Fresh Strawberry Poke Cake is the perfect dessert for potlucks, backyard barbecues, or simply a refreshing summer treat. It’s easy to make, bursting with fresh fruit flavor, and sure to impress everyone who tries it.
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Why this Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe is a Keeper
This easy Strawberry Poke Cake makes you dream of warm summer breezes and family fun. It is sweet and this strawberry poke cake is made with simple ingredients. Also, it is so versatile.
- Moist Cake: Just make cake according to package directions then add the fillings to add moisture to the cake.
- Easy Ingredients: All found in pantry use a white cake mix or your favorite vanilla cake recipe.
- Family Friendly: Who doesn’t like cake with strawberry topping.
- Adaptable: Can make it with strawberry gelatin for more strawberry flavor. Just pour the jello over the cake to soak into the cake.
- Makes Great Leftovers: So many things you can do like…
If you’re looking for more poke cake recipes, try these 4th of July Poke Cake, Oreo Poke Cake and Banana Pudding Poke Cake.
What is a poke cake?
A poke cake is a type of cake made by poking holes into a baked cake. I use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes into the cake. Then pour a liquid filling, like pudding, Jello, syrup, or sauce, over the top. The liquid soaks into the holes, creating a moist and flavorful cake throughout.
Ingredient Notes to Make Strawberry Poke Cake
- Cake Mix: Strawberry Cake Mix, White Cake Mix or use your favorite flavor or brand of cake Mix.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries really enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Instant Pudding: A package of vanilla pudding mix.
- Whipped Topping: The frozen non dairy kind of whip cream.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions to Make this Cake
Once the cake is baked, the cake can be made with so many different toppings and flavors so you will love this recipe.
- Jello and Boiling Water:Use a package of your favorite jello and add some boiling water. Pour it over the cake as you would the pudding in the recipe below. It adds such flavor to the cake.
- Fruit: You can add a variety of different fruits such as raspberries, blueberries or even a combination of all the berries.
Fun Fact to Love this Recipe
Let the cake cool for a few minutes after baking before adding the filling. This prevents the hot cake from absorbing the filling too quickly, allowing it to distribute better.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Poke Cake
This is such a simple icebox cake. The refrigerator strawberry cake is made with a white cake mix or your favorite boxed cake mix.
These are the basic steps for making this strawberry refrigerator cake . Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Make the Cake Mix and Bake the Cake
First, preheat oven to 350 ºF. Then grease and flour a 13×9-inch pan. Next, prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions. Then, place the Cake batter in the pan and bake following the package directions.
2. Poke the Holes
Once the cake has completely cooled. Then poke the cake holes in the cake roughly one inch apart with the end of a wooden spoon or drinking straw.
3. Homemade Strawberry Sauce
Meanwhile, in a food processor, place the thawed strawberries and then puree strawberries until they are smooth. Spread the strawberry mixture over the make, allowing the fresh strawberry sauce to soak into the holes.
4. Whip the Cool Whip and the Pudding Mixture on Top of the Cake
Finally, once the cake cool completely, prepare pudding mix according to package directions using 1 cup milk. Place the cool whip into pudding mixture. Next, fold whipped topping into pudding mixture and spread over cake. Lastly, garnish with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Delicious Strawberry Pudding Cake Recipe FAQs
This cake should be stored in the fridge. This easy dessert recipe should last up to five days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap use toothpick to hold up the wrap or aluminum foil.
Try using a sugar free cake mix, fat free whip topping or sugar free whip topping.
Of course, try using strawberry jello mixture or strawberry pie filling to add strawberry flavor to this poke cake.
Aim for even distribution of holes throughout the entire cake. A good rule of thumb is to space the holes 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) apart. This ensures the filling reaches most parts of the cake without creating giant gaps.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke the holes. Or try using a straw or the handle of a chop stick.
Expert Tips for Making This Easy Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe
There are so many ways to enhance the strawberry poke cakes recipe. You can even make individual cup cake versions to make this recipe.
- Add Chocolate: Chocolate chips or chocolate drizzle are great for this recipe.
- Short cut tip: Feel free to a use a premade vanilla pudding from the grocery store.
- Variation tip: Cheese Cake Instant pudding mix can be used in place of the vanilla.
- Alternate ingredient: Try a yellow cake mix, homemade vanilla cake mix or chocolate cake mix.
What to Serve with this Strawberry Jello Poke Cake Recipe
- Pina Colada Ice Cream
- Easy Caramel Iced Coffee
- Orange Creamsicle Milkshake
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Fresh Strawberry Poke Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 15.2 ounces Strawberry Cake Mix, 1 box
- 10 ounces Strawberries , fresh or frozen
Topping
- 3.4 ounces Instant vanilla pudding, 1 box
- 1 cup Milk
- 3 cups Whipped topping
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease and flour 13×9-inch pan.
- For cake, prepare, bake and cool according to package directions.
- Poke holes 1 inch apart in top of cake using handle from wooden spoon (or a drinking straw).
- Puree thawed strawberries in blender.
- Spoon evenly over top of cake allowing mixture to soak into holes.
- For topping, prepare pudding mix according to package directions using 1 cup milk.
- Fold whipped topping into pudding mixture.
- Spread over cake.
- Garnish with fresh strawberries.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Chocolate: Chocolate chips or chocolate drizzle are great for this recipe.
- Short cut tip: Feel free to a use a premade vanilla pudding from the grocery store.
- Variation tip: Cheese Cake Instant pudding mix can be used in place of the vanilla.
- Alternate ingredient: Try a yellow cake mix or chocolate cake mix.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
I had my great grandchildren coming from out of state to visit. Made this cake and it was a great hit. They even wanted it for breakfast.
can this be made a day ahead?
Yes of course.
best strawberry cake recipe ever
Hi, are the frozen strawberries sweetened? I’m guessing not, but my mom used to buy these containers of frozen strawberries that were. Thank you for clarifying.
They are not sweetened. However, you can add sugar if you are looking for a sweeter version.
Question how do I put the whip topping on over top of a purée that’s not soaked in yet without it moving with the topping
Dollop the topping in small amounts all over the top of the cake.