Strawberry Poke Cake Recipe: A Delightfully Easy Dessert
This Strawberry Poke Cake recipe is a delightful dessert that's surprisingly easy to make. Perfect for potlucks, birthdays, or simply satisfying a sweet craving, this recipe combines moist cake, luscious strawberries, and a creamy topping for a flavor explosion. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this crowd-pleasing treat!
What is a Poke Cake?
A poke cake is a simple yet elegant dessert that involves poking holes in a baked cake and pouring a mixture, often a pudding or glaze, over the top. This allows the mixture to soak into the cake, creating a moist and flavorful dessert. The topping is then added, completing this delicious dessert. This recipe uses a strawberry flavor profile, resulting in a vibrant and summery treat.
Ingredients You'll Need:
This recipe uses readily available ingredients, making it perfect for the home baker.
For the Cake:
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix
- Ingredients listed on the cake mix box (usually eggs, oil, and water)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
For the Strawberry Topping:
- 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional, for added sweetness)
Instructions:
Let's bake this delicious strawberry poke cake! Follow these steps for a perfect result every time:
Step 1: Baking the Cake
- Preheat your oven to the temperature specified on the cake mix box. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- Prepare the cake batter according to the instructions on the cake mix box.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Refer to the cake mix box for the exact baking time.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
Step 2: Poking the Holes
- Once the cake is completely cool, use a wooden skewer, chopstick, or the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake. Don't poke too deeply, just enough to create holes for the strawberry mixture to seep into.
Step 3: Preparing the Strawberry Mixture
- While the cake cools, prepare the strawberry mixture. In a medium bowl, gently fold the sliced strawberries into the thawed whipped topping. If desired, add powdered sugar for extra sweetness.
Step 4: Assembling the Poke Cake
- Gently pour the strawberry mixture evenly over the poked cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to fully absorb the topping.
Step 5: Serving and Enjoying
- Once chilled, slice and serve the Strawberry Poke Cake. Garnish with additional fresh strawberries, if desired.
Tips and Variations:
- For a more intense strawberry flavor: Use strawberry-flavored whipped topping or add a teaspoon of strawberry extract to the whipped topping.
- Add some crunch: Sprinkle chopped nuts or chocolate shavings on top of the cake before serving.
- Make it a layered cake: Cut the baked cake into layers, spread the strawberry mixture between the layers, and then frost the entire cake.
- Use frozen strawberries: If fresh strawberries aren't available, you can use frozen strawberries, but make sure to thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before using.
This Strawberry Poke Cake recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Enjoy the process of making this delightful dessert and the satisfaction of sharing it with loved ones! Remember to share your beautiful creations using #StrawberryPokeCake on social media!
