Strawberry Poke Cake

No ratings yet

This easy Strawberry Poke Cake is moist, fluffy, and bursting with fruity flavor – a nostalgic dessert made with cake mix, Jell-O, and whipped topping.

Prep Time15

Cook Time23

Total Time38

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Strawberry Poke Cake

Servings:

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 tbsp buttermilk
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
½ tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 ⅔ cups (200g) flour all-purpose / plain
3 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup + 2 tbsp (225g) sugar superfine / caster or granulated
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
6 large eggs at room temperature

For the Jello

3 oz (85g) strawberry jello
1 cup (250ml) boiling water

For the Frosting

1 ½ cups (360ml) cream heavy / double, cold
½ cup (60g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

To Decorate

1 cup (140g) strawberries sliced
freeze-dried straberries , crushed

Instructions

Make the cake

Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Mist a 9×13 inch sheet cake pan with cake release and line parchment paper. Combine buttermilk, vegetable oil, lemon juice and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
2 tbsp buttermilk, 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil, ½ tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Sift the flour, baking powder and cornstarch into a separate bowl. Sifting will aerate and combine the ingredients making our cake fluffy and light as air!
1 ⅔ cups (200g) flour, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder
Place sugar and lemon zest in in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Rub the sugar and zest using your fingertips to release the aromatic citrus oil. Add room-temp eggs and whisk for several minutes until they have tripled in volume.
1 cup + 2 tbsp (225g) sugar, 1 tsp lemon zest, 6 large eggs
Add the buttermilk mixture and beat it in. Gradually fold in the sifted dry ingredient, using a spatula to to cut through the center, scoop around the side, and fold the batter over the top. Do not to overmix — use a light touch to keep all that lovely air in the batter!
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden, risen and feels springy to the touch. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean. Leave the cake in the pan and cool for 20 minutes.

Prepare the Jello and pour on cake

Place strawberry jello in a small measuring jug, add boiling water and stir well to dissolve. Reserve 2 tbsp of the jelly mixture in a separate bowl.
3 oz (85g) strawberry jello, 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes over the cake, spaced about an inch apart. Immediately pour remaining jello mixture over the cake, letting it soak through.

Frost cake and serve

Whisk the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the (cooled) reserved jell-o and beat until just shy of stiff peaks.
1 ½ cups (360ml) cream, ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and chill. Decorate with sliced fresh strawberries just before serving.
1 cup (140g) strawberries, freeze-dried straberries

Video

Notes

Using Cake Mix

Don’t want to bake a cake from scratch? Use a boxed cake mix! Just follow the instructions on the package. This usually means whisking the dry ingredients together. Then, add the wet ingredients like water or milk, oil, and eggs or egg whites.

Mix everything together with an electric mixer until batter is smooth. Pour into a prepared pan and bake. Check if it’s done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Store covered in the refrigerator for up 2-3 days. A sheet pan with a lid is a fab option for baking and storing. The cake be made a couple of days in advance — it actually benefits from a bit chilling time to let the flavors meld. Add the frosting and fresh fruit just before serving.
Freezing instructions: Freeze the cake (after adding the Jell-O but before frosting) wrapped tightly in layers of plastic wrap and foil for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before frosting.

Nutrition