Get ready to meet your new favorite dessert with this recipe for Strawberry Poke Cake!
Made with pantry items like a white cake mix, strawberry syrup, whipped topping and fresh strawberries, this is a surprisingly simple and tasty recipe that's sure to become a family favorite.
Craving more cake mix magic? Don't miss our other easy dessert recipes that transform this pantry staple into irresistible treats!
This easy, crowd-pleasing recipe is bursting with sweet strawberry flavor and boasts a delightfully moist texture.
With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can create a show stopping dessert that's perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a simple weeknight treat.
Looking for more cake mix recipes? Try my Strawberry Bundt Cake with Marshmallow Filling, Ultimate Chocolate Cake, and these Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Table of Contents
- Elevate Your Poke Cake with These Tips
- Why is my poke cake soggy?
- Do you let a cake cool before poking holes in a cake?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 📋Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Baking Instructions
- Quick Tip
- Before you Begin!
- Storage, Freezing and Thawing Instructions
- Top Recipe Tip
- More Recipes You'll Love!
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Elevate Your Poke Cake with These Tips
Cooling is Key: Allow the cake to cool slightly before poking the holes. This prevents it from crumbling and allows the filling to seep in better.
Be Gentle: Use a fork or chopstick to make the holes evenly throughout the cake. Try not to push the holes all the way to the bottom to avoid the filling seeping out.
Fill Carefully: Pour the filling slowly and evenly over the cake, allowing it to soak into the holes.
Chill Thoroughly: Refrigerate the cake for at least a few hours to allow the filling to set and the flavors to meld.
Don't Forget the Topping: Add whipped cream, frosting, or fresh fruit to complete your delicious dessert.
Why is my poke cake soggy?
The most common culprit is using too much filling. The holes you make in the cake should absorb the liquid, but if there's too much filling, it won't all get absorbed and will pool at the bottom, making the cake soggy.
Also, if the holes are too large or too close together, they can create structural weakness in the cake, making it more prone to sogginess.
Do you let a cake cool before poking holes in a cake?
Yes, you should let a cake cool slightly before poking holes in it. A warm cake is more delicate and prone to falling apart when "poked." Allowing it to cool for about 15-20 minutes helps it firm up a bit.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
Stars & Stripes Cake Dishes
Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish with Red Plastic Lid -13.2 INCH x 8.9inch x 2 inchWooden Spoons, 6 Pieces 9 Inch Wood SpoonsPatriotic Drinking Glasses with Bamboo Lids and Straw
📋Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.
Substitutions and Variations
Experiment with different flavors of pudding, gelatin, fruit sauces, or even sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, or pudding like my Cheesecake Pudding Cake.
If you're not a fan of whipped topping, try using Homemade Whipped Cream!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix together the cake mix, half and half, vegetable oil and eggs with an electric mixer. Mix until smooth.
Step 2: Grease a 9x13 pan with non-stick baking spray. Then pour in the cake batter.
Baking Instructions
Step 3: Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Using a wooden spoon, make holes about ⅔ of the way down into the cake. Aim for the holes to be about an inch apart.
Step 5: Fill the holes with the strawberry syrup.
Step 6: Make the strawberry sauce by combining the fresh strawberries, jam, and sugar.
Quick Tip
8 ounces of whipped topping creates a very thin layer on top of the baked cake, if you want it to be extra creamy, go ahead and double the whipped topping!
Step 7: Frost the cake with whipped topping then top with the strawberry sauce.
Before you Begin!
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Storage, Freezing and Thawing Instructions
Refrigerate: Store the strawberry sauce and cake separately until ready to serve. Both keep well for about 4-5 days if kept covered in the fridge.
Freezer: Flash freeze individual slices of cake on a baking sheet, then wrap each slice with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil to freeze for about 3 months.
Thaw: When ready to serve, put the cake in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
Top Recipe Tip
Use the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick to make holes in the cake.
Allow the cake to completely cool before spreading the whipped topping on top of the cake.
More Recipes You'll Love!
- Check out my other recipe for Patriotic Poke Cake made with Jello.
- Or you might enjoy this recipe for Oreo Poke Cake.
📖 Recipe Card
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Strawberry Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 ¼ cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup strawberry syrup (ice cream or pancake syrup)
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
- ¼ cup strawberry jam
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 cups strawberries sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 pan.
- In a large bowl, prepare the cake by mixing together the cake mix, half and half, vegetable oil and eggs. First, beat with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase it to medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out moist, but clean. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes.
- Use the end of a mixing spoon or chopstick to make holes into the top of the cake. Space the holes about 1 inch apart, but you only need to press into the cake about ⅔ of the way.
- Pour the strawberry syrup into the holes. The holes don’t need to be filled up as the syrup will soak into the cake, but make sure you get all of the holes. Allow the cake to completely cool, about 35 minutes before spreading the whipped topping on top of the cake.
- Prepare the strawberry sauce by mixing the jam and sugar together. After it is mixed, combine with the strawberries until fully covered.
- Store the sauce and cake separately until ready to serve. This keeps well for several days if kept in a sealed container in the fridge.
Notes
- 8 ounces of whipped topping creates a very thin layer on top of the cake, if you want it to be extra creamy, go ahead and double the whipped topping!
- You can use homemade whipped cream, but if you aren’t eating it right away you will want to use the store bought version as it keeps better.
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