Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe
This easy strawberry poke cake starts with a boxed strawberry cake, gets soaked with a creamy strawberry pudding filling made with fresh strawberries, and is finished with whipped topping, sliced berries and lemon zest. Makes 16 squares.
Equipment
- wooden spoon for poking the holes
Ingredients
- 1 box Strawberry cake mix (13.25 to 15.25 oz)
- 3 eggs large
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups strawberries hulled
- 3.4 ounce vanilla pudding mix instant, 1 box
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounces whipped topping such as Cool Whip, thawed
- Additional sliced strawberries and lemon zest for top of cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and grease a 9x13 baking pan as directed on the cake mix box. Mix the cake mix, eggs, oil and water according to the package instructions, pour into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake about 1 inch apart, going all the way to the bottom.
- In a food processor, pulse the 2 cups of strawberries until pureed. Add the instant pudding mix and milk and blend until smooth.
- Right away, pour the strawberry pudding mixture over the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly and push it down into the holes.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours, until the filling is set and the cake is completely cold.
- Spread the whipped topping over the cake. Just before serving, top with sliced strawberries and lemon zest. Cut into 16 squares and serve cold.
Video
Notes
Use instant vanilla pudding mix, not cook-and-serve. Any 13.25 to 15.25 oz box of cake mix works; use the eggs, oil and water amounts printed on your box if they differ from the list above.
Pour the filling as soon as it's blended: instant pudding begins to set within a few minutes.
For a strawberry Jell-O version, dissolve a 3 oz box of strawberry gelatin in 1 cup boiling water, stir in ½ cup cold water and pour it over the poked cake instead of the pudding filling. Chill 4 hours before topping.
Store covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Add the fresh strawberries on top just before serving for the best look. The cake can be frozen (without the fresh berries on top) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 249mgPotassium: 77mgSugar: 23gVitamin A: 82IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.
