Sangria poke cake is a light boozy cake that reflects all your favorite flavors of sangria! Plus you can customize the fruit flavors so it truly reflects your favorite sangria! Try combinations like mixed berry, summer melon, cherry lime, blueberry watermelon, and pineapple strawberry!

sangria poke cake decorated with orange slices, strawberries, blackberries and mint leaves in a glass pan

Sangria is great. But a sangria themed dessert is even better. It’s like a 2 in 1 dessert!

This is the perfect cake to make during the summer when fresh fruit is overflowing at the grocery store or your local farm!

You can top a sangria poke cake with ANY fruit you want and you can use ANY flavor or flavor combinations of jello for the filling.

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Fruit options for the garnish:

blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, pineapple, orange, banana, kiwi, mango, peach, cherry!

Jello flavor options for the filling:

  • orange strawberry
  • strawberry lemon
  • raspberry lemon
  • pineapple peach
  • cherry lime
  • mango raspberry
  • watermelon melon fusion
  • watermelon pineapple
  • orange lemon
  • cherry peach
collage image of how to make sangria poke cake

What is a poke cake

A poke cake is really easy to make. It starts with a baked cake, you could use a box cake mix, homemade cake mix, or a doctored up cake mix.

Once the cake is cool, use a fork or straw to poke holes all over the cake.

Next you add the filling mixture. This could be jello powder mixed with water, instant pudding or fruit puree. There are a ton of different recipes. Pour or spread the filling over the cake and let it seep into the holes!

Then you’ll frost the top of the cake – with whipped cream, cream cheese whipped cream, buttercream, etc, there are so many options.

Add any garnishes you’d like and PRESTO! It’s done. And so good.

slice of sangria poke cake garnished with a strawberry, blackberries, orange slice and mint leaf on white plate

How to make a sangria poke cake

To make an adult poke cake with wine or sangria you’ll need..

Cake

For this recipe we used our doctored up white cake recipe!

FILLING

a box of strawberry jello, orange jello, water, and your favorite wine or sangria!

I used a cheap bottle of white wine, but you can use your favorite liquor, or favorite sangria.

FROSTING

heavy cream, powdered sugar, and red/purple gel food coloring. Or you could skip making homemade whipped cream and use cool whip!

GARNISH

Add your favorite fruit! Pops of mint leaves make a nice garnish too.

slice of sangria poke cake garnished with a strawberry, blackberries, orange slice and mint leaf on white plate

Can I make a sangria poke cake ahead of time

Yes, you can make the cake portion of the recipe 2 days in advance, wrap it well and store in the fridge (without frosting). OR You can make the cake portion and frost the cake 1 day in advance, again, covering it tightly and storing in the fridge.

Should I refrigerate a poke cake?

Yes, most poke cakes will need to be refrigerated because that will help to set the filling, whether it be jello, pudding or fruit puree. It’s also a good idea to refrigerate any cake that has a whipped cream frosting.

More Cake Recipes

Sangria Poke Cake

3.25 from 4 ratings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 37 minutes
Additional Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 57 minutes
Yield: 20 servings
Sangria poke cake is a light boozy cake that reflects all your favorite flavors of sangria! Plus you can customize the fruit flavors so it truly reflects your favorite sangria! Try combinations like mixed berry, summer melon, cherry lime, blueberry watermelon, and pineapple strawberry!

Ingredients

Doctored Up White Cake Mix

  • 1 box white cake mix, 15.25 oz
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup sour cream

Jello Filling

  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • 1 tbsp strawberry jello powder, or favorite flavor
  • 1 tbsp orange jello powder, or favorite flavor
  • cup wine, or your favorite sangria for a bigger flavor punch!

Topping

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • pink, violet and red gel food coloring
  • Fruit to top the cake*

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, flour, salt, egg whites, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream, beat with an electric mixer until combined, 2-3 minutes.
  • Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 37-43 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean
  • Allow the cake to cool to room temperature. Then using a fork, straw or wooden dowel, poke holes all over the cake about 1/2 inch apart. Make sure the holes go all the way to the bottom of the cake.
  • Prepare the jello filling, in a bowl combine the 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tbsp strawberry jello powder and 1 tbsp orange jello powder, stir with a spatula until the gelatin dissolves. Add in the wine/sangria and stir again.
  • Pour this mixture all over the cake, then cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  • Place a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • After they are chilled, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and very small amounts pink, violet and red gel food coloring to the bowl. You can always add in more coloring as needed. Beat for 5-8 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the cake. 
  • If serving later, cover and refrigerate the cake, for up to 2 days.
  • Before serving add fresh fruit (we used orange slices, strawberries and blackberries) to the top of the cake. OR cut the cake into slices and top each piece with fruit. 

Notes

To make this cake kid friendly, omit the wine and use 1/2 cup of water total.
*orange slices, strawberries, blackberries, mint leaves (could also use blueberry, raspberry, pineapple, banana, kiwi, mango, peach, cherry!)
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Beth
Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 311mg, Potassium: 99mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 456IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 1mg
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