bake in the oven in a 9×13 prepared pan. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Use a straw, the end of a wooden spoon, or a large fork to poke several holes throughout the top of the semi-cooled cake. The bigger the poking device, the bigger chunks of strawberry you’ll get in each slice. Space the holes about an inch apart and poke at least halfway down into the entire cake (but not all the way to the bottom).
Step 4. Pour the macerated strawberries all over the top of the cake, letting the mixture seep down into the cake itself. The cake will absorb the liquid as it continues to cool and there will also be a slight layer of strawberry on top.
Step 5. Prepare Homemade Whipped Cream, adding 2 additional cups of heavy cream + 2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar to this Whipped Cream Recipe and spread evenly over the cake.
Step 6. Place the assembled strawberry poke cake in the fridge to chill completely. Serve cold.
RECIPES FOR POKE CAKES TIPS AND TRICKS
- Use the best utensil for poking holes. I tested making recipes for poke cakes with a straw and a large fork and preferred the straw. The holes are more uniform in size, and you can wiggle the straw around to make them larger if you prefer.
- Make it pretty! Garnish the recipe for strawberry poke cake with additional sliced strawberries or lemon zest for a beautiful dessert.
- Store your poke cake. Cover the strawberry poke cake with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The cake may get soggier the longer it sits, so it’s best the first 2 days.
- Smaller recipes for poke cakes. You can make a half batch with an 8×8 pan, halving the entire recipe. This works for cupcakes too!
CAN REAL FOODIES EAT STRAWBERRY POKE CAKE?
When you’re including a treat like this strawberry poke cake recipe in your day, keep these tips in mind:
- Accurately track what you’re eating. That means figuring out the nutrition information for the cake AND knowing that the portion size you’re writing down is actually the portion you ate.
- Licks, bites, and tastes count! As you’re assembling this yummy poke cake, be mindful of sneaking a strawberry, licking the whipped cream off of the spatula, or trying a bit of cake batter.
- Keep your goals on track for the day as a whole. Include plenty of produce and lean protein and adjust your meals so that your macros for the whole day make sense.
- Don’t fret over one snack! Consistency is key to hitting your nutrition goals, and one snack is not going to change that. What you do consistently day after day is what matters.
STAWBERRY POKE CAKE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is my poke cake soggy?
Your poke cake will be soggy if you use too much filling. This recipe for strawberry poke cake will not be soggy if you use the exact amount of mashed berries listed for this recipe. More is not always better – especially for poke cakes.
What’s the best way to poke holes in a strawberry poke cake?
Using a straw is my favorite tool to poke holes in this strawberry poke cake recipe.
Do you have to make poke cake recipes with Jello?
Not with this recipe! While you do have the option of mixing gelatin in with the strawberries and sugar (this is my favorite brand of gelatin), we aren’t making a strawberry Jell-o poke cake using the boxed kind that is loaded with sugar. Using fresh berries is also far superior to strawberry pie filling.
MORE DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY RECIPES
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Strawberry Poke Cake
This moist and delicious strawberry poke cake made with fresh mashed berries and creamy homemade whipped cream is sure to be a hit at your next family gathering! Budget-friendly with simple ingredients, you’ll want to make it all berry season long.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Instructions
- Combine 4 cups mashed strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed) with ½ cup sugar and 1 Tbsp gelatin (optional). Let sit while preparing the cake.
- Prepare 1 batch of homemade lemon cake mix as directed in a 9×13 pan. Let cool for 30 minutes.
- Use a straw or large fork to poke several holes throughout the top of the semi-cooled cake. The bigger the poking device, the bigger chunks of strawberry you’ll get in each slice. Space the holes about an inch apart and poke at least halfway down into the entire cake (but not all the way to the bottom).
- Pour the macerated strawberries all over the top of the cake, letting the mixture seep down into the cake itself. The cake will absorb the liquid as it continues to cool and there will also be a slight layer of strawberry on top.
- Prepare homemade whipped cream, adding 2 additional cups of cream + 2 Tbsp of powdered sugar to this whipped cream recipe and spread evenly over the cake.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill completely. Serve cold.
- Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
You can make a half batch with an 8×8 pan, halving entire recipe.
