Strawberry Poke Cake
Strawberry poke cake with REAL homemade strawberry sauce! Tastes like a strawberries and cream cake!
Poke cakes are popular because they are easy to make and so MOIST!
The typical poke cake calls for powdered jello mix to flood the cake, but I wanted to create a poke cake that uses fresh strawberry sauce instead.
The result is a cake that tastes like strawberries and cream!
There’s a few parts to this recipe. The cake, the strawberry sauce, and the topping.
For the cake I decided to use our go-to doctored up white cake mix. Our family LOVES this white cake mix recipe! The cake turns out so moist and flavorful, gets tons of compliments each time I make it, plus no one has to know that it starts with a box mix
You’ll have to do a test taste to see how good it is for yourself! But if you’re in a pinch, a regular box of cake mix will do.
The next component is the strawberry sauce. At first glance it might sound scary, but it’s as easy as putting strawberries and sugar in a sauce pan and boiling. The strawberries release their juices and it’s magic. You can make the strawberry sauce ahead of time or make it while the cake is baking.
Once the cake cools, poke holes all over the cake. I like to use a reusable straw to poke holes, but the handle of a wooden spoon works well too.
Pour the strawberry sauce all over the cake and use a spatula to spread it around and fill in the holes. I topped this cake with homemade whipped cream, but you could also use cool whip.
Top the cake with strawberry slices or strawberry roses for a really fancy presentation! I attempted to make strawberry roses and it was difficult. I’’ll need to practice those a bit more :)
There you have it, a real, fresh strawberry poke cake!
More Fruit Desserts
Strawberry poke cake video
Strawberry Poke Cake
Ingredients
CAKE (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 milk
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sour cream
Strawberry Sauce
- [We have a separate tutorial for that right here]! , All the sauce you make from this recipe will be used on the cake.
All the sauce you make from this recipe will be used on the cake.
- 2 cups chopped strawberries, equal to about a 1 lb carton
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Squeeze of fresh lemon
Topping
- 2 containers cool whip or homemade whipped cream, 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Strawberries, optional
Instructions
CAKE
- 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. **NOTE** While the cake is baking, it’s a good time to make the strawberry sauce! Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a straw or wooden handle from spoon to poke holes all over the cake.
Strawberry Sauce
- We have a separate tutorial for that right here! All the sauce you make from this recipe will be used on the cake.
- Putting the cake together
- After you make the strawberry sauce, pour all the sauce evenly over the cake and use a spatula to smooth the sauce over the cake and into the holes. Top the cake with cool whip or homemade whipped cream.
- For homemade whipped cream: Place a metal mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove the bowl from the freezer. Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar, and beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form / it’s scoop-able with a spoon and holds its shape.
- Top the cake with fresh strawberries (chopped, whole, etc.). Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Cake is too dense. I think next time I would just make the cake mix according to the package instructions.
Looks so delicious 😋
Can frozen strawberries be used in place of fresh strawberries?
Yes you can!